Cool Springs Environmental Education Center provides a great hands-on opportunity for lessons about forestry and environmental issues. The site is intended for teachers, and we invite you to design your own field trip with activities and programs based on the age of your students. All our programs are designed to meet the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and Common Core curriculum objectives.

K-5 Activities      6-12 Activities      Scout Groups       Custom Education       Contact Us        Like Us On Facebook

K-5 Activities

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Lead students through a variety of forest types as they hike and learn on a 1.5- or 2.5-mile trail.

Standards met: 1.L.1, 1.L.2, 2.L.1, 2.L.2, 3.L.2, 4.L.1, 5.L.1, SL1, SL3, SL4, SL5, L3, L4, L5

Time: 2 - 3 hours

 Tree Cookies/Goods from the Woods

Learn what a forester does, how a tree in a natural forest differs from a tree grown by a forester, how to age a tree and discover thousands of products used daily with wood in them.

Standards met: 1.L.2, 3.L.2, 5.L.1, SL1, SL3, SL4, SL5, L3, L4, L5

Time: 30 minutes

Creek Exploration

Explore the living organisms in Swift Creek using sweep nets along the shoreline, focusing on water quality and aquatic food webs (4th and 5th grades only).

Standards met: 4.L.1, 5.L.1, SL1, SL3, SL4, SL5, L3, L4, L5

Time: 30 - 45 minutes

Tree Factory

Learn about the parts of a tree and how they function together by assigning different roles as tree parts.

Standards met: 3.L.2, 5.L.1, SL1, SL3, SL4, SL5, L3, L4, L5

Time: 1.75 hours

The Incredible Journey

Learn about the water cycle by becoming a water drop during a journey through various parts of the water cycle.

Standards met: 5.P.2.1 / SL1, SL3, SL4, SL5, L3, L4, L5

Time: 20 minutes

Web of Life

Using a ball of yarn, draw connections while creating a food web to see what occurs when certain things take place to alter the web of life.

Standards met: 5.L.1, SL1, SL3, SL4, SL5, L3, L4, L5

Time: 20 minutes

Wetland Metaphors

Learn about the different roles wetlands play for nature and humans by discussing specific functions of wetlands and what lives in them.

Standards met: 3.L.2, 4.L.1, 5.P.2, 5.L.1, SL1, SL3, SL4, SL5, L3, L4, L5

Time: 20 minutes

Build-a-Beaver

One student becomes a 'beaver' and is adorned with items needed to live and survive in their habitat. Demonstrates how animals are equipped with special adaptations to survive and reproduce.

Standards met: 1.L.2, 2.L2, 4.L.1, SL1, SL3, SL4, SL5, L3, L4, L5

Time: 20 minutes

6-12 ACTIVITIES

Build-a-Beaver

One student becomes a 'beaver' and is adorned with items needed to live and survive in their habitat. Demonstrates how animals are equipped with special adaptations to survive and reproduce.

Water Canaries

Investigate Swift Creek using dip net and seine net sampling techniques including physical, chemical and biological techniques to assess water quality.

Standards met: 6.L.2, 7.E.1.6, 8.E.1.1,1.3, 8.L.3

Time: 1 hour (fall and spring only)

Tree/Land Measurements

Learn from a forester how to measure a tree’s diameter and the amount of lumber per foot in each tree. Students measure a plot of forestland using various tools to determine the amount of wood per acre followed by discussion on natural vs. planted trees and renewable vs. non-renewable resources.

Standards met: 6.L.2, 8.P.2, RST6-8.3, SL.6.1c

Time: 30 - 45 minutes (fall and spring only)

Reptile and Amphibian Survey

Using field guides and dichotomous keys, check several trapping devices to investigate reptile and amphibian populations in different habitat types to identify and record species.

Standards met: 6.L.2, 8.L.3, SL 6.1c

Time: 1 - 2 hours (spring only)

Oh Deer!

Portray deer and habitat components in a physical activity, learning about limiting factors, carrying capacity and natural scenarios that affect the balance of nature.

Standards met: 6.L.2, 8.P.2, 8.L.3, SL.6.1c

Time: 30 minutes (fall and spring only)

All About Birds (a.k.a. "Migration Headache")

Introduction to bird morphology and their life history traits. Learn how to classify and identify birds in the field.

Standards met: 6.L.2, 8.L.3, SL 6.1c

Time: 1.5 hours (spring only)

SCOUT GROUPS

As an approved site for Eagle Scout and service projects, we offer opportunities for Boy Scouts to earn Eco Merit Badges. We also provide badge opportunities for Girl Scouts from Brownies to Seniors through the “It’s Your Planet, Love It” series. To plan a troop outing to Cool Springs, please contact us and we’ll create a visit to suit your needs!

CUSTOM EDUCATION

Land, tree and water-quality measurements are just a few examples of activities offered at Cool Springs. Our customized educational opportunities, including group events such as the N.C. Coastal Envirothon, are limited only by your imagination and the amount of lead time you give us to set up an activity.

We want your trip to Cool Springs to be exciting, fun, and educational, so please contact us to discuss customized sessions.

CONTACT US

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