Virtual Field Trips

Kindergarten

Crawling Crabs

Come crawl into the world of crabs and other crustacean relatives. Learn about adaptations with fun hands-on exploration. Students will enjoy observing crustacean molts and live crabs.

Lesson includes: crabs and lobsters

Recommended add-on animal encounter: snake, shark, or bird

Slithering Snakes

Slither yourself into the world of reptiles. Learn, through visual exploration, the adaptations that make snakes a successful predator. Students will get to have an up-close video encounter with a snake.

Lesson includes: snake encounter

Recommended add-on animal encounter: tortoise, iguana, sea turtle

Grade 1

Arthropods All Around 

Arthropods are all around, just waiting to be observed by bug eyed scientists. With microscopes and magnifying glasses, the small world of arthropods will come alive.

Lesson includes: crab or tarantula encounter

Recommended add-on animal encounter: bird, iguana, or snake

Beaks and Feet

Come soar into the world of birds and find out what structures they have to help them survive. Students will get to experiment with “beaks” and learn to use binoculars.

Lesson includes: bird encounter

Recommended add-on animal encounter: eagles, shorebirds, or parrots

Grade 2

Footprints on the Marsh

Tread lightly – our impact can be bigger than we think. Students will learn how to use binoculars to locate native birds in their local habitat. Students will record and tally different species for comparison.

Lesson includes: bird encounter

Recommended add-on animal encounter: eagles, shorebirds, or parrots

Perfect Pollinators

What could be more perfect than learning about pollinators in a living garden? They’ll get hands-on with pollination and discover its importance to native species.

Lesson includes: tortoise encounter

Recommended add-on animal encounter: bird of prey, iguana, or parrots

Grade 3

A Shark’s Tale

Students will become shark experts on local species and may even get to meet a shark up-close! This interactive lab teaches students about the many adaptations these top predators have to survive.

Lesson includes: shark encounter

Recommended add-on animal encounter: fish exhibit, sea turtle, or bird of prey

Crustacean Lab

Ever wonder what it means to be a crab? Get up close with crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans. From exoskeletons to real live animal encounters, students will learn all about these marine invertebrates.

Lesson includes: crabs and lobsters

Recommended add-on animal encounter: snake, shark, or bird

Compost 101

Discover the “Whats, Whys, and Hows of Composting”. Students will learn all about what exactly is compost, why composting is an important step in sustainability, and how to start their own compost bin – in the classroom, school garden, or even at home!

Lesson includes: worm bins and vermiculture

Recommended add-on animal encounter: tortoise or bird

May be free for select CVESD schools, email Katharine@thelivingcoast.org for details.

Grade 4-5

Food Chain Hunt

Kick start your ecology knowledge with a fun hike on Sweetwater Marsh. Students will study important aspects of ecology such as adaptations, predator-prey relations, and the recycling of matter.

Lesson includes: bird or reptile encounter

Recommended add-on animal encounter: bird of prey, snake, or shorebirds

Something’s Fishy

Ewe! That’s one scaly, slimy dissection. Through this fun, interactive lesson, students explore the internal and external parts that help a fish survive its marine habitat.

Lesson includes: fish dissection

Recommended add-on animal encounter: shark, fish exhibit, or shorebirds

Something’s Squidy

Students will learn about the internal and external parts that help a squid survive its ocean habitat. From three hearts to a reduced shell, the squid is a fascinating mollusk to dissect.

Lesson includes: squid dissection

Recommended add-on animal encounter: shark, fish exhibit, or jelly fish

Compost 101

Discover the “Whats, Whys, and Hows of Composting”. Students will learn all about what exactly is compost, why composting is an important step in sustainability, and how to start their own compost bin – in the classroom, school garden, or even at home!

Lesson includes: worm bins and vermiculture

Recommended add-on animal encounter: tortoise or bird

May be free for select CVESD schools, email Katharine@thelivingcoast.org for details.

Grade 6-8

Eat, Don’t Get Eaten

This program is a perfect introduction to everything ecology. Come be challenged by the delicate balance of an ecological food web that must overcome disasters, natural and man-made alike.

Lesson includes: birds (wild or bird of prey)

Recommended add-on animal encounter: reptile, shark, or shorebird exhibit

Good, Bad, and Bizarre

Discover the animal “gene pool lottery” that will produce good adaptations, bad traits, and bizarre appearances for wild animals. Students will see modeled dominant and recessive traits and get a chance to meet some unique animals along the way!

Lesson includes: snake and shark encounters

Recommended add-on animal encounter: bird of prey, reptile, or opossum

Coastal Climate Champions

A unique program all about local climate change. Students will learn what causes climate change, how it affects wildlife in their own backyard, and most importantly how they too can be a Coastal Climate Champion!

Program currently only available as a Live Zoom Lesson.

Sponsorship funding for a 4-part series may be available. Email education@thelivingcoast.org for further details and to be added to the interest list.

Compost 101

Discover the “Whats, Whys, and Hows of Composting”. Students will learn all about what exactly is compost, why composting is an important step in sustainability, and how to start their own compost bin – in the classroom, school garden, or even at home!

Lesson includes: worm bins and vermiculture

Recommended add-on animal encounter: tortoise or bird

May be free for select CVESD schools, email Katharine@thelivingcoast.org for details.

Grade 9-12

AWE Chemistry!

Students will visit a local wetland located at the bottom of a watershed. Learn the importance of variables such as salinity, pH, turbidity, and oxygen when it comes to monitoring the health of an ecosystem!

Lesson includes: plankton and jelly encounter (live only)

Recommended add-on animal encounter: eagle exhibit, sea turtle, or fish exhibit

What is a Virtual Field Trip?

We offer a variety of options for you and your class to experience wildlife based lessons with the Living Coast. Have a tight budget? Just book a virtual animal encounter or purchase a pre-recorded lesson for $50. Want even more in-depth interactions with your students? Our Live virtual field trip experiences come equipped with two professional educators, proper technology for hosting on the Zoom platform, and are fully interactive with teh students. We highly recommend booking each program for a max of 30 students.

As always our programs are Next Generation Science Standards aligned and have other Common Core State Standards integrated such as speaking, questioning, presenting, reasoning, writing, and in some lessons math. Each program comes with professionally developed pre- and post- resource packets to further expand your student’s learning in the classroom or at home.

What to expect?

Register online here: Online Registration

24-48 hours after processing your order we will email you further details about the package(s) you purchased, your pre- and post- resource packets, and your Zoom link (if applicable).

On the scheduled date of your pre-records: your private video link will be emailed to you – unless part of a bundle package that suggests students watch the lesson prior to their live session, in which case your private video link will be emailed 30 days prior to your live lesson or ASAP

On the scheduled date of your live-program: 5 minutes prior to the live event the session will open and students will begin being admitted.

For the event, our team members will have proper equipment, an appropriate backdrop or space, support staff and be ready with your animal ambassador (if applicable to program).

Please note: While we do our best to accommodate animal requests, for the safety of our animal ambassadors we do not guarantee a particular animal will be available on the scheduled date and time. If adjustments need to be made, we will do our best to communicate with you, but sometimes last minute adjustments arise.

Terms & Agreements

If you purchased a pre-recorded lesson your lesson will be emailed approximately the date and time you selected in your registration. You will have 30 days to view this lesson with your students. We will be utilizing private YouTube links that will be deleted 30 days after you receive the video. If for some reason you require more time or an extension, please email education@thelivingcoast.org and include your order number and request for faster processing. Do not share this program with anyone outside of your registered class. Fees are per class (approximately 30-40 students). Should we suspect the link has been shared beyond the terms of this agreement we will disable access and there will be a charge for excessive use.

Zoom Platform

For our programs, we use a video conference platform called Zoom (unless you indicate you have your own platform on your registration). It will be required to have a Zoom compatible device with video, sound, and microphone capabilities.

We recommend using a large tablet, laptop, or PC for the best virtual experience. Anything smaller may make it difficult to see, hear and interact with our program staff!

1. Log into Zoom.
2. Go to zoom.us.
3. Scroll to the bottom and under “support” click “test Zoom”.
4. It will ask you to join a meeting, click “join” and make sure to disable any pop up blockers.
5. Allow Zoom to open when a pop up window opens
6. Join the meeting with video and audio.

Zoom Policies

1. Private password protected link. Please make sure you forward your unique Zoom link and password to all students so there is no confusion or delay in starting your program.
2. We are family friendly & professional organization. Please encourage all students to be respectful of others on the platform. Any un-friendly comments or remarks will be removed immediately. Any crude, harsh, or discriminatory signs, symbols, gestures, words, or any other form of inappropriate communication will warrant an immediate ban from the event and no refunds will be administered.
3. Private chat features will be disabled for the safety of all participants.
4. Muting and unmuting will be controlled by our support staff when necessary.
5. Raising of hands, claps, thumbs up and other Zoom or personal gestures are appropriate methods of communication. Asking questions and saying comments are also encouraged by our staff.
6. The Living Coast Discovery Center will have support staff monitoring the event for safety and respect.

Cancellation Policy

No refunds are given on programs canceled by registrant less than 7 days prior to the program date.  For cancellations made by registrant more than 7 days prior to first date of program an 80% refund will be given.  LCDC reserves the right to cancel any program.  In the event that LCDC cancels a program, all program fees will be refunded.

Contact Information

For more information on programs and registration, please contact our Education Department via email at education@thelivingcoast.org or by phone at 619-409-5908Shortcode