School Programs
ATTENTION TEACHERS, CIVIC GROUPS
AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS:
Nixon County Park is the only one of the eleven county parks that is set aside exclusively for environmental education. The Park offers an outstanding environmental education experience for area school students, teachers and administrators. A wide variety of programs are available for school students as well as civic organizations. The nature center does not currently provide programs for visiting summer camps, although you may visit the nature center with the guidance of your own staff. Click here for PDF of summer fun museum scavenger hunt: Scavenger Hunt PDF (You must bring your own copies).
REGISTRATION:
If you are interested in scheduling a field trip or visiting with a group of ten or more on your own, call the Nature Center at (717) 428-1961 and ask to speak with a naturalist. We strongly recommend groups of 10 or more call in advance to schedule your visit even if you do not require assistance from park staff. This way we can inform you of any parts of the grounds or nature center that will be closed, special events taking place, if there is an admission fee, or if spaces will already be in use by large groups to help you plan your trip accordingly.
Fall/winter field trip registration (Sept 2021-Feb 2022) opens Tuesday, August 3, 2021.
Spring field trip registration (Trips for Mar-June 2022) opens Wed, Dec 1, 2021. Call the nature center on or after this date to register your group between 8:30am-4:30pm. Please have multiple date options ready.
Please note that Nixon County Park Nature Center is closed on Mondays and staff will not be available to take registrations.
Field trips are free for groups located within York County. A nominal fee of $2 per student is required for groups located outside of York County.
Field Trip Policy Update Beginning July 2018: Naturalist-led field trips must have at least 15 students in a 3 grade or fewer grade range. Groups with students outside the grade range need to provide adult supervision for those children separate from the field trip programs.
Click for Teacher Pre-Registration Checklist.
Pick Your Naturalist-Led Programs:
On-Site Field Trips for Pre-K-12
The most typical field trip includes one indoor lesson, one outdoor nature walk, and a nature center scavenger hunt or stream study (for 3rd grade and up). Please let park staff know of any themes or vocabulary you would like to focus on during your visit.
Nature Walk Themes:
- Seasonal Nature Walk - This walk covers the theme of animal habitats and how animals are preparing for winter.
- Watershed Walk - This walk pairs with the introduction to watersheds lesson, and covers examples of bodies of water and physical divides between watersheds.
- Geology Walk - Nature walk with "geology lenses" showing us how earth science helps us look into the past and future.
- Five Senses Walk - Nature walk that emphasizes exploring with our senses.
Stream Study: Recommended for 3rd grade and up. Investigate the food chain in the creek and learn about insect life cycles and what they can tell us about creek health. Students and chaperones need to bring an extra pair of shoes for walking into the creek (rain boots, water shoes, or old sneakers), a plastic bag for wet shoes, and a hand towel.
Indoor Lessons:
- Reptiles & Amphibians - Introduction to the similarities and differences between the reptiles and amphibians, and which are found here in PA.
- Backyard Birds - How to be observant to observe the unique characteristics of birds.
- Birds of Prey - Introduction to hawks, eagles, and owls, and how they survive as predators.
- Insects & Their Relatives - Introduction to the traits of insects and their close releatives.
- Predators Versus Prey - Comparision between the skulls and adaptations of animals that hunt other animals and animals that are often hunted.
- PA Animals - Overview and comparision between the five vertebrate classes of animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish).
- Introduction to Watersheds - Introduction to a watersheds and the impact we have on our environment.
- Northwest Animals - A lesson that uses the taxidermy display to discuss habitats and adaptations.
Self-guided Scavenger Hunts: (print your own copies)
Virtual Field Trips for K-12
Schedule a virtual field trip with a park naturalist for your classes. Available lessons are listed below. Lessons can take from 30 minutes to an hour depending on grade level and student participation. Zoom meeting is prefered but other platforms will be accomodated if possible. We can schedule classes individually, but due to high demand, it's even better if you can include multiple classes per "trip".
Mammals of PA
Explore the adaptations of our most common furry animals, learn how they survive, and what makes them a "mammal".
Additional Resources Related to this Lesson:Animal Tracks and Traces Brochure by PA Dept of Conservation and Natural Resources
Mammal Tracks and Scat Guide by Lynn Levine and Martha Mitchell
Animals in Winter
Which animals hibernate? Which animals migrate? How does our most familiar wildlife survive the winter?
Intro to Schoolyard Wildlife
What animals and signs of animals can we find around the schoolyard habitat? Learn what common birds, bugs, and mammals you are likely to observe!
Additional Resources Related to this Lesson:Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Activity Sheet by York County Parks
Animal Tracks and Traces Brochure by PA Dept of Conservation and Natural Resources
Mammal Tracks and Scat Guide by Lynn Levine and Martha Mitchell
Predators Versus Prey
Investigate the traits that make an animal a great predator! Virtually look at animal skulls as we investigate their features. Learn how to tell if an animal is a carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore by looking at it's teeth!
Additional Resources Related to this Lesson:Predators and Prey Drawing Worksheet by York County Parks
Reptiles of PA
Explore the different groups of reptiles and the most common ones you can see in York County! What makes these creatures unqiue and interesting?
Additional Resources Related to this Lesson:Turtles by Fish and Boat Commission PLAY 2006
Snakes by Fish and Boat Commission PLAY 2012
Frogs by Fish and Boat Commission PLAY 2012
Lizards by Fish and Boat Commission PLAY 2012
Salamanders by Fish and Boat Commission PLAY 2012
Turtle Shells by Fish and Boat Commission PLAY
What is an Amphibian? by Fish and Boat Commission PLAY
What is a Reptile? by Fish and Boat Commission PLAY
Turtle Poster by Fish and Boat Commission
Copperhead Strike Survey Graphic by Susquehannock Wildlife Society
Hellbender Poster by Susquehannock Wildlife Society
Turtle Crossing Poster by Susquehannock Wildlife Society
Full Scientific Article on Copperhead Bites from Acta Herpetologica 2020
Insects of PA
Learn the characteristics of insects, how they survive, and why we need them!
Additional Resources Related to this Lesson:
Smithsonian Institution - Butterflies in the United States
Cricket Observation Activity by 4H
Ant Life Cycle Coloring Page by Arizona State University
Insect Masks by Arizona State University
Monarch Life Cycle Coloring Page by Arizona State University
Invent an Insect Worksheet by California Academy of Science
Label Insect Body Parts Worksheet by California Academy of Science
True Bugs Coloring Page by University of Arizona
Aquatic Insect Coloring Book by Utah State University
Mini Field Trips for PreK
Mini Field Trips are available for 4-5 year old students in pre-school, Kindergarten, or first grade students. Available lessons are listed below. Lessons can take from 30 minutes to 45 minutes depending on age and student participation. After the naturalist-led interactive lesson, teachers can lead their own scavenger hunt or walk to the pond.
Owl Babies (Anytime)
Read the story "Owl Babies" together. Learn about the common owl species found in PA. Listen to their sounds as we investigate the traits of owls with our owl taxidermy. After the lesson, sing some owl songs!
Turtle at Long Pond (Fall)
Read about a day in the life of a box turtle and then meet a live turtle.
'Possum and the Peeper (Spring)
Learn about frog life cycles, frog sounds, and spring animal behaviors.
Insects (Spring, Summer)
Read about insects in a patch of flowers and discover how insects are important in the environment.
Fawns (Spring)
Learn about white-tailed deer and forest habitats.