5th grade students take a closer look at an insect during a field trip to Baltimore Woods

Our experienced team of environmental educators are ready to be a resource for both teachers and students to experience nature in new and exciting ways. Our programs are designed to align with current NYS learning standards. Whether learning about the life cycles of plants and animals, investigating ecosystems or studying adaptations, our educators provide opportunities for students to have direct experiences with the living environment while introducing complex scientific concepts with interactive inquiry-based curriculum.

Take a Field Trip
to Baltimore Woods

Experience nature up close
and outside at Baltimore Woods!

Please email School Programs Manager Katie at [email protected] with your inquiry.

Baltimore Woods Nature Center is bringing you new opportunities for your students to enjoy field trips!

During the school year (September-June), in-person field trips are currently only offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We have limited availability on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Morning sessions can begin at 9:30 or 10:00 and afternoon sessions can be scheduled for starting at 12:30 or 1:00.

The education staff at Baltimore Woods has designed a variety of interactive and hands-on nature experiences for students. Check out our field trip options below:

Seasonal Ecosystem Tour

Seasonal Ecosystem Tour

Available in fall, winter, and spring
Recommended for Pre-K & up
1 hour

Join us for a hike through various ecosystems here at Baltimore Woods as we explore what makes them unique. How many ecosystems do you think we have here at Baltimore Woods? We will play games and engage in activities to learn about the plants and animals that call these places home and the adaptations they have to help them survive throughout the seasons.

CSI: Baltimore Woods

Available in fall, winter, and spring
Recommended for 3rd grade & up
2 hours

There is a lot of activity going on at Baltimore Woods and we need your help to solve some mysteries! Students will learn about trace evidence, tracking, and how to identify animal skulls and what those animals eat by looking at their teeth. Did you know you can tell if an animal is predator or prey based on where their eyes are located? They’ll then investigate animal crime scenes and put their training to the test! Will they figure out who ate who?

Nature Journaling

Nature Journaling

Available in fall, winter, and spring
Recommended for 3rd grade & up
1 hour

Are you looking for a new way to inspire student creativity and engage in writing, drawing and photography? Nature journaling creates lifelong connections to nature and brings together multiple areas of art! This program is an excellent way for students to be creative and learn how to use their writing, drawing and photography skills to create a nature journal and a lifelong connection to the environment around them. We will explore special places at Baltimore Woods to inspire and provide prompts to get their creative juices flowing!

Sensing Nature

Sensing Nature

Available in fall, winter, and spring
Suitable for K-2nd grade, can pair with Habitat Hunt
2 hours

Our senses can tell us so much about the world around us! This program is a fun adventure through the forest where students will learn about their five senses and how animals use them to survive in nature.

Habitat Hunt

Habitat Hunt

Available in fall, winter, and spring
Suitable for K-2nd grade, can pair with Sensing Nature
2 hours

There are so many different types of habitats to discover at Baltimore Woods! We’ll learn about various animals and the specific places that they call home. Students will investigate these various habitats to find all the things that animals need to survive out in nature.

Pond Ecology

Available in fall and spring
Recommended for grades K & up; can pair with Stream Ecology
2 hours

Join us for an in-depth investigation into the life of a pond. We’ll discover both the plants and animals that call this ecosystem their home and their unique adaptations that help them to survive. Students will use nets to study what lives under the water and get to see the creatures up close!

Stream Ecology

Available in fall and spring
Recommended for grades K & up; can be paired with Pond Ecology
2 hours

Join us for an in-depth investigation into the life of a stream. We’ll discover both the plants and animals that call this ecosystem their home and their unique adaptations that help them to survive. Students will get to use nets to study the creatures up close and as they learn what it takes to live in a stream ecosystem.

Maple Magic

Available in March only
Recommended for K-2nd grade

Do you know where Maple Syrup comes from? Students will get an up close look at the process of making maple syrup. From the Sugar Maple trees life cycle to the tapping to collect the sap to the final product!

Snowflake Bentley

Available December-February
Recommended for K-2nd grade

Snowflakes are amazing! Join us on an adventure to discover the wonders of snowflakes and learn about Snowflake Bentley, the first person to photograph snowflakes in the 1920s. Students will learn what makes snowflakes unique, study them up close and get to observe the different forms of water.

*there is a materials fee if students make snowflake catchers