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FIELD TRIPS & OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Get Outside and Explore!

Muddy Sneakers’ certified field instructors lead experiential field trips and outreach programs that connect participants to natural spaces through hands-on learning, play, and activities in science, art, mindfulness, team building, and more.

Program Interest Form
Muddy Sneakers Instructor standing on a stream bank, pointing to something in the stream as a group of fifth-grade students looks on.

A magical landscape is ours to explore,
from the mountains to the foothills,
the Piedmont to the coast.

What to Expect

No outdoor experience is necessary! Participants should be prepared for the following:

Minimum group size: 10 participants

Program location: NC public lands (field trips) or your outdoor space (outreach programs)**

Average duration: Between 2.5 - 5 hours

Prolonged periods of walking outdoors

Limited cell phone reception

Limited access to restroom facilities

Unpredictable or uncomfortable weather conditions*

Potential wildlife encounters

*Programs may be rescheduled due to extreme or unsafe weather at the discretion of the Muddy Sneakers team.

**Outreach program availability may be limited due to program requirements such as the presence of trees and waterways.

Field Trips & Outreach Programs

Science connection field trips and outreach programs are aligned to the North Carolina Essential Standards for 5th Grade Science and support 5th Grade NC Standard Course of Study objectives in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Arts Education, Healthful Living (Health Education & Physical Education), and Guidance. See the key below for details.

A study of local lakes and streams shows students the role aquatic ecosystems play on our planet.

Aquatic Ecosystems

Discover what makes aquatic ecosystems unique and interconnected!
Science
Honing observation skills and encouraging curiosity are important aspects to Becoming a Scientist.

Becoming a Scientist!

Transform into scientists for the day to investigate the world around you!

Environmental Stewardship

Discover the challenges local ecosystems face and what scientists, citizens, and students like YOU are doing to help!
During a Forces & Motion field trip, students work together to hang a bear bag.

Forces & Motion

Experience forces & motion through activities that promote creativity, problem-solving, & the use of simple machines
Science

Inheritance & Adaptation

Practice close observation to compare inherited and acquired traits in nature.
Science
Science and art unite as students use natural objects to recreate various body systems!

Living Systems

Study how a body system is built and learn how they work together within the human body.
Science
During Matter field trips, students participate in hands-on activities to examine the difference between chemical and physical changes.

Matter

Using nature as a laboratory, experiment with chemical and physical change, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data.
Science

Nature's Playground

Who needs a swing set when you have the forest! Skip, hop, and navigate through nature’s playground as we play games and discover the adventures that await in our backyards!
Writing and sketching provide an opportunity for students to quietly reflect on their experiences connecting to the world around them.

Nature Journaling & Mindfulness

There’s more to the forest than what meets the eye! We’ll engage our five senses to hone our scientific observation skills, empowering us as explorers to discover the hidden world of nature.

Patterns & Art in Nature

For millions of years, nature has sculpted the natural world around us, and now it’s your chance to discover the art hidden in the forests.
During School in the Woods, students learn about safety in the woods, including basic wayfinding methods.

School in the Woods

An introduction to using the outdoors as a learning environment.
Science

Terrestrial Ecosystems

Search the woods and categorize creatures as producers, consumers, or decomposers!
Science
During a Weather field trip, students use scientific instruments to measure wind speed, wind direction, and more!

Weather

Participants will use various scientific tools to measure weather conditions and discover how weather impacts nature.
Science

Wildlife Bioblitz

From songbirds to salamanders, the forests are overflowing with life! We'll complete a Bioblitz scavenger hunt to uncover the immense biodiversity of North Carolina ecosystems.

SCIENCE PROGRAM KEY: Topic meets/supports the following NC Education Standards:

  • Science
  • ELA
  • Math
  • Art
  • Mental & Emotional Health
  • Healthful Living/Physical Education
  • Collaboration & Communication
  • Cognitive; Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving

Start Your Adventure

Complete the Program Interest Form
Muddy Sneakers Outdoor Classroom

Our Mission: to awaken in children a deeply felt connection with the natural world — one that inspires curiosity, stimulates learning, and brings new life to classroom performance.

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  • P.O. Box 10971, Raleigh, NC 27605
  • info@muddysneakers.org
  • 1-828-862-5560

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