The Roanoke/Cashie River Center features exhibits that focus on the coastal region's ecosystems and cultural history. The Center hosts exhibits that allow patrons to touch specimens from the bottomland forest ecosystem, watch fish swim in a blackwater aquarium and see live turtles in the tank. Other exhibits display artifacts from First Nation tribes, archeological evidence that members from the Lost Colony might have relocated to the area that is now Bertie County, and displays that showcase the rich history of Bertie County's fishing, farming, and timber industries. School groups from all across Eastern North Carolina join the Roanoke/Cashie River Center to share the opportunity to expand students' knowledge on the importance of this ecosystem and rich cultural history. The Roanoke/Cashie River Center may be your next best field trip yet!

Download Brochure Here

Field Trip Includes

• Cashie Boardwalk and Exhibit Hall Scavenger Hunt (grade-level appropriate)
• Environmental Education Program designed specifically to meet NC science standards (2023) and take into consideration student's needs
• Art Project/Craft or Game associated with the core environmental lesson
• Boat Trip down the Cashie River is available for an extra cost per student. Each trip can accommodate 10 students so is designed for smaller groups.

We have programming for the following NC Science Standards:

PS.K.1.1, LS.K.1.1-2, LS.K.2.1-2, LS.1.1.1-2, ESS.1.2.1-2, ESS.1.3.1-2, LS.2.1.1-2, LS.2.2.1, LS.3.2.1-2, LS.3.3.1-2, LS.4.1.1-2, LS.4.2.1-2, ESS.4.3.1-2, LS.5.1.1-2, LS.5.2.1-3. LS.5.3.1-2, LS.6.1.1-3, ESS.6.2, ESS.6.3, ESS.7.2.1-3, ESS.8.2.1, ESS.8.3.1-2

Have Questions? Contact the education/outreach specialist, Brianne Godwin by email at bgodwin@ncpfs.org or 252-794-2001.

ON THE PIEDMONT EAST TRAIL

Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Fayetteville, NC, Cumberland County

What better way to engage your students with nature than a visit to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. Founded in 1989, Cape Fear Botanical Garden is a natural beauty situated on an impressive 80 acres nestled between the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek, just two miles from downtown Fayetteville. Children will delight in the Tree Top canopy walk, explore where their food comes from in the Heritage Garden, discover adventure in the Bamboo Tunnel, wonder at incredible botanical collections, and get inspired with hands-on workshops and tours. The Cape Fear Botanical Garden offers field trips for PreK-12th grade matched to science, social studies, and art grade level learning standards, plus classroom programs where the Garden staff come to your school. A typical field trip day involves a hands-on workshop, a walking tour, a picnic lunch, and free time in the Children’s Garden.

*There is scholarship funding available to support field trips and classroom programs for Title 1 schools.

Check out the full program options here

*Questions? Contact the Environmental Education Manager, Barbara Goldentyer

ON THE PIEDMONT WEST TRAIL

Discovery Place Science, Charlotte, NC, Mecklenburg County

From educational workshops and classes to curated field trips and summer camps, Discovery Place offers opportunities for students and teachers to take a deep dive into the world of science, nature and design.

*Keep reading below for information on the 2025 Educator's Summit at Discovery Place.

Field Trips and Museum Classes

Through state-of-the-art science labs, interactive exhibits and educational IMAX films, Discovery Place gives students the opportunity to explore the world, test new ideas, and strengthen STEM skills. Whether encountering live animals, exploring the solar system, or experimenting with hands-on chemistry, Discovery Place’s programs are tailored to grade levels and curriculum standards

Outreach Programs

Discovery Place takes learning beyond museum walls with in-person workshops and events at schools across the community—from science experiment assemblies to family STEM nights. Outreach programs are designed to meet group interests and educational requirements by aligning the curriculum with North and South Carolina state standards and Next Generation Science Standards. These programs complement in-school and out-of-school learning for pre-K through grade 8.

Educator Resources Pre-K-12

Discovery Place provides pre-K through grade 12 educators and administrators with ongoing training, support and collaboration to help them grow as effective and inspired STEM leaders. The annual Educator’s Guide includes Discovery Place programming and content that can be paired with in-class learning to build transformative experiences for students.

Download Free Educator's Guide Here

*Visit the website or use this link to schedule a call for field trip advice.

ON THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL

Mayland Earth To Sky Park, Burnsville, NC, Yancey County

The Glenn & Carol Arthur Planetarium and Bare Dark Sky Observatory at Mayland Earth to Sky Park in Burnsville, NC offers engaging field trip experiences year- round that align with science curricula and are tailored to different age groups, covering everything from the Earth to the Sky. Field trips include a lesson on dark skies, light pollution and our pollinators, planetarium shows (with films like Losing the Dark, Habitat Earth, Expedition Reef, and Expedition Mars), a guided “Star Tour” with an astronomer, and optional content featuring James Webb Space Telescope imagery.

Our Visitor’s Center also has many hands-on exhibits to explore while at the park. Teachers can customize field trip programs to suit their students’ needs and all grade levels. Additionally, educators can access free resources such as downloadable monthly sky maps from skymaps.com, and a NASA-provided Moon Observation Journal worksheet; students can complete the worksheet for a free ticket to a future planetarium show. Our staff often recommend that science teachers check out the Teacher Institute | Exploratorium, which has many professional development and homeschooling resources for teachers as well. Teachers are also encouraged to share the Earth to Sky Park's free, family-friendly Astronomy Club, hosted monthly at the Earth to Sky Park. All are welcome, with or without telescopes, to learn stargazing skills and enjoy dark-sky observing.

Download Brochure Here

*Have Questions? Contact the Earth to Sky Park Coordinator and Bare Dark Sky Observatory Manager, Amanda Pastore, by email.

Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS), Asheville, NC, Buncomb County

 The Asheville Museum of Science is booking fall field trips, outreach, and afterschools! AMOS' standards-aligned programs offer hands-on STEAM learning and discovery. To request a field trip or outreach, visit AMOS' website. Look for Steps 1, 2, 3! Mention the Early Bird Special in the 'additional comments' at the end of the interest form to get 10% off your field trip or outreach.

*For other inquiries, email staff at edu@ashevillescience.org. 

ON OUR STATEWIDE TRAIL

Muddy Sneakers, 50 Counties and Counting!

Muddy Sneakers Outdoor Classroom is now scheduling Choose Your Own Adventure programs for the 2025–2026 school year! These outdoor science programs are packed with Muddy Sneakers' signature experiential learning activities. Our staff can bring them directly to you through Outreach Programs or meet you at one of our local site partners during Field Trips. Request as many as you’d like!

🌱 Available in 50 counties throughout NC’s Mountains and Piedmont

📓 Aligned with NC Essential Standards for Science

🥾 Led by trained Muddy Sneakers Field Instructors

 Start your adventure here

*If you're in the Coastal Region and would like to find out more about starting a school or classroom partnership with Muddy Sneakers, please email Erica Brown.

State Parks Partners and Schools in Parks Updates

North Carolina State Parks are a real gem for science education. If you're not using your closest state parks for getting kids outside to learn, you're missing out! We partner with all the NC State Parks and we're here to tell you, there are some amazing science education opportunities in NC's state parks. Schools in Parks is an excellent park resource and specialists are always looking to partner with teachers! You can contact the following SIPs specialists if you have questions:

Hammocks Beach State Park - Jason Vanzant

Lake James State Park - Katie Gray

Lake Norman State Park – Amy Jordan

Stone Mountain State Park – Misty Parrish

Pilot Mountain State Park – Cassandra Johnson

Jones Lake State Park – Monique McKoy

The Schools in Parks Collaborative is a year-long professional development program to foster increased confidence and sense of efficacy among 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teachers in using outdoor science learning approaches in state parks to support their curriculum objectives. If this sounds like it might be "up your alley" there is an application process for teachers that usually goes out in April, with applicants notified in May if they were selected. This incredible year-long partnership provides teachers with professional development opportunities, CEU's, EE credits, stipends, resources for activities, school visits by SIPs specialists, and reimbursements for field trips (read more below on Field Trip Funding). Watch for our January and April Educator Newsletters with updates about applying for this PD program.

SCHOOLS IN PARKS NEWS TO SHARE:

(1) Hammocks Beach State Park in Swansboro, NC:

The SIP specialist at Hammocks Beach, Jason Vanzant, has created a dichotomous key for seashell identification! Dichotomous keys are often used by scientists to identify everything from insects to rare flowers. Introducing your students to a fun key like this to use on a beautiful beach like Bear Island (part of Hammocks Beach SP) would be an awesome introduction to science concepts. Jason would like to get teacher feedback on this key for improvements, so download the seashell key here, and please reach out to him at the email provided above.

• Hammocks Beach offers field trips for schools in September & October with group rates on the ferry service Tuesdays-Thursdays ($2.00 per person).
• Hammocks Beach can still offer virtual field trips for those who cannot physically the visit the park.

(2) Jones Lake State Park in Elizabethtown, NC:

The SIP specialist at Jones Lake State Park, Monique McKoy, is hosting a Project Learning Tree workshop on August 22nd, from 9am-4pm. More information on this workshop is listed below in the "Teacher Workshop" section.

(3) Lake James State Park in Nebo, NC:

Lake James is a beautiful state park located in the foothills of NC, one hour away from Asheville, NC. The park has nature trails, picnic shelters, lovely vistas, a new Visitors Center with museum, and a swim beach open from May- September. Schools Groups can participate in a variety of standards aligned programs. The staff can host any student and are more than willing to work to accommodate any needs. Lake James has an indoor classroom also available at the visitor’s center. Contact SIP specialist Katie Gray. The most popular Lake James programs are:

• Kids in the Creek – available for all ages, students get into Paddy’s Creek and look for Macroinvertebrates. Rangers discuss what they find and what this tells us about water quality!
• Big Canoes – available for grades 3^rd and up! Students will learn about natural history of Lake James while demonstrating and learning about forces and motion while paddling a 25-foot canoe. These canoes can hold up to 13 people. Rangeres can cater this program to many different topics, from park history to birding at Lake James, just ask!
• Skins and Skulls – students explore different animal adaptations for living in NC! This hands-on program is great for any group learning about basics of animal adaptations and can be catered for middle and High Schoolers as well!
• Water Tables – the Dame experiment, this hands-on activity lets students of all ages develop their land based on different needs from different stakeholders! Students will learn and model the engineering design process while developing an area for different land uses. 

(4) Virtual Field Trips through four state parks are currently available: Hammocks Beach above, and the three below. Reach out to NCST staff here if you're interested in scheduling a virtual slot with a Ranger:

• Gorges State Park (Mountain)
• Jockey's Ridge State Park (Coastal)
• Weymouth Woods State Park (Piedmont East)

FIELD TRIP FUNDING

Funding for Classroom Field Trips can be a challenge and a concern. You should be able to take your students for hands-on opportunities in science, history, and art. It makes learning more meaningful, more joyful, and more memorable. If field trip fees are a concern for you or your school, please check out The Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund. This fund from the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) opens the door for students across North Carolina to embark on unforgettable educational adventures. Find one of the many field trips across the state with this handy map of the DNCR field trip sites. We are partners with so many of these sites! If we can help, please reach out. Don’t miss this chance to bring learning to life—apply today!

Examples of DNCR fully-funded field trips

Riverside Middle School Visits Jennette's Pier

Landon Leggett is one of our Learning Happens Here 2025 Teacher Ambassadors, and she took the Riverside Middle School (Martin County) 6^th and 7^th grade to Jennette's Pier (Funded by the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund).

Here is a quote about the student's experiences: 

 "At the pier they engaged in three separate learning activities. Students went fishing on the pier, some even caught their very first fish! Students were able to dissect a squid, allowing students to feel like real scientist. Finally, students were able to catch plankton off the pier. Once they caught plankton students took them back into the Seaside Classroom and were able to study the plankton under a microscope.

The most meaningful part of the field trip was the fact that my students were able to see and experience that learning can take place anywhere, even at the beach! My students were blown away by all the amazing science lessons they were able to engage in while at the beach. I LOVED that this field trip brought learning to life for them!

I would love to see some kind of program that focuses on careers that students could one day go into involving the ocean. I think students would love to learn about what job they could do if they were really interested in some of the activities they did at Jennette's Pier."

Northwest Elementary Kindergarten (Kinston, Lenoir County, NC) Visits NCMNS Contentnea Creek 

Another great story is how the Fund supported Kindergarteners from Northwest Elementary to explore the great outdoors at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Contentnea Creek. 

Here is a quote from teacher Leah Jones: 

"Students engaged in a planetarium show! Students explored through a nature trail learning about different animals' super power. Student learned that animals have different characteristics that help them survive in the wild. They also learned the different between predators and prey. Students investigated by capturing bugs and learning what characteristics make up an insect. I know students will carry this experience with them throughout their entire school career... It was a great opportunity for student to build their background knowledge in science! Students were engaged and were able to learn new things through exploration."

Merrick-Moore Elementary at Falls Lake SRA (Durham, NC) 

 A quote from teacher Ben Gaspar: 

"During the Falls Lake field trip, students from Merrick-Moore Elementary participated in a variety of immersive outdoor education activities designed to deepen their understanding of local ecosystems and build practical life skills. The trip began with a hands-on "Big Canoe" program led by State Park Rangers, where students explored the freshwater ecosystem of Falls Lake’s Beaver Dam area. In the evening, they transitioned to the Shinleaf Group Campground, where they set up camp, cooked dinner, and joined a ranger-led nocturnal animal hike through a deciduous forest. The night concluded with stargazing and campfire treats. The following morning included a group hike along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and a closing reflection circle before returning to school.

What made the trip especially meaningful was how it invited students out of their comfort zones and encouraged personal growth. Student reflections revealed transformative moments, such as overcoming fears, developing independence, and discovering new interests in nature and wildlife. Lilah realized an unexpected passion for animals, while Mason shared that the experience made him feel brave. Others noted how rewarding it was to learn camping basics or simply enjoy time away from cell phone screens. These experiences not only fostered social connection and self-confidence but also enhanced students' appreciation for the natural world, making the trip a memorable and impactful extension of their classroom learning."

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Discovery Place

You're Invited: 2025 Educator Summit

Discovery Place Science is excited to welcome educators to its free Educator Summit—a day designed to inspire and empower teachers with fresh ideas and tools to bring STEM learning to life for students.

Join Discovery Place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, for a dynamic, hands-on experience where you'll:

• Explore science labs and interactive exhibits
• Preview the IMAX Planetarium show
• Discover outreach programs and class resources
• Learn how to plan unforgettable STEM field trips
• Connect with fellow educators and Discovery Place staff

Get fresh STEM ideas, classroom resources and practical tools to boost your teaching! Admission to the Educator Summit is free for educators. Reserve your spot at https://my.discoveryplace.org/educator-summit/. 

STEM West

Foldscope Instruments Workshop

5TH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHERS!

Want to give your students a hands-on experience as they learn about cells and tissues?

Attend a free workshop and learn how to use Foldscope portable, durable, waterproof paper microscopes. Receive a certificate for CEU credit and a class set of scopes and teaching materials valued at over $100!

This workshop is offered September 16th or October 7th, from 4:00pm-6:30pm at the Foothills Higher Education Center in Morganton. For more information reach out to cmoore@stemwest.org. Download the flyer here to access the QR code for registration.

Jones Lake State Park - Project Learning Tree Workshop

Nature Journaling with Project Learning Tree k-8 Explore Your Environment

Friday, August 22^nd, 2025

9am – 4pm

Jones Lake State Park

Elizabethtown, NC

Registration Deadline: Friday, August 15 @ 5pm

Registration Fee: $20

To Register: go.ncsu.edu/ncplt_joneslake 

NC Museum of Natural Sciences Greenville

LAB R.A.T.S. STEM Teacher Workshops 

In Greenville, NC—open to all K-12 educators of all subject areas who are curious about integrating STEM into their teaching!

These free, hands-on workshops will explore engaging topics like the physics of roller coasters, artificial intelligence, renewable energy engineering, and more. Participants will learn ready-to-use STEM activities designed for middle school students and have the opportunity to meet a special guest scientist.

(NOTE: While the activities during the workshop will be geared toward middle school, the team will discuss how to scale the activities up for 9-12 and down for K-5.) Attendees will also earn a CEU certificate upon completion. See the flyer here.

August 4 (9 AM–2 PM)

226 W 8th Street, Greenville, NC

Register or learn more: ATFSLabRATS@gmail.com, please CC allison.dixon@naturalsciences.org

Environmental Educators of North Carolina

BEETLES Workshops in NE NC

EENC is thrilled to be coming to NE NC in August AND September for two great workshops using materials from The BEETLES Project. If you're looking to connect grade level standards (especially science) to more inquiry-based, interdisciplinary teaching methods that will also help you use the outdoors as a learning space, then this is the place to be!

Inquiry-based Outdoor Learning: Using BEETLES in NC (Making Observations and Evidence and Explanations) 

Saturday August 16, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Roanoke/Cashie River Center in Windsor, NC

This workshop is for educators (formal, nonformal, and higher education) who want to:

• Explore different methods and model activities that can strengthen learners’ skills in making observations. (Making Observations)
• Encourage wonder and curiosity in nature, and explore how making explanations from evidence is a key practice in science. (Evidence and Explanations)
• Explore best practices for planning and implementing EE programs that foster learning and promote inclusivity.

*Counts toward 6 hours of CEUs or Criteria 1 NC EE Certification credits.

Inquiry-based Outdoor Learning: Using BEETLES in NC (Questioning Strategies and Assessing for Learning)

Saturday Sept 27, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Eastern 4-H Center in Columbia, NC

This workshop is for educators (formal, nonformal, and higher education) who want to:

• Analyze the impact of questions on student thinking and behavior, and use this information to make thoughtful decisions about when to use different types of questions in instruction. (Questioning Strategies)
• Experience a variety of assessment strategies for field instruction and discuss how to choose the best type of assessment for different purposes that support student learning and improve instruction. (Assessing for Learning)
• Explore best practices for planning and implementing EE programs that foster learning and promote inclusivity.

*Counts toward 6 hours of CEUs or Criteria 1 NC EE Certification credits.