ON-SITE FIELD TRIPS
at Fern Hollow Nature Center or Ohio Township Nature Center
Field trips are available in 1-hour, 1.5-hour, 2-hour, and 3-hour lengths and include a short educational presentation, a hike, and a “hands-on” nature activity.
Groups are encouraged to bring snacks or refreshments to enjoy during their time at Fern Hollow.
- The Nature Center has a small kitchen with a refrigerator available for use.
- Kitchen not available at Ohio Township Nature Center.
Seasons offered: All year | Recommended grade level(s): Preschool–5th
Discover the fascinating world of bats through an engaging, hands-on environmental education experience! Students will explore the nine species of bats found in Pennsylvania and discover how bats around the world have adapted to their unique environments. Through interactive models, exciting experiments, and hands-on activities, participants will investigate bat anatomy, adaptations, echolocation, feeding, and their important role in healthy ecosystems. This fun, interactive program brings bat science to life and gives students an experience they’ll see, touch, test, and remember!
STEELS Standards: 3.1.1.B, 3.1.3.B, 3.1.3.G, 3.3.K.B, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.3-5.F, 3.4.K-2.C, 3.4.K-2.D, 3.1.3.C, 3.1.3.F, 3.1.4.A, 3.1.4.B
Seasons offered: All year | Recommended grade level(s): 3rd–5th
Explore Pennsylvania’s incredible geological past through fossils, rocks, and hands-on field experiences! Students will discover fossils and geological features found right here in Pennsylvania, learn how our state’s rocks tell the story of ancient environments and changing landscapes, and explore the three major types of rocks.
STEELS Standards: 3.1.3.E, 3.3.4.A, 3.3.4.B, 3.4.3-5.F
Seasons offered: Late spring through early fall | Recommended grade level(s): Preschool–2nd
Explore the amazing world of bugs through hands-on activities, live encounters, and outdoor discovery! Designed for preschool through 2nd grade, students will get up close with insects and other creepy-crawlies while learning how they move, eat, grow, and help our world. A fun, interactive adventure for curious young explorers!
STEELS Standards: 3.1.2.C, 3.3.K.C, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.K-2.D, 3.1.3.F
Seasons offered: Late spring through early fall | Recommended grade level(s): All ages
Grab your boots and join an environmental educator for an outdoor adventure along Little Sewickley Creek or the stream at your school! Together, we’ll explore the watershed, uncover signs of wildlife, and use our observation skills to discover the amazing world right outside your door. This hands-on experience encourages curiosity, exploration, and a deeper connection to the natural environment.
STEELS Standards: 3.1.2.C, 3.3.K.A, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.K-2.C, 3.4.K-2.D, 3.1.3.F
Seasons offered: Late spring through early fall | Recommended grade level(s): All ages
Get ready to dive into the world of water with Fern Hollow educators! Students will become water-quality scientists as they conduct experiments, test the water, survey the stream, and investigate what makes a healthy watershed. Along the way, they’ll discover how pollution impacts our waterways and what we can do to protect them. Designed for learners from preschool through high school, this interactive field experience turns students into real watershed warriors—exploring, testing, and making a splash while learning about the world around them!
STEELS Standards: 3.1.3.G, 3.1.2.C, 3.3.2.C, 3.3.2.B, 3.3.K.B, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.3-5.C, 3.4.6-8.C, 3.4.9-12.C, 3.4.6-8.E, 3.4.3-5.F, 3.4.6-8.H, 3.4.9-12.H, 3.4.3-5.G, 3.4.6-8.I, 3.4.9-12.I, 3.4.K-2.C, 3.4.K-2.D, 3.1.3.F
Seasons offered: All year | Recommended grade level(s): All ages
Birds are everywhere, but how often do we stop to notice them? This program introduces students to the incredible birds of Pennsylvania and the skills needed to become confident birders. Students will explore bird migration, unique adaptations, and native species before heading outside for a guided birding hike to practice spotting and identifying birds in the wild. The goal is simple: turn curiosity into a lifelong love of birding!
STEELS Standards: 3.1.3.B, 3.1.3.G, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.3-5.F, 3.4.K-2.D, 3.1.1.A, 3.1.3.F, 3.1.4.A, 3.1.4.B
Seasons offered: Winter | Recommended grade level(s): All ages
Winter is a great time to discover the birds that call Pennsylvania home! Students will learn how birds survive the cold, explore winter adaptations and migration, and get to know the species they may see throughout the season. Then, settle in for an indoor feeder watch, where students can practice observing and identifying birds as they visit nearby feeders. This cozy winter experience brings the excitement of birding right to the window!
STEELS Standards: 3.1.3.B, 3.1.3.G, 3.1.2.C, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.K-2.C, 3.4.K-2.D, 3.1.3.F, 3.1.4.A, 3.1.4.B
Seasons offered: All year | Recommended grade level(s): Preschool–2nd
What starts as a tiny seed can become food, flowers, and so much more! Students will explore the plant life cycle, discover where our food comes from, and uncover the important partnership between plants and pollinators. Through fun activities, observation, and hands-on discovery, young learners will investigate how plants grow, how pollinators help them reproduce, and why plants are essential to our world.
STEELS Standards: 3.1.K.A, 3.1.2.A, 3.1.2.C, 3.4.3-5.F, 3.4.K-2.C, 3.1.1.C, 3.1.3.F, 3.1.4.A
Seasons offered: All year | Recommended grade level(s): Preschool–2nd
Put on your detective hat and discover the outdoors using your senses! Young explorers will investigate their surroundings by listening for wildlife, spotting signs of nature, feeling textures, smelling plants, and looking for clues. This fun, interactive field trip encourages preschool through 2nd grade students to slow down, observe, and discover the amazing world right outside their door.
STEELS Standards: 3.1.K.A, 3.1.3.G, 3.1.2.C, 3.3.1.B, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.3-5.F, 3.4.K-2.C, 3.4.K-2.D, 3.1.3.F, 3.1.4.B
Seasons offered: All year | Recommended grade level(s): Pre-K–5th
Get to know Pennsylvania’s amazing mammals, from hibernating groundhogs to powerful black bears! Students will learn how local mammals find food, survive the seasons, and adapt to their habitats while examining real pelts and skulls. By looking closely at fur and skull features, students will uncover clues about the environments mammals live in and the diets that help them survive. Through hands-on activities and informative lessons, students will gain a closer look at the fascinating wildlife found throughout Pennsylvania.
STEELS Standards: 3.1.3.G, 3.1.2.C, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.3-5.E, 3.4.K-2.C, 3.4.K-2.D, 3.1.3.C, 3.1.3.F, 3.1.4.A, 3.1.4.B
Seasons offered: All year | Recommended grade level(s): K–5th
It may seem unusual to study animal tracks and scat, but these clues tell an incredible story about the wildlife around us! Students will learn how to identify signs of animals and use them to uncover clues about what animals eat, how they move, and where they live. This field trip turns the outdoors into a wildlife investigation, revealing the hidden stories of the animals that share our world.
*Hike included for field experience.
STEELS Standards: 3.4.3-5.A, 3.1.1.B, 3.1.4.A, 3.1.4.B
Seasons offered: All year | Recommended grade level(s): All ages
Meet the turtles, snakes, frogs, salamanders, and other cold-blooded creatures that call Pennsylvania home! Students of all ages will learn how these fascinating animals live, adapt, and survive in our state’s diverse habitats. Through engaging discussion and up-close encounters, participants will gain a greater appreciation for Pennsylvania’s reptiles and amphibians and the important roles they play in our ecosystems.
STEELS Standards: 3.1.3.G, 3.1.2.C, 3.4.3-5.A, 3.4.K-2.C, 3.1.3.C, 3.1.3.F, 3.1.4.A, 3.1.4.B
*If you do not see a topic listed above, please contact our education department. Environmental educators can develop new field trips based on your specific class(es) or STEELS standard for an additional fee.