Outreach Programs
Attention Teachers!

This year you can have one of our TNC professional environmental educators lead your students in an exploration of the wonders of the natural world. Hands-on learning and close observations with LIVE animals and/or artifacts from our 380-acre living museum bring classroom concepts to life.

Programs are designed for students ages 3 through Adults.

Outreach Programs
(Programs that are held at your location)
Offered during business hours Monday through Sunday.

We can design programs to reinforce your curriculum.

If a subject of interest to you does not appear below, please contact the Education Director for more information!

All of our programs have been designed to help educators meet many of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards. The following outreach programs have been designed to be taught at your school or other location; however, they can also be taught here at the Nature Center as a field trip. For more information regarding our Field trip programs, please click here. 

Pre-school and Kindergarten Programs
(45 min.-1 hour)

Creature Double Feature: Students use their senses to meet live animals. They will discover how they are different and similar to these creatures. Focusing on how each species adapts to survive in its environment (what it eats, what covers its body, etc.), helps children gain a respect for and decrease their fears of several animal species.

Sleep, Stay, Run Away: Students learn how animals know winter is on the way and how they prepare for it, Students will investigate winter strategies with hands-on activities, artifacts, and LIVE animal observations. Discussions include adaptations, hibernation, migration and animal behavior. Extended programs include a look at animal tracking.

What is a Tree? Through role-playing, songs, games and a journey into our woods, your class will discover the inner workings of a tree and the physical characteristics that define some of the common species found here in NJ. Students learn how animals and humans alike use the different parts of a tree, and who here at the Nature Center calls a tree home. 

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Kindergarten– 12^th Grade Programs
(1-1.5 hours)

Apple Cider Making (if transportation is available)
Students investigate simple machines and the differences in plant parts, as they use an old-fashioned screw press to make and sample fresh apple cider. In the process, they learn about the history of the cider making from colonial times to the present. 

Bird is the Word
Students learn what makes a bird unlike any other animal. Through activities and games, classes will learn what attributes birds share with other animals and which adaptations set them apart from the various avian species. Students will see and touch artifacts before they go outdoors to search for our resident species. A few binoculars are available. Extended programs include an in-depth look at how and why birds have developed different beak shapes. The program concludes with an up-close visit with a LIVE bird.

Dichotomous Trees
In this interactive program students learn what dichotomous keys are and how to use them properly. Identifying some of New Jersey’s common trees, your class will discover the cultural and natural history of many of these species.

Endangered NJ
Learn about the many factors that threaten animals with endangerment or extinction worldwide. Students will use artifacts and LIVE animals to learn how to distinguish between these classifications. Activities are designed to help students understand a little more about NJ’s over 60 endangered species, and learn how they can help prevent the threats to local wildlife. 

Group Challenges
Through problem-solving challenges and group work, this program will help your class recognize their strengths and practice their listening skills. Using both their physical and mental abilities, students will learn how to communicate effectively with each other and cultivate cooperative skills.

Have to Have a Habitat (if schoolyard space available)
Students discover what animals, plants, and people need to survive and what makes a habitat a “home”. Venturing into the forest, your class will investigate wildlife homes and diets, and learn to identify signs of various species and how an assortment of factors control wildlife populations.

Heavenly Herps
“Herps” (reptiles and amphibians) are among the most under-appreciated and misunderstood species of the animal world. This program will introduce students to live snakes, frogs, salamanders and turtles and highlight the characteristics which distinguish between reptiles and amphibians.

Insect Safari
Students examine Live insects in an introduction to the vast array of insect life.  They will be taught where to find insects outside and how to identify them. By observing life stages and adaptations, students will learn to identify different insects in a variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Extended programs include such topics as how people depend on insects and how our attempts to control insect populations affect the environment.

Oogling Owls
Students learn how these nocturnal raptors have adapted to night flight, as they observe our LIVE resident owl. Your class will learn about NJ’s owls’ status by discussing the pros and cons of human interactions with these powerful and efficient predators.

Rapp’n with Raptors
Students will observe several live raptors up close and learn about their behavior, physiology, adaptations, ecological importance and natural history. Hands-on artifacts and demonstrations will capture the imagination of young and old.

Snakes of New Jersey
Students discover the differences between snakes and other species as they learn about the 21 species of snakes that reside in NJ. An interactive slide presentation emphasizes the importance of these legless reptiles by identifying and exploring their adaptations. Artifacts and up-close encounters with several LIVE snakes make this a memorable educational experience.

Water, Water Everywhere
Students help perform demonstrations, experiments and activities as your class is introduced to water molecules and the concepts of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, freezing, surface tension.  They will learn how plants and animals recycle water and how some animals live in and on the water. During a guided hike along the Nature Center trails students will play a game are designed to help explain how water is vital to all life forms. Extended programs include such topics as wetlands classification, the importance of a watershed and all of the factors that contribute to it, and discussion of such words such as “topography”, “nitrogen”, and “phosphorus”.

Weather or Not
Students learn how sun, air, land, and water each play a role in determining our weather, and how these elements can be used to  predict weather patterns. Through demonstrations and experiments, your class will learn how to use several basic instruments to measure and hypothesize future weather patterns.  Students will measure differences in air pressure, prove that air has weight, and investigate how and why weather changes.

Web of Life
Students will discover how energy flows from the sun through the food web. They will search for living examples of producers, consumers and decomposers in a variety of habitats.  Your class will discuss the concept of food chains, population dynamics, adaptation and change. Activities include games to highlight predator and prey relationships and an interpretive hike. Extended programs can include comparison of herbivores, carnivores and omnivores by examining different skulls and sets of teeth.

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Scheduling and Field Trip Information
Schedule Early!

Spring and Fall time slots fill months in advance, but we're open all year.
Call 201-568-6093 to schedule a field trip this year.

• For faster scheduling have several date and time options ready when you call.

• Your message should include your name, phone number, group age and number of students, the name of the program, several possible dates, and the preferred times.

• If a day/date time slot is already booked, a waiting list is kept.

To discuss programs and possible dates, call the Education Director at (201) 568-6093 or email her a program request form by clicking here she will contact you as soon as possible.

Most programs are held entirely outdoors and are given regardless of the weather, with some exceptions. Students should dress accordingly.

Preparation for your visit

• TNC programs are held mostly outdoors

• Please ask students to dress accordingly as they may be standing or sitting outdoors for most of the program.

• Please remind students to dress in layers.

In winter, students should dress more warmly than for outdoor play. In warmer weather, we recommend light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants as protection against plants and insects. Trails are rocky and seasonally muddy. Students should wear sturdy shoes or boots and rain gear when applicable.

Picnic Area

Under our covered pavilion TNC has several picnic tables available. If you would like to have lunch here discuss it with the Education Director. Please bring trash bags and remind your students to bring reusable lunch containers. When you leave please take your trash with you.

Museum

You can schedule time for your group to explore the natural history exhibits and displays in the visitor center.

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 Outreach Fees
These programs were designed to be taught in or around your school and at TNC.

There is no charge for teachers and aides.
 If your funds are limited inquire about reduced rates. We strive to make nature accessible to all.

 A mileage charge of $0.49 per mile round trip is added to the program fee if the location is outside of Tenafly.

Consecutive classes are programs held one right after another, for different classes, in the same school. An assembly program is one program, held for multiple classes, in one location, and at one time.

Pre-payment:

Pre-payment is required for all programs. When you schedule a program with the Education Director, a time slot will be reserved for you. Payment must be received within two weeks, or the reservation will be cancelled. If you schedule a program within the two week period, pre-payment is due three days prior to the program.

Group Size for Programs

TNC makes every effort to keep groups small to allow each student the maximum level of participation. A maximum of 30 students can be accommodated in one class. Larger groups can be divided between several consecutive programs or can be held over several days.

Cancellation & Refunds

• If you group must reschedule, you will be responsible for a  $50 Rescheduling fee.

• If your group must cancel, refunds are based on how far in advance cancellation is from schedule date.

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