A guide to...
Virginia Field Trips Volume 15
Number 4
Spring
Cover Spotlight
INCLUDES DC
Virginia ZOO
Where Education Gets Wild! Page 5
Summer
Make a Thermometer! Hands-on Exhibits! History, Owls and Peaches!
www.VirginiaFieldTrips.com
2 W of fre ant t h e mo Ca is m cop re ll i or aga es em zin ai e? l!
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
D RE TU D A FE IEL F IP VIRGINIA FIELD TRIPS GUIDE TR
is published three times a year by EC Publishing, Inc, located in Abingdon, Virginia. We welcome letters, story ideas and photos from all over Virginia and Washington,DC
Keith Robinson
Jill Sunderlin
Publisher
publisher@virginiafieldtrips.com
Editor editor@virginiafieldtrips.com
Teresa Christian Art Director
RED FEATU RIP T FIELD
Featured Field Trips are found on the VFTG website: www.virginiafieldtrips.com
Forward all correspondence to: EC Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 845, Abingdon, Virginia 24212 Phone: 1-800-357-0121 • Fax (276) 739-0015
Take them on a
Fieldtrip
Hands-on exhibits explore cities, space, music, energy, the human body & more…
P
ORTSMOUTH — The Children’s Museum of Virginia is a place where children are encouraged to imagine, explore, and discover together through play. Children step inside a world where bubbles grow bigger than they are, where the forces of energy electrify and spark their imagination, where they can be a farmer, a banker, a scientist, a star gazer and more. Groups can explore the exhibits at their own pace or schedule a Focused Group Program. Focused Group Programs are led by Museum Educators and are aligned with the Virginia State Standards of Learning (SOLs). Pre- and post-visit packets are provided to teachers participating in these focused programs. Children take an active role in these fun, energetic, educational programs. Focused Group Programs can be adapted to meet your group’s needs. Call (757) 393-5258 to talk to a Museum Educator or visit www.childrensmuseumvirginia.com.
Find exciting Featured Field Trips at
www.virginiafieldtrips.com Advance Reservations Required.
CALL TODA AY ! 2388 London Bridge Road Virginia Beach, VA
(757) 427-9520 www.huntclubfarm.com
Providing educational experiences to Hampton Roads for over 20 years!
Providing educational experiences to Hampton Roads for over 20 years!
VIRGINIA TRIVIA 1: What are Virginia’s state flower and state tree? 2: What percent of global Internet traffic travels through data centers in Northern Virginia?
3: Which of the following are illegal in some Virginia locales?
a) Washing a mule on the sidewalk b) Keeping a skunk as a pet c) Spitting on a seagull (Answers on page 10)
3
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Safe, Outdoors, Hands-On Learning Two Great Orchards!
C
HARLOTTESVILLE / CROZET — Carter Mountain Orchard and Chiles Peach Orchard offer field trip packages throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Choose one that’s right for your group; one teacher or staff member FREE for every 10 paying children! All group packages and field trips are by reservation only. D D RE RE TU D U A AT FE IEL FE IELD F IP F IP Crozet TR Charlottesville R T Strawberry Pickin’ Field Trip (mid-May through mid-June) Diggin’ Dirt Field Trip (mid-April through mid-June) Peaches ‘N’ Cream Field Trip (late June through early Geocaching Adventure package (mid-April through September) November) Fall Field Trips Peaches & (late September Cream Field through early Trip (mid-June November) through August) * Apple Harvest Fall Field Time Field Trip Trips (mid* Pumpkin Patch August through Adventure Field November) Trip * Tree Degree * Apples/Pumpkin Package Fall Combo Field * Jonathan Trip Package For more information * McIntosh Package or reservations, visit www. * Johnny Appleseed Package chilespeachorchard.com or call For more information (434) 823-1583. or reservations, visit www. cartermountainorchard.com or call (434) 977-1833.
Carter Mountain Orchard
Chiles Peach Orchard
The Virginia Living Museum celebrates 50 years
N
ED EWPORT NEWS — The Virginia Living MuseUR T A um is celebrating 50 years of connecting people D FE IEL F IP to nature with a full year of special exhibits and TRevents. Through April 17, students can explore super-sized animatronic bugs in the BIG BUGS exhibit. The bugs exhibit will be followed on May 7 with large animatronic dinosaurs and on Oct. 15 with a permanent outdoor dinosaur trail. The museum is the mid-Atlantic region’s premier science education facility where science and nature really come to life. Nowhere else can your students explore all of Virginia’s physiographic regions in a day and encounter more than 250 living native species of animals and plants exhibited in their natural habitats. To enhance the educational impact of your visit, the museum also offers a full menu of formal school programs that support STEM education in all grade levels, taught by a professional faculty of scientist/instructors. All school programs are grade-level targeted, fully correlated to Virginia SOLs and national standards, and combine inquiry-based investigations with real museum specimens and live animals for an unforgettable learning experience. For information call (757) 595-9135 or visit www.thevlm.org.
4
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Luray Caverns - A Subterranean ED UR Virginia Sports Hall T A FE IELD World of Wonder F IP R of Fame & Museum
L
URAY — Discovered in 1878 and more than 4,000,000 centuries old, nearly 500,000 people annually visit the Luray Caverns, eastern America’s largest and most popular caverns system. This U.S. Natural Landmark is noted for variety of formations and unsurpassed natural color. From welllighted, paved walkways travelers explore cathedralIn Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley sized rooms with ceilings A U.S. Natural Landmark 10 stories high and pass through huge chambers filled with towering stone columns, shimmering draperies and crystal-clear pools. The Smithsonian Institution report of July 13 and 14, 1880 comments “… it is safe to say that there is probably no other cave in the world more completely and profusely decorated with stalactite and stalagmite ornamentation than that of Luray.” For information call (888) 443-6551 or visit www.luraycaverns.com.
P T
ORTSMOUTH — Established in 1966, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum honors the Commonwealth’s greatest sports legends. But the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum is so much more... The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum offers Math, Science, Health and Character Development programs to Pre-K through 12th grade students. Students will enjoy being active while learning or reviewing current SOL lessons. Home educators – if math is not something you do well – you can find help, guidance and solutions for your children. Take a look at our new Math Academy - kids and teachers love it! For information call (757) 393-8031 or visit www.vshfm.com.
5
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Learning comes to life in nature’s most exciting classroom at the Virginia Zoo!
N
ORFOLK — We are wild about learning and the Zoo has programs to fit all your educational needs. More than just a field trip the Zoo offers a memorable way to explore science and nature. Choose from any of these school trip options: * ZOO CLASSROOM PROGRAMS – provide a hands-on opportunity including live animals to learn about animals, nature and conservation all aligned with Virginia’s SOLs and incorporating NGSS.
A Splash’n Good Time!
D RE TU D A FE IEL F IP TR
* CLOSE ENCOUNTERS – integrate applicable science themes into exciting and interactive live animal experiences. * EDUCATION GUIDED TOURS – give students the opportunity to learn more about the animals, the Zoo grounds and the exhibits. * SELF GUIDED TOURS – allows students and teachers the opportunity for a self-directed lesson around the Zoo. Call (757) 441-2374 ext.229 or visit www.virginiazoo.org for more information.
Field Trips M
CGAHEYSVILLE — Wacky weather can make planning your next field trip, birthday party or group outing a real hassle. At Massanutten Indoor WaterPark, we have taken the guess work out of your planning woes. With all access to the WaterPark, Diamond Jim’s Arcade and our optional private party rooms, your group is sure to have a splash’n good time! Massanutten’s Indoor WaterPark is open year-round and is always 84° fahrenheit. Come join the fun! For information call (540) 437-3340 or visit www.massresort.com.
ville, VA Charlottes
434 • 977• 1833
Crozet, VA
434 • 823• 1583
online or availability Check fruit for updates. ok bo ce Fa follow us on
.com s d r a h c r o y il m Chilesfa
6
Virginia Field Trips – SSpring & Summer
ED UR T A FE IELD F IP TR
The Frontier Culture Museum an Outdoor, Living-History Museum
S
TAUNTON — The Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia tells the story of the thousands of people who migrated to colonial America, and of the life they created here for themselves and their descendants. The Museum currently features ten permanent, outdoor exhibits comprised of original and reconstructed farm buildings from West Africa, England, Ireland, Germany, and Virginia. The Museum offers education programs to suit the needs of all ages, from kindergarten to college and beyond. Each program is designed to complement classroom learning and to support a range of Virginia Standards of Learning. Most programs are presented at our outdoor exhibits, but several can be brought directly to your school and classroom. Hands-on activities vary with the seasons. For information contact the museum at (540) 332-7850 or visit www.frontiermuseum.org.
Schedule a Tour Today! Friendship Outdoor Recreation Center offers some of the most affordable accomodation and conference venues in the state.Whether you wish to visit for the day or stay overnight, we have the ideal facility to host your group. While staying at Friendship Outdoor Recreation Center your group may have access to archery, mountain boarding, ropes course experience, canoeing, meeting areas, Wi-Fi, lodging, and much more. Nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains in Central Virginia. P.O. Box 234, Palmyra,VA 22963
groups@friendshipoutdoorrec.com
1.800.873.3223 • www.campfriendship.com ED UR T A FE IELD F IP TR
Henricus Historical Park Commemorating more than 400 years of History
C
HESTER — In September 1611, the Citie of Henricus was established as the second successful English settlement in North America under the leadership of Sir Thomas Dale. Today, 400 years later, Henricus Historical Park recreates Dale’s successful settlement in Chester, Virginia. Henricus Historical Park features multi-curricular (History & Social Science and Science & Math), State of Virginia SOL- and STEM-aligned programs for Pre-K through Grade 12. These programs emphasize age-appropriate, hands-on, team-building activities. Call (804) 318-8797 or visit www.henricus.org to schedule your group tour.
7
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Visit Hunt Club for D E R TU D Educational Fun A FE IEL F IP TR on the Farm
V
IRGINIA BEACH — Hunt Club Farm is a 28-acre family-owned and operated farm that offers educational field trips, and features agricultural-based entertainment with its petting farm, pony rides, and seasonal farm festivals. Hunt Club Farm’s children’s gardening program was developed in accordance with Virginia’s Science and Math SOL guidelines for Pre-K through 3rd Grade, and has been honored with several awards. This hands-on approach to learning will help your students better understand their study of plants and animals. Students will be able to plant seeds, see examples of the parts of a plant and discover what plants need to grow. Guides stress the importance of nature and the benefits that plants have on the environment. The students will visit a weather station, worm and bee habitats and see live examples of the life cycles of frogs, birds and butterflies. For information call (757) 427-9520 or visit www.huntclubfarm.com.
ED UR T A FE IELD F IP TR
C
HANTILLY — Amazing Farm Fun @ Ticonderoga is located in Eastern Loudoun, Virginia with over 1,000 acres of mountains, streams, fields, and forests. This is the outdoor experience you have been waiting for! With a variety of activities aimed for both young and old, you will never be bored! We have slides, jumping pillows, animals, hayrides, antique fire trucks, Virginia’s longest swinging bridge, and more! For information call (703) 327-4424 or visit www.ticonderoga.com.
D RE TU D A FE IEL F IP TR
F
The NRA National Firearms Museum
AIRFAX - The NRA National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia, consists of 15 galleries comprised of 85 exhibit cases housing 3,000 firearms in a 15,000 square foot facility. The Museum details and examines the nearly 700-year history of firearms with a special emphasis on firearms, freedom, and the American experience. Each gallery is evocative of a period of time in American history, from the stockade fort at Jamestown to the gun factories of New England. Life-sized dioramas include a nineteenth-century riflemaker’s shop, a trench on the Western Front in WWI, and a shelled-out town square in Normandy in WWII. The firearms tell the stories of how they were used to provide security and sustenance to the early colonists, how they were used to secure our freedom and independence, and have been used ever since to maintain and preserve those liberties. Within the galleries are also tales of exploration, manufacturing, competition, hunting, and recreational shooting sports. For information visit www.nramuseum.com.
Join us on a Voyage of Discovery Schedule your ! program today The Mariners' Museum offers great programs on exploration & more! Visit The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA or virtually through our award-winning Interactive Video Conferencing programs.
Most Popular Programs: • Age of Exploration • Hurricanes • Clash of Armor: Battle of the Monitor and the Virginia • Titanic • Slave Trade • Chesapeake Bay
Visit website for a ful l list of progra ms.
MarinersMuseum.org/Education SchoolPrograms@MarinersMuseum.org • (757) 591-7745 100 Museum Drive • Newport News, VA 23606
8
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Virginia Field Trips Featured Field Trips are found at
Virginia Field Trips website
Martin
W
www.virginiafieldtrips.com 81
www.virginiafieldtrips.com is a free website dedicated to presenting outstanding Virginia and Washington, DC field trips. There are no fees or membership requirements. The site includes teacher resources & downloads, past issues of the guide, Featured Field Trips (including thumbnail sketches of each of the Virginia Park System’s 37 parks) and hot links directly to hundreds of Virginia field trip venues. Add your field trip url - free of charge.
Mt. Jackson
Big Stone Gap
Shenandoah
Harrisonburg McGaheysville Massanutten Grottoes Staunton
7
35
23 Ewing
Duffield
20
6
29 Lynchburg
Roanoke Huddleston
15
ATTRACTION/LOCATION/WEBSITE
Gladstone
60
13
Appomattox
460
31
Max Meadows
26 Austinville 14 Marion Wytheville Abingdon 21 Foster Falls 77 Independence 8 11 Mouth of Wilson
Charlottesville 64
Dublin 81
Saltville
Clifton
Crozet
Millboro
28
Breaks
58
220
360
Stuart
Randolph
30
Scottsburg
58
ATTRACTION/LOCATION/WEBSITE
Chantilly
www.ticonderoga.com
Frontier Culture Museum
Staunton
www.frontiermuseum.org
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Williamsburg
www.buschgardens.com
Grand Caverns Park
Grottoes
www.grandcaverns.com
Carter Mountain Orchard
Charlottesville www.cartermountainorchard.com
Hampton CVB
Hampton
www.visithampton.com
Children’s Museum Of Virginia
Portsmouth
www.childrensmuseumvirginia.com
Henricus Historical Park
Chester
www.henricus.org
Chiles Peach Orchard
Crozet
www.chilespeachorchard.com
Hunt Club Farm
Virginia Beach www.huntclubfarm.com
www.campfriendship.com
Jamestown Settlement
Wiiliamsburg
www.historyisfun.org
12
1
Greenb
24 Ri 33 G
Clover
Amazing Farm Fun
Friendship Outdoor Recreation Center Palmyra
Luray
New Market
Bedford
29
Bentonvil
Quicksburg
Natural Bridge
3
2
25
22
Clar
9
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
The numbers inside the indicate a Virginia State Park. Locate any park by using the Map Legend on Page 14.
nsburg, WVA
Winchester Leesburg
27Delaplane
lle
66
Chantilly Fairfax
y
Washington, D.C.
Manassas
Midland
18
19
Arlington
Occoquan
Woodbridge Stafford
Fredericksburg
17
4 King George
95 Spotsylvania
34
Montross
Stratford Doswell
Palmyra
1
bay
Ashland
37
Cumberland
King William
Lancaster
RICHMOND
Chester 295 Chesterfield Moseley
23
Colonial Heights
ice
Green Bay
rksville
2
32 36 Williamsburg 5
Surry
95
Cape Charles
Hampton THIS IS
16
VIRGINIA
Yorktown Jamestown
- Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe - Virginia Air & Space Center - Hampton University Museum - Sandy Bottom Nature Park - Aberdeen Gardens Historic Museum
Newport News Hampton Norfolk Portsmouth Virginia Beach10
9
ATTRACTION/LOCATION/WEBSITE Luray Caverns
Luray
Mariners’ Museum
www.luraycaverns.com
USS MONITOR CENTER
ATTRACTION/LOCATION/WEBSITE Virginia Beach History Museums
Virginia Beach www.museumsvb.org
Newport News www.marinersmuseum.org
Virginia Living Museum
Newport News www.thevlm.org
Massanutten Resort
McGaheysville www.massresort.com
Virginia Sports Hall Of Fame & Museum Portsmouth
www.vshfm.com
National Firearms Museum
Fairfax
www.nramuseum.com
Virginia State Parks
Statewide
www.virginiastateparks.gov
Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum Winchester
www.discoverymuseum.net
Virginia Zoo
Norfolk
www.virginiazoo.org
St. John’s Church Foundation
Richmond
www.historicstjohnschurch.org
Yorktown Victory Center
Yorktown
www.historyisfun.org
Triple C Camp
Charlottesville www.tripleccamp.com
10
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Make a Thermometer to Measure the Temperature
T
hermometers help us know what the weather will be like. If it will be 90°F outside, we’re not going to put on a winter coat. Or if it’s below zero, we won’t be wearing shorts. Here’s a way to show how a simple thermometer works. A downloadable pdf file with complete instructions and an explanation of how thermometers work can be found on our website’s Resources section. Go to www.virginiafieldtrips.com and click on “Resources” in the menu bar.
TRIVIA ANSWERS 1: The Flowering Dogwood is the state flower and the state tree, making Virginia the only state to have the same plant for both.
2: Up to 70% of global Internet traffic goes through data centers in Northern Virginia.
3:
All of the above are illegal somewhere in Virginia. In Culpeper it is illegal to wash a mule on the sidewalk. In Prince William County it is illegal to keep a skunk as a pet. And in Norfolk spitting on a sea gull is not tolerated.
selfie !
ay r selfie p Make you
urself photo of yo y field Email us a an t a e n is magazi holding th azine and g a m is th in ption trip venue ar subscri free one ye e! n zi a g a receive a M Festivals to Virginia to Sent photo om. fieldtrips.c ia in g ir v r@ e h s li b u p
ock! Selfies R
I
Eastern Screech-Owl
f a mysterious trill catches your attention in the night, bear in mind the spooky sound may come from an owl no bigger than a pint of milk. Common east of the Rockies in woods, suburbs, and parks, the Eastern Screech-Owl is found wherever trees are, and they’re even willing to nest in backyard nest boxes. These supremely camouflaged birds hide out in nooks and tree crannies through the day, so train your ears and listen for them at night. Size & Shape: The Eastern Screech-Owl is a short, stocky bird, with a large head and almost no neck. Its wings are rounded; its tail is short and square. Pointed ear tufts are often raised, lending its head a distinctive silhouette. Color Pattern: Eastern Screech-Owls can be either mostly gray or mostly reddish-brown (rufous). Whatever the overall color, they are patterned with complex bands and spots that give the bird excellent camouflage against tree bark. Eyes are yellow. Behavior: Eastern Screech-Owls are active at night and are far more often heard than seen—most bird watchers know this species only from its trilling or whinnying song. However, this cavity-roosting owl can be attracted to nest boxes or, if you’re sharp-eyed, spotted in daylight at the entrance to its home in a tree cavity. Habitat: Trees define the Eastern Screech-Owl’s habitat. This owl is fairly common in most types of woods (evergreen or deciduous; urban or rural), particularly near water. It shuns treeless expanses of mountains or plains. Excerpted from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s website “All About Birds,” which can be found at: www.allaboutbirds.org.
GREAT EVENT INFO ONLINE www.festivalnews.info
FREE Event Planners - Add Your Event Info /Free/
Link Your Business or Event Add Your Event to State Calendar Complimentary Copy of Magazine
11
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
St. John’s Church Foundation - Our field trips and educational programs bring history to life
D RE TU D A FE IEL F IP TR ICHMOND — Throughout the year, St. John’s Church Foundation conducts educational programming in support of the Virginia Standards of Learning for Virginia Studies. The historic St. John’s Church building powerfully engages students and adults by placing them in the very place where our forebears—including Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington—discussed the issues and enacted the deeds that led to the founding of America. School Tours - Costumed interpreters
R
America’s National Maritime Museum
ED UR T A FE IELD F IP TR
N
EWPORT NEWS — The Mariners’ Museum is one of the largest maritime museums in the world. The Museum is home to the USS MONITOR Center where you can walk the deck of a full-scale replica of the Civil War ironclad, see artifacts undergoing conservation such as the iconic revolving gun turret and 20-ton steam engine and experience interactive exhibits. The Mariners’ Museum offers a wide array of educational programs in Social Studies, Science and Language Arts subject areas. These topics include Age of Exploration, Clash of Armor: The Battle of the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia, Slave Trade, The Chesapeake Bay, Pirates and much more. Programs are for grades pre-K – 12 and are designed to meet Virginia SOLs, National Standards, and Common Core. The Mariners’ Museum can even visit your classroom virtually through their award-winning Interactive Video Conferencing program. Additionally, the Museum offers professional development on a variety of subjects and provides many teaching resources on the Museum’s website. For information on the Museum’s educational programs or to book your program today, call (757) 591-7745 or visit www.MarinersMuseum.org/Education.
lead a discussion of the events in Virginia that led to the American Revolution and the vigorous debates of the Second Virginia Convention, during which Patrick Henry delivered his famous “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech. Historical Reenactments - Professional actors in 1770s attire portray ten delegates, including such prominent Virginians as Richard Henry Lee, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. Your students will witness the democratic process at work through the animated convention debates that culminated in Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech. Contact the Visitor Center at (804) 648-5015 to book your tour or visit www.historicstjohnschurch.org.
Virginia Nature Lovers inspired daily!
Hands-on STEM
all living things native to Virginia Newport News • 757-595-9135 • thevlm.org
12
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Take Your Group on a Thrilling Adventure!
It’s Fun to Learn at Virginia State Parks
ED UR T A FE IELD F IP TR ILLIAMSBURG — Whether they’re exploring the science of roller coasters or performing on our Italy stage, your students will learn, create memories and have a blast on this school outing. Wolf Encounter – Take a closer look at these misunderstood animals and how they are coping to survive in the modern world. Learn about the wolf’s fierce loyalty to its pack, the important role wolves play in the wild, TATE-WIDE — Unless you have visited a Virginia and what we can do to help State Park, you may not them survive in this up-close know that one of our primary encounter with America’s missions is education. We are top predator. Coasters 101 – Experience the thrills of science and technology in very proud of our environa real-world setting. Coasters 101 puts classroom learning into motion. mental and historical interpreTake a tour with the experts at Busch Gardens as they lead your group tive programming and special into the control rooms and the maintenance bays of some of the world’s events. Virginia State Parks are most beloved and advanced thrill coasters. Learn what makes these thrill great field trip destinations for machines work. At Coasters 101, education and exhilaration combine for classes and offer programming based on Virginia’s Standards one wild ride. of Learning. Call (800) 933-7275 or visit www.virginiastate Call 800-343-7946 for information and to reserve your tour, or visit parks.gov to find a park near you and arrange a visit. www.buschgardens.com/bgwgroup.
W
S
Make Room for the Memories.
ED UR T A FE IELD F IP TR
Year Round Programs & Fun!
C An adventure of historic proportion is waiting for your groups—at two living-history museums that explore America’s beginnings. They can board replicas of colonial ships. Grind corn in a Powhatan Indian village. Try on English armor inside a palisaded fort. And join historical interpreters at a Continental Army encampment for a firsthand look at the Revolution’s end. Take part in guided tours and hands-on programs. Tell them not to forget their cameras. Because the history here is life size. And their memories will be even bigger!
1-888-868-7593
HARLOTTESVILLE — Looking for unique adventures conveniently located in Central Virginia? Triple C Year Round Programs, located on the grounds of Triple C Camp just outside of Charlottesville, offers a multitude of program experiences ALL.YEAR.LONG! We create single or multi-day programs to best serve the goals and needs of your group. We offer programs for corporate/ professional development, schools (elementary through collegiate levels), athletic organizations, family reunions, scouts, and more. Our educators encourage all participants to step outside their comfort zone and take safe, controlled risks to empower adventure and growth for all participants. For information call (434) 293-2529 or visit www.tripleccamp.com.
13
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Virginia Air & Space Center - The visitor center for NASA Langley Research Center and Langley Air Force Base
ED UR T A FE IELD F IP TR
H
AMPTON — This world-class facility features the “Adventures in Flight” and “Space Quest” galleries and more than 100 hands-on exhibits that tell the story of air and space exploration. See the Apollo 12 Command Module, a Mars meteorite and a three-billion year-old moon rock! Make a crater, travel to Mars and fly an airplane. Visit the technologically advanced 3D IMAX® Theater and see a film on a five-story screen with 16,000 watts of digital-sound. For information visit www. visithampton.com.
ED UR T A FE IELD F IP TR
G
Geology, Biology, Karst, and Watersheds - All at Grand Caverns
ROTTOES — We offer field trips designed around your lesson plans. Grand Caverns offers special tours to school groups encouraging them to learn more about geology, biology, karst, and watersheds. There is special pricing available for school groups. Please call (540) 249-5705 for current school group rates or visit www.grandcaverns.com.
Virginia Beach History Museums Bring the History of Southeastern Virginia to Life D RE TU D A FE IEL F IP TR
V
IRGINIA BEACH — The Virginia Beach Historic Houses’ educational programs directly
support teachers’ SOL-based instructional needs. Whether in your classroom or onsite at one of our historic houses, students will experience unique, hands-on programming that bring the history of southeastern Virginia to life. Hands-on, interactive, SOL-based school programs are offered at the Lynnhaven House (1725) and Francis Land House (circa 1805) for students grades K through 4th throughout the school year. For information call (757) 3855100 or visit www.museumsvb.org.
WHERE EDUCATION GETS WILD! Zoo field trips are an adventure for the whole classroom. Options include guided tours, interactive classroom lessons, animal encounters and more! Call 441-2374 ext. 229 to start planning your adventure.
3500 GRANBY STREET • NORFOLK, VA 23504 • 757.441.2374
14
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Virginia State Parks
Welcome to geology’s hall of fame. Baseball has one. Rock and roll has one. And although it took millions of years, the earth has one, too. And with well-lit, well-paved walkways stretching throughout, you can easily stroll through rooms 10 stories high, marvel at the enormous columns and crystal-clear pools, and of course, hear the world’s largest musical instrument, the Great Stalacpipe Organ. It’s time to discover the most cavernous caverns on the East Coast. It’s time to discover Luray. For a free brochure, call (888) 443-6551 or visit us online at LurayCaverns.com.
Name Location 1) Bear Creek Lake State Park Cumberland 2) Belle Isle State Park Lancaster 3) Breaks Interstate State Park Breaks 4) Caledon State Park King George 5) Chippokes Plantation State Park Surry 6) Claytor Lake State Park Dublin 7) Douthat State Park Millboro 8) Fairy Stone State Park Stuart 9) False Cape State Park Virginia Beach 10) First Landing State Park Virginia Beach 11) Grayson Highlands State Park Mouth of Wilson 12) High Bridge Trail State Park Green Bay 13) Holliday Lake State Park Appomattox 14) Hungry Mother State Park Marion 15) James River State Park Gladstone 16) Kiptopeke State Park Cape Charles 17) Lake Anna State Park Spotsylvania 18) Leesylvania State Park Woodbridge 19) Mason Neck State Park Lorton 20) Natural Tunnel State Park Duffield 21) New River Trail State Park Fosters Falls 22) Occoneechee State Park Clarksville 23) Pocahontas State Park Chesterfield 24) Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historic State Park Rice 25) Shenandoah River Raymond R. “Andy” Guest Jr. State Park Bentonville 26) Shot Tower State Park Austinville 27) Sky Meadows State Park Delaplane 28) Smith Mountain Lake State Park Huddleston 29) Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park Big Stone Gap 30) Staunton River State Park Scottsburg 31) Staunton River Battlefield State Park Randolph 32) Tabb Monument State Park Amelia 33) Twin Lakes State Park Green Bay 34) Westmoreland State Park Montross 35) Wilderness Road State Park Ewing 36) York River State Park Williamsburg 37) Powhatan State Park Powhatan
Phone (804) 492-4410 (804) 462-5030 (276) 865-4413 (540) 663-3861 (757) 294-3625 (540) 643-2500 (540) 862-8100 (276) 930-2424 (757) 426-7128 (757) 412-2300 (276) 579-7092 (434) 315-0457 (434) 248-6308 (276) 781-7400 (434) 933-4355 (757) 331-2267 (540) 854-5503 (703) 730-8205 (703) 339-2385 (276) 940-2674 (276) 699-6778 (434) 374-2210 (804) 796-4255 (434) 315-0349 (540) 622-6840 (276) 699-1791 (540) 592-3556 (540) 297-6066 (276) 523-1322 (434) 572-4623 (434) 454-4312 (800) 933-PARK (434) 392-3435 (804) 493-8821 (276) 445-3065 (757) 566-3036 (804) 598-7148
Find locations on centerfold map pages 8 and 9
15
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
At Jamestown Settlement & Yorktown Victory Center, History is Fun!
W
ILLIAMSBURG — Whether tying sailors’ knots at the ships’ pier or exploring a Continental Army tent, students are learning the essentials of early American history through hands-on learning experiences at Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center. The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, a state agency that administers the two living-history museums, offers educational programs that make learning about the beginnings of the United States fun and exciting for students through demonstrations and hands-on participation. Students are able to witness history come alive as they encounter costumed interpreters demonstrating everyday life in re-created settings. Hands-on activities coupled with a structured educational tour allow students to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of life in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Foundation’s education programs, taught by trained museum educators, address United States history curriculum objectives and can be adapted to a variety of grade levels. For information about the Foundation’s education programs or to schedule a class visit, call (888) 868-7593 or visit www.historyisfun.org.
To touch is to explore, to explore is to discover, to discover is to learn.
W
INCHESTER — The Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum’s mission is to ignite creativity, spark curiosity and inspire learning in patrons of all ages by providing a rich variety of interactive, hands-on exhibits and programs which focus on the sciences and mathematics, the humanities and the arts. Explore life along the Moccasin Trail in the Native American exhibit or learn about simple machines while playing in an apple shed. Experience the laws of physics while racing balls over ramps and through loops or test your agility while scaling a climbing wall. Get attracted to magnets, dive into atoms, wrap yourself up in the weather or gaze at the stars. The Discovery Museum experience will make learning fun and all programs correspond with the Virginia SOL’s. To touch is to explore, to explore is to discover, to discover is to learn. Call (540) 722-2020 or visit www.discoverymuseum.net for group rates.
Follow us on Twitter!
@VaFieldTrips
Building a Community for all at Friendship Outdoor Recreation Center
P
ALMYRA — Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Palmyra, Virginia, Friendship Outdoor Recreation Center is conveniently located an hour from Richmond and under 2 and 1/2 hours from Washington D.C. With 520 acres of rolling hills and scenic woods, our grounds offer groups a unique experience with plenty of space for fun and adventure. We provide a wide range of activities and have accommodations for groups up to 400 people. Call us at (800) 873-3223 or email us at groups@friendshipoutdoorrec.com.
16
Virginia Field Trips – Spring & Summer
Better than the backyard.
Give your students the gift of connecting classroom knowledge with real world situations. Allow them to make discoveries and understand their world on a whole new level. Explore nature, history and culture with a park ranger or on your own. Ranger-led programs meet grade level SOL requirements. Outreach programs are available in many locations. Call 800-933-7275 or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov to find a park near you and arrange a visit.
800-933-PARK (7275) | www.virginiastateparks.gov | VSP_FieldTripGuide_spring2016.indd 1
12/8/2015 11:36:15 AM