School Programs
Public and private schools are invited to participate in Gumbo Limbo Nature Center’s school field trips. The programs are designed to meet the Science Next Generation Sunshine State Standard and National Core Standard requirements (see references for each grade level).
School field trips offered September-May
Weekdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
*Teachers, please call 561-544-8611 to begin booking your field trips for the school year according to the following schedule:
Thursday, August 29, 2013 Teacher Open House 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. City of Boca Raton and Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District public school teachers may start scheduling field trips by attending the Open House.
Friday, August 30th All Boca Raton schools, including West Boca and private schools
Tuesday, September 9th All Palm Beach County schools (Monday, 9/2 is Labor Day)
Monday, September 16th All schools, including Broward County
1st Grade: Island Tours
Our focus for this grade is to introduce students to the three communities of our barrier island. Students will learn about the dune, hammock, and mangrove ecosystems. During a nature walk on the 0.3 mile boardwalk with observation tower, students will learn the interactions between animals and plants in their forest habitat.
Students will have a picnic lunch at Red Reef Park, and then explore the beach in search of sea beans and seashells. Students will take home beach treasures along with a new understanding of these coastal life forms.
(Next Generation Sunshine State Standards: SC.1.N.1.1, SC.1.E.6.1, SC.1.P.8.1, SC.1.L.14.1, SC.1.L.14.3, VA.1.S.3.3).
3rd Grade: Beach Explorers
Our focus for this grade is to introduce students to the importance of Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Through classroom and laboratory experiences, students will learn about coastal plants and animals, weathering and erosion, waves and currents. They will discover how they can help protect this fragile environment.
Students have a picnic lunch at Red Reef Park, and then continue the morning’s lesson by exploring the beach in search of "natural treasures”. We may find anything from mangrove seeds to hamburger beans, clams to conch shells, volcanic pumice to coral fragments. With help from the instructors, students will identify the species they learned about in class, and take home beach treasures along with a new appreciation of Florida’s natural resources.
(Next Generation Sunshine State Standards: SC.3.N.1.1, SC.3.N.1.7, SC.3.N.3.2, MA.3.A.6.2, SC.3.P.10.2, VA.3.C.3.2).
5th Grade: Eco-Investigators
Our focus for this grade is to introduce the interdependence of plants and animals while solving a mystery. Students will learn about the interrelationships between organisms found on a barrier island. Through classroom and laboratory experiences, students will conduct systematic observations and data collection using stereoscopes and other tools to examine the physical characteristics of forest specimens.
While walking along the nature trail boardwalk, students will investigate the interactions between animals and plants of the hardwood hammock ecosystem. At the conclusion of their scientific investigation, they will analyze evidence and draw a conclusion to solve the mystery.
(Next Generation Sunshine State Standards: SC.5.N.1.1, SC.5.N.1.6, SC.5.N.2.1, SC.5.L.14.2, SC.5.L.17.1, VA.5.H.3.1)
7th Grade: Mangrove Life
Our focus for this grade is to help students gain a better understanding of the complexity of life that surrounds them through a unique hands-on study of biodiversity in the mangrove ecosystem. Instructors review taxonomic groups and their physical characteristics, and discuss adaptations that allow these organisms to continue to survive in changing surroundings.
In the classroom and science laboratory, students will classify and observe with stereoscopes representative samples of major taxonomic groups. Through the use of dip and seine nets, students will have a close-up view of the sea animals in the Intracoastal Waterway, “the ocean’s nursery”.
(Next Generation Sunshine State Standards: SC.6.L.15.1, SC.7.N.1.1, LA.7.4.2.2, SC.7.N.1.6, SC.7.L.15.2, VA(6,7,8).H.3.3, VA(6,7,8).F.1.1)