Schools in Parks Collaborative
The Center for Public Engagement with Science leads the Schools in Parks Collaborative, 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.
Schools in Parks is a state-wide initiative of North Carolina State Parks to ensure that every public school student in the state has a meaningful learning experience in a state park by the time of graduation.
During the Collaboratives, classroom teachers and park rangers take part in a series of workshops where hands-on, inquiry-based activities aligned with state standards and integrated with multiple content areas are modeled for use on field trips. Teacher and rangers partner to develop lessons that can be used to support student learning in state parks over the course of the school year. Collaboratives also provide educators with resources for using the schoolyard as an outdoor classroom, access to a peer network for outdoor learning, continuing education credits, stipends and support in planning a state park field trip during the school year.
Curriculum | State Parks Resources | Program Contacts
Curriculum & Lesson Plans
- Nature Scavenger Hunt (pdf) (editable version)
- Nature Bingo
- Lake James State Park
- Medoc Mountain State Park
NC State Parks Field Trip Resources
North Carolina State Parks | Find a State Park
- Core Curriculum Standards for State Parks Field Trips
- Field Trip Request Form
- Schools in Parks Collaborative: Field Trip Transportation Reimbursement from Friends of State Parks
- Youth in Parks-Environmental Education grant (field trip transportation grant for non-Schools in Parks Collaborative participants)
- NC Culture Kids (short videos with related curriculum materials and reading suggestions)
Program Contacts
North Carolina State Parks, Interpretation & Education (I&E)
Sean Higgins, I&E Manager
sean.higgins@ncparks.gov | 919-805-2194
Randy Bechtel, I&E Specialist
randy.bechtel@ncparks.gov | 919-707-9325
David Pearson, Executive Director
davidp@ncfsp.org | 910-389-0210
UNC Institute for the Environment, Center for Public Engagement with Science
Sarah Yelton, Environmental Education & Citizen Science Program Manager
sarah.yelton@unc.edu | 919-966-0895