For more information: Contact Kathleen Amirault,  Program Coordinator, 781-659-2559 X214

Our programs are designed to support the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Frameworks.  They may be adapted to meet your specific needs and modified to be grade or age appropriate.  Other programs may also be adapted for your site or town conservation lands.  Use these descriptions as a starting point for your program reservations. 

Field Trips to The South Shore Natural Science Center

Programs are 1.5 hours long and may be adapted to fit your needs

Our on-site programs are scheduled for 1.5 hours but may be adapted to be longer or shorter.  Preschool programs are 1 hour.  All programs are led by naturalists and may include presentations, a guided out-door walk on one of our trails and time in the EcoZone, our living habitat museum focused on the ecosystems of southeastern Massachusetts. Programs are designed to be age appropriate. 

Habitats
Walk with a naturalist at any time of year to explore the diversity of animals and plants and their habitats at your site.  Each season brings a different perspective so that you can learn how living things adapt as their environment changes. 

Pond Life
Discover what plants and animals live in and around Jacobs Pond by exploring the water and shore with nets, magnifiers and field guides.  Back at the Science Center use microscopes to further examine collected samples and find out how pond animals depend on their environment and each other to survive. 

Backyard Botany
Discover what your backyard plants need to survive.  Lean how different parts of plants work together to keep plants growing.  Discover how seeds travel near and far.  Examine flowers, seeds, fruit, stems, roots, and leaves using hand lenses and microscopes.   Explore the Science Center’s gardens and greenhouse. Available year round.   

Woodlands
Explore our woods at any time of year.  Discover seasonal changes in an ecosystem that many plants and animals depend on for food and habitats.  Find out how producers, consumers, and decomposers interact in the forest.  This program is adaptable to meet your needs at any time of the year.

Trees
Trees are the backbone of our forests. Walk through the woods and discover how they provide habitats for forest dwellers.  Learn about tree life cycles and recognize seasonal changes.  Discover how photosynthesis provides oxygen for us and makes food for the tree, while reducing carbon dioxide and cleaning the air.  Available year round

Backyard Birds
Songs and calls of birds can be heard throughout the year in a variety of habitats making them the easiest wildlife species to find.  Naturalists use bird mounts from SSNSC collections and other resources to teach identification and characteristics of some New England birds. We will explore the outdoors for signs, sounds and habitats.  Available year round

Mammals
Learn about several wild and domesticated mammals.  Using live and taxidermy animals from the SSNSC collections learn how each is adapted to fit into its environment.   Available year round. 

Reptiles and Amphibians
Discover the differences and similarities between these two groups and how these cold-blooded (ectothermic) creatures are adapted to live in different habitats.  Tour our EcoZone living habitat museum and meet some local species of turtles, snakes, frogs, toads and salamanders and learn about their life cycles.  Make the local to global connections with our resident Green Iguana and Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, both natives of the Rainforest.  Available year round.  

New England Owls
Meet a live owl up close.  Learn about these magnificent silent hunters, their unique adaptations and their importance in the food chain.  An optional activity may include dissecting an owl pellet to discover what owls eat.   There is an additional $1.00 fee per student for owl pellets.  Available year round.

“Finding Your Way”
Learn several methods of finding your way using clues in nature in addition to compasses, maps, trail markers, and GPS units.  Use ancient techniques as well as modern technology for the 21^st century!  We’ll practice these skills indoors and then go outside and use them in challenges and Quests. 

Journey through Time  (2.0 hour program offered for older students)
Ten thousand years ago, glaciers covered most of New England.  Since then there have been many changes.  Discover how our lands, plants, and animals evolved.  Learn how Native Americans and later colonists added their changes to the landscape, such as stone walls that once marked property boundaries but now run through forests.   This program may be expanded for older students to 2.0 hours to include visiting the unspoiled glacial features and esker around Jacobs Pond.   Available year round

Native Americans 
The banks of the North River were home to Native Americans for thousands of years.  Observe archeological artifacts from our collections and learn about the history and culture of our local native peoples who traveled and settled along the river.  Available year round.

Maple Sugaring
Follow a naturalist to maple trees in our woods and see how sap is collected from a tree.   Learn about the history and culture of the syrup industry.  Discover how maple syrup is made from tree sap and enjoy some of the sweet rewards!  Typically available late winter to early spring, call for availability.