School Programs for Pre-Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade
Give your students the opportunity to explore North Shore marine life and help foster their curiosity, understanding and appreciation of the marine environment. These hands-on programs, with a focus on inquiry and discovery, were created by a New York State certified teacher to reinforce New York State Standards and the concepts needed for the State Assessment tests. Teachers can use these programs as a unique addition to a science unit, to make connections across different subject areas, or as a culminating experience to reinforce prior knowledge and curriculum. Our low student/teacher ration enables us to emphasize experiential learning. Many programs can be brought to your location whether school or local estuary for your convenience. Please contact us with any questions; and remember – most programs can be adapted to meet your specific needs.
Pre-K Through 3rd Grade
4th Grade Through Adult
Research & Community Opportunities
Staff Development Opportunities
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SCHOOL PROGRAMS - PRE-K THROUGH 3rd GRADE
Beach Day
(Pre-K - 1st)  Bay Birds
(Pre-K - 1st)  Sound Stars
(Pre-K - 3rd)  Sea Creatures
(Pre-K - 3rd)  Horseshoe Cr
(Pre-K - 3rd)  Touch Tank
(Pre-K - 3rd)  Harbor Habit.
(1st - 3rd)  Water Evrywhr
(1st - 3rd)  Altern. Energy
(1st - 3rd)  Beach Day (Pre-K - 1st)
Listen to a playful story and explore the exciting sights, sounds, smells and textures of the beach. Meet Barnacle Bear or his friend and learn how to stay healthy and safe at the beach and on the water. If done on-site, children go on a senses scavenger hunt on Beekman Beach and learn about the local beach habitat. Using collected seashore items, children create a fun self-portrait. The program concludes with dancing to beach theme music.
Dates:
By arrangement, rain or shine
Time:
1.5 hours
Fee:
$120 up to 15 students ($8 per additional student, maximum 22 students***)
Birds of the Bay (Pre-K - 1st)
Discover the world of aquatic birds around an estuary on Long Island. Read a story that explores bird characteristics and migration. Investigate why birds don't get wet. Make an adorable bird craft from shapes. While taking a beach walk with handmade binoculars, students may observe and identify the local gulls, ducks, geese, cormorants, egrets and swans, as well as other shore birds.
Dates:
By arrangement, rain or shine
Time:
1.5 hours
Fee:
$120 up to 15 students ($8 per additional student, maximum 22 students***)
Stars of the Sound (Pre-K - 3rd)
Find out why sea stars are not fish and learn all about their unique and amazing abilities! Read an informative book and view photos of sea stars from around the world. Observe live local sea stars and learn about the extraordinary ways sea stars grow, move and eat. Finish with students making their own textual sea star craft.
Dates:
By arrangement, rain or shine
Time:
1.5 hours
Fee:
$120 up to 15 students ($8 per additional student, maximum 22 students***)
Seashells to Sea Creatures (Pre-K - 3rd)
While reading a wonderful rhyming and counting story, a collection of shells that match the book is created. This helps the children begin the identification process before they go "shelling" in large tubs filled with soft sand and a wide variety of shells. Students use their senses to compare and contrast shells based on texture, shape, color and size. Connections are made from the non-living to the living as children explore a touch tank of local marine organisms and some of the creatures that lived inside the shells. Weather and time permitting, programs done at our facility conclude with a beach walk.
Dates:
By arrangement, rain or shine
Time:
1.5 hours
Fee:
$120 up to 15 students ($8 per additional student, maximum 22 students***)
Horseshoe Crabs – Our Living Fossils (Pre-K - 3rd)
Learn about one of the oldest living species of animals found on the Earth today. Find out how horseshoe crabs have evolved for over 350 million years! Students examine these living fossils and discover the important role they play in their environment and in our lives. Although they may look frightening they are some of the gentlest creatures in the Bay. The younger grades will create a horseshoe crab craft. Upper grades more thoroughly investigate the biology of horseshoe crabs and their uses in medical research.
Dates:
By arrangement, rain or shine
Time:
1.5 hours
Fee:
$120 up to 15 students ($8 per additional student, maximum 22 students***)
Touch Tank (Pre-K - 3rd)
At our site or yours, students are introduced to a variety of marine organisms typically found at the bottom of the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The organisms of this estuary habitat to be examined may include mollusks (such as snails, clams and oysters), crustaceans (like the green crab or spider crab), as well as sea stars, horseshoe crabs and sea cucumbers!
Dates:
By arrangement, rain or shine
Time:
Approximately 1 hour
Fee:
$125 up to 22 students ($8 per additional student, maximum 22 students***)
Harbor Habitats (1st - 3rd)
Explore and compare the three major habitats along the shoreline of West Harbor: the freshwater Mill Creek, Beekman Beach and the salt marsh. Use dip nets to discover what plants and animals make these habitats their home. Identify adaptations used by these animals to move, eat and protect themselves. A touch tank of local marine life is provided for in-depth exploration. The program culminates with a discussion about the impact humans have and the choices we can make to help preserve the marine environment. This program is best at mid to low tide. Choose 1.5 or 2 hours. In the event of inclement weather indoor activities may be substituted for all or part of the program.
Dates:
By arrangement, rain or shine
Time:
1.5 hours as described above
Fee:
$176 up to 22 students ($8 per additional student***)
Time:
2 hours, add seining
Fee:
$220 up to 22 students ($10 per additional student***)
Water Everywhere (1st - 3rd)
Learn about the water cycle and the importance of water conservation. Through hands-on experiments, students investigate the differences between salt water and fresh water. Utilizing creative dramatics, the participants visually explore the effects different sources of pollution have on bodies of water. On site, we will go for a beach clean-up walk, explore the seashore and gain a heightened understanding of the importance of making good choices to help preserve our marine environment. In the event of rain and for off-site programs a Touch Tank will replace the beach walk.
Dates:
By arrangement, rain or shine
Time:
2 hours
Fee:
$220 up to 22 students ($10 per additional student***)
Alternative Energy Sources (1st - 3rd)
Come and learn about alternative energy sources that are currently available and their applicable uses. Conduct experiments to see what works and try to come up with new and better concepts. Discuss the environmental ramifications of each energy source to come up with things that we can do now to help our global environment. Maybe you will discover the energy source that will successfully replace fossil fuels!
Dates:
By arrangement
Time:
1.5 hours
Fee:
$220 up to 22 students ($10 per additional student***)
*** For Pre-K and Special Needs classes the maximum is 15 students, all other classes the maximum is 22. If a class is larger than the maximum we reserve the option to add a second educator for $35 and may split the class.
        
Fees and Cancellation Policies for Scouts, School Programs and Field Trips
Adherence to the following policies will help ensure the most enjoyable, highest quality and safest programs.
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