Secondary-School Class Field Trip Themes
| Maximum group size: | Twenty-five students recommended |
| Program length: | Varies |
| Offered: | September and March |
| Shaver's Creek Secondary-School Class Field Trips explore the fascinating world of the outdoors. Working with small groups, an environmental teacher-naturalist will help your students discover the wonders of the natural world. Choose from one of our topics or request your own theme. Activities can occur both inside and outside. Student activity guides are provided and involve tools that are used in field-based resource management. | |
Your class can enjoy a day at Shaver's Creek Environmental Center (Penn State's living field laboratory, both indoors and outdoors) while studying these themes:
Watershed Study
Streams are everywhere and they are great teaching tools. Learn how to locate and map out your local watershed. Participate in hands-on activities: Biotic Index, Abiotic (Chemical) Testing, Riparian Zone Assessment, and Aquatic Fauna and Flora Inventory.
Forest and Wildlife Management
Two-thirds of Pennsylvania is forested. Forests have had a major impact on our history and continue today as a major industry in Pennsylvania. Learn how foresters progress from tree identification (dendrology) through an understanding of forest ecology and forest inventory to development of sustainable forest and wildlife management plans.
Soils and Land-Use Planning
Soil--vital to humans and to general ecological health--is misunderstood and overlooked by many. Learn how soil is actually a dynamic and living component of the ecosystem. See how soil erosion and improper land-use planning can lead to loss of this valuable resource AND how we can prevent this.
Sustainable Agriculture
As farmers try to keep pace with an ever-growing population and while loss of agricultural land and environmental degradation continue, increasing numbers of people are looking to organic farming, composting, animal-plant relationships, and smaller-scale farms as an alternative. Learn what you can do to help, as both a home gardener and a consumer.
Many of the photographs included throughout the site are © Sven Zellner. For a listing, please contact us.
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The Pennsylvania State University | This page was last modified on Monday, November 13, 2006
