2025-2026 Anne Springs Close Greenway Field Trip Guide
2025-2026 guidebook
field trips
The mission of the Anne Springs Close Greenway is to connect people to nature through recreational and educational activities while fostering a passion for environmental conservation, animal habitat, and protection of natural resources.
what is it?
The Greenway is thrilled to offer a wide variety of field trips for all elementary grade levels. Field trips are hands-on, interactive and meet curriculum standards for each grade. All grades have the option of taking a field trip to the Greenway or having us bring the Greenway to you through our outreach programs. We hope our field trips
want to learn more?
Contact our Programs Team at AmandaPolito@ASCGreenway.org (803) 396-0211
pricing
Pre-K field trip programs
- $250/classroom (up to 28 students)
2-hour field trip programs
- $350/classroom (up to 28 students)
3-hour field trip programs
- $460/classroom (up to 28 students) Outreach programs
- $250/classroom
**Transportation is the responsibility of the school.
**Two chaperones per class are included in the group price for field trips. Daily admission for additional adults will be prorated to $7 each.
**Title 1 schools receive reduced pricing through the Anne Springs Close Bridge Program. Please contact us for more details.
**Late Policy: if you believe you may arrive after your start time, please reach out to your Greenway point of contact. We may not be able to accommodate instruction time missed due to late arrivals.
pre-k programs
field trips
five senses hike
Come on a hike to explore the Anne Springs Close Greenway by using your five senses in nature. How rough is the tree? How does the plant smell? What can you hear when you are silent in the woods? Join us to get the most out of a trek around the lake using all your senses.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Creativity, Caring
fall leaves
What better way to experience the changing of seasons than looking at the many-colored leaves on different types of trees on the Greenway? Students will learn about the process of color change and identify leaves by shape and unique features. We will also gather a variety of leaves to make a craft.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Creativity, Caring
eco-explore hike & s'mores
Learn how to help take care of the Greenway’s ecosystem on this hike around one of our lakes. Students will help identify what is naturally occuring on the Greenway and what is trash. They will also help think of ways they can help take care of the environment as whole. While on their hike, they will stop to make a tasty s’more treat.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Caring, Collaboration
pinecone bird feeders
Explore fall on the Greenway while looking for signs of how nature changes with the season. During the hike, participants will find the perfect pinecone to make a take home birdfeeder. We will also be on the lookout for animal habitats and notice the food choices that animals have during the winter months. Students will be introduced to the shortage of food some animals face during the winter.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Creativity, Caring
reptiles & nature yoga
Come meet some of our resident Greenway reptiles to learn about their characteristics, behaviors and habitats. Then we will focus our minds and energy while learning some basic yoga poses to help calm our minds, increase flexibility and have fun.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Caring, Creativity, Collaboration
pre-k programs continued
field trips
squirmy wormies
This field trip favorite allow students to examine and eat a gummy worm and then they are given a chance to get up close and personal with a live worm. We will explore what they eat, how they move and where they live. We will even go hiking to dig up a few out in nature and then return them to their home.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Caring, Collaboration
garden in a bag
The Greenway is home to the wonderful Plant-A-Row for the Hungry (PAR) Garden which donates all the food they grow back to the community. Students get to see what plants are growing, which ones are getting ready to be planted and even taste a few fresh picked vegetables. They will also get to see the chickens that call the PAR Garden home. They will plant a seed to take home in a bag so they can watch it sprout and grow before they can plant it in the ground.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Caring, Collaboration
life cycles
Through various hands-on activities, we will look at the life cycles and habitats of some woodland creatures found on the Greenway. Students will observe decaying logs and interact with the things we find living there.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Caring, Collaboration, Critical Thinking
cookies with mrs. claus
Enjoy the wonders of the season with story time and cookies with Mrs. Claus. There will also be fun seasonal crafts to make, songs to sing and games to play. Students will get a chance to chat with Mrs. Claus, ask questions and maybe share an important secret.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Creativity
outreach PROGRAM
{we come to your school}
bringing nature into the classroom
Through this interactive outreach program, students will improve their classroom environment by completing a few creative projects to bring nature inside and to their playground. They will be inspired to appreciate nature by planting and creating nature friendly habitats. Students will have the opportunity throughout the year to care for the items they plant.
Time: 1.5 hours
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Creativity, Caring
kindergarten programs
field trips
animals & their superpowers
Get ready for a wild adventure where kids become nature detectives, exploring their animal superpowers! From building cozy bird nests and buzzing like busy bees, to sneaking like camouflaged turtles and spotting squirrels, students discover how animals use their unique skills to survive. With games, races, and a nature hike, this lesson is packed with fun ways to learn about the secret ingredients all living things need to grow and thrive!
Time: 2 hours
SC Standards: K-LS1-1, KESS-2-2, K-ESS3-1
NC Standards: LS.K.1.1, LS.K.1.2, LS.K.2.1
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Caring, Creativity, Collaboration
discovering plants through our senses
Get ready to use your eyes and other senses to discover how sunlight works its magic on Earth’s surface! Through colorful games, fun observations and a story, we’ll explore why sunlight helps plants grow and even why some colors hide in nature better than others. We’ll also connect to nature through touch and smell to understand how these senses help plants in our everyday lives.
Time: 2 hours
SC Standards: KPS3-1, K-LS1-1, KESS-2-2, K-ESS3-1
NC Standards: LS.K1.2, LS.K.2.2, ESS.K.1.1
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Caring
outreach PROGRAM
{we come to your school}
outstanding owls
Get ready to meet some of nature’s coolest night hunters—owls! We’ll explore how their giant eyes, super ears, silent wings and sharp talons help them sneak around in the dark. Then students become scientists as we dig into owl pellets to discover what these feathered detectives have been munching on. It’s a hoot of a day full of surprises and hands-on fun!
Time: Varies to fit within your class period (45-60 mins)
SC Standards: K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3
NC Standards: LS.K.1.1, LS.K.1.2, LS.K.2.1
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Caring
field trips
first grade programs life of a plant
Get ready to move, explore and discover the secret life of plants! In this hands-on field trip, students will become plants, collect resources, dissect flowers and race through the life cycle— all while learning how plants survive, grow and pass traits to their offspring. Engaging games and nature-based challenges make this an unforgettable adventure in science and sustainability!
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Collaboration, Caring, Critical Thinking
ride the wave
Step into the forest and turn up the volume— literally! In this hands-on sound and light wave adventure, kids become the wave as they explore how vibrations create sound using tuning forks, telephone cups, hangers and even plants. From human wave chains to splashy experiments, this station brings both sound and light science to life with plenty of wiggles and “whoa!” moments.
Time: 2 hours
SC Standards: 1-PS4-1, 1-PS4-3, 1-PS4-4
NC Standards: Second grade: PS.2.2.1, PS.2.2.2
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity
outreach PROGRAM
{we come to your school}
radical reptiles
In this up-close reptile encounter, students explore how turtles and snakes use their unique features to survive and thrive in the wild. With real animal visitors, hands-on materials and surprising adaptations, this lesson is full of “did you know?” moments kids won’t forget.
Time: 45-60 minutes
SC Standards: 1-LS1-2, 1-LS3-1
NC Standards: LS.1.1.1, LS.1.1.2
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Critical Thinking, Communication, Caring
field trips
second grade programs diversity
of nature
Get ready for a nature-packed adventure where students become seed detectives, erosion explorers and part of a living, breathing tree! From sorting wacky seeds and building sandy mountains to acting out how trees survive and hiking through real habitats, this field trip is full of hands-on fun and discovery. It’s a playful, science-filled day that brings the natural world to life!
Time: 2 hours
SC Standards: 2-LS2-1, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 2-ESS2-1
NC Standards: 2nd Grade: ESS.2.1.3
3rd Grade: LS.3.2.1, LS.3.2.2, LS.3.3.1, LS.3.3.2
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Caring, Critical Thinking, Creativity
properties of matter
Join us for four science rotations focused on handson exploration of matter and materials. Activities include measuring solids and liquids, simulating atom bonding and molecule formation, testing insulators and conductors and exploring natural materials on a guided hike. Through these experiments, students will observe, classify and analyze the properties of various materials to deepen their understanding of physical science concepts.
Time: 2 hours
SC Standards: 2-PS1-1, 2-PS1-2, 2-PS1-3
NC Standards: 2nd Grade: PS.2.1.1
3rd Grade: PS.3.1.1, PS.3.1.2, PS.3.1.3
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Caring
outreach PROGRAM
{we come to your school}
eco-steward
In this interactive lesson, students learn the difference between recycling, reusing and trash through engaging activities like a fastpaced Reuse Relay game and a decomposition guessing game. Students then create posters using recycled materials to reinforce their understanding and to inspire environmental responsibility. The lesson concludes with a discussion on how students can make more sustainable choices in their daily lives.
Time: 40 -60 minutes
SC Standards: 2-ESS3-1, 2-PS1-1
NC Standards: ESS.1.3.2
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, & Caring
third grade programs
field trips
animal adaptations
Step into the wild for a day of discovery as students explore how animals survive, adapt and thrive in their natural habitats. Through interactive games, creative challenges and a nature hike, students will investigate inherited traits, survival behaviors and the powerful role of adaptations in the animal kingdom.
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Caring, Collaboration, Creativity
outreach PROGRAM
{we come to your school}
fill the bill
In this wild adventure of beaks, behaviors and bird calls, students explore how animals survive by using traits they’re born with and behaviors they learn! From testing bird “beaks” at feeding stations to calling out like mockingbirds, kids discover how inherited traits and environmental influences shape animal lives. The grand finale? A pirate-themed experiment to see how eyes— and animals—adapt to darkness!
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking
field trips
energy
Spark curiosity and ignite learning on this high-energy field trip all about how energy moves and transforms! From striking flint to building mini-fires and splashing with tuning forks, to testing circuits and racing balls down ramps, students become scientists as they explore light, heat, sound and motion in action. With hands-on stations and a nature hike full of surprises, it’s a day packed with sparks, splashes and science discovery!
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration
outreach PROGRAM
skulls
{we come to your school}
Students wil step into the role of wildlife detective as they examine real animal skulls to uncover clues about how these creatures lived, moved and ate! By observing teeth, eye placement and spine position, they’ll make hypotheses and match skulls to the animals they came from and will learn how these features help them survive in various environments. It’s a hands-on mystery packed with science, critical thinking and a touch of wild adventure!
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration
fifth grade programs
field trips
energetic ecosystems
During this hands-on field trip, students will model ecosystems, play games that mimic animal survival, weave together food webs, hike through diverse habitats and design their own land-use plans. Through active exploration and creative problem-solving, they’ll uncover how energy flows and how choices shape the natural world around us.
Time: 3 hours
SC Standards: 5-PS3-1, 5-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1, 5-ESS3-1
NC Standards: LS.5.2.1, LS.5.2.2, LS.5.2.3
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Caring
outreach program
{we come to your school}
changes in matter
Students dive into the science of matter with hands-on activities like making Oobleck—a strange substance that acts like a solid and a liquid—and experimenting with density by measuring liquids and testing how different objects float or sink. Aligned with science standards, this interactive experience brings abstract concepts to life through fun, inquiry-based exploration—all materials provided and brought to your classroom.
Time: 1 hour
SC Standards: 5-PS1-1, 5-PS1-2, 5-PS1-4
NC Standards: PS.5.1.1, PS.5.1.2, PS.5.1.3
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration
field trip favorites
grades 2-5
stream study & decomposition
Students will identify life cycles of organisms found in the stream habitat, as well as discuss how pollution affects these creatures. Students will also experience the final stage of a plant’s life cycle and the organisms that play a part in decomposition.
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking
grades 4-5
history in a backpack
Students will explore the history of cultures and settlements during colonial times. On an interactive hike, participants will walk the same trail as Catawba Native Americans, learn about the influence of colonization and see the motives to become independent after the Revolutionary War.
Time: 3 hours
Standards: 4.1.CO; 4.1.CC; 4.2CX; 4.1.E; 4.2.CE
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration
ecology
A variety of activities will have classes exploring different ecosystems along the Greenway in this hands-on investigative program. Students will be able to explore the forests and ponds in order to become one with their inner-ecologist.
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity
crandall bowles children’s farm
grades k-3
fun on the farm: animals and agriculture
Join us at the Children’s Farm for an unforgettable hands-on adventure into the world of agriculture and animal adaptations! Students will explore how farm animals are uniquely equipped to survive and thrive in their environments through up-close observations, interactive activities and lively discussions led by our knowledgeable facilitators. From feeding animals and helping with their care to discovering how farming connects to our everyday lives, students will experience the rhythms of farm life while gaining a deeper appreciation for the natural world and the role humans play in it.
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Caring, Creativity, Collaboration
Grades 5-12
group teambuilding
Building upon science and engineering practices, students will ask questions and define problems, develop models and scientific investigations, analyze data to construct solutions, and engage in constructive dialogue to evaluate success.
Activity Options: Low Ropes, Kayaking, Archery, Hikes, Competitive Scavenger Hunt, On the Ground Teambuilding
Time: Minimum of 2 hours
Pricing: $18 per child
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration
outreach PROGRAM
{we come to your school}
on the ground teambuilding
Students work together to solve problems and work through challenges as a group.
Time: 1 hour
Pricing: $10 per child
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate: Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration.
teambuilding on the greenway
DESCRIPTION
Learn the basics of archery in a safe, supportive setting! Develop focus, confidence and technique while practicing with guidance from trained facilitators—perfect for beginners or those looking to sharpen their skills.
Explore the basics of kayaking—safety, paddling and maneuvering—on a guided lake adventure! This fun, confidence-building program fosters teamwork and a love for the outdoors in a safe, memorable setting.
Learn the basics of fishing—casting, baiting and safe equipment use—while enjoying the calm of the water and the thrill of catch-and-release. This relaxing, hands-on experience builds patience and connects students with nature through a lifelong outdoor skill.
Build teamwork, leadership and problem-solving skills through active, outdoor challenges! Students will collaborate on hands-on tasks that boost communication, confidence and connection—while having fun together outside.
Get ready for an exciting outdoor scavenger hunt where students solve clues, complete challenges and find hidden treasures. This fast-paced program promotes teamwork, critical thinking and friendly competition—all while having fun outdoors!
Explore the world of reptiles! Students will learn about their adaptations and survival, then meet Greenway’s reptile ambassadors up close. A hands-on program that sparks curiosity and appreciation for nature!
Ignite your curiosity! Students will learn fire safety and practice starting small fires with flint and steel under staff supervision. The program ends with a tasty reward—making and enjoying s’mores by the fire!
Dive into creek exploration! Students will search for macroinvertebrates to learn about stream health and how to protect freshwater habitats. A hands-on adventure that gets feet wet and curiosity flowing!
Looking for a day full of adventure? Our Field Day lets your group rotate through archery, kayaking, creek hikes, teambuilding and more—all in one fun-packed day. Build teamwork, confidence and a love for the outdoors while we handle the schedule!
ADDITIONAL INFO
Must wear closed-toe shoes.
Must wear clothes and closed-toe shoes for water.
Must wear closed-toe shoes.
Max of 3 groups. Adult needs to be with each group. Must wear closed-toe shoes.
Max of 3 groups. Adult needs to be with each group. Must wear closed-toe shoes.
Must wear clothes and closed-toe shoes for water.
Please reach out to discuss building this customizable program.
