Search for School Programs at Oak Knoll

Use nature journaling to explore the difference of physical and behavioral adaptations and how it helps wildlife survive. Participate in fun activities exploring live wildlife at our sanctuaries and discuss which have the most interesting and mind blowing adaptations.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Students will explore different types of animal and plant adaptations, and how they have learned to survive in different environments and habitats. We will look at natural artifacts to inspire enthusiastic discussions.

Take a trip to one of our local wildlife sanctuaries to discuss and explore evolutionary response and variance out in the field. Making observations, drawing and recording our ideas, discussing our findings with our colleagues, and working with our teacher naturalists makes for a memorable educational experience.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

By studying bones & skulls we can see a story of evolutionary response and variance within a variety of organisms. Working in groups we can study real biological artifacts and hypothesize behaviors or function based on our observations.

Students will define climate, learn the carbon cycle, discuss the impacts of human caused climate change in our towns and cities, and explore ways to positively impact their environment. The sanctuaries are a perfect place to see renewable energy devices in action. Visit our solar panels and discover alternative energy options.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Students will define climate, learn the carbon cycle, discuss the impacts of climate change in their community, and explore ways to positively impact their environment. Group discussions will connect students to local efforts and how they can get involved. If done in a series, teacher naturalists can help facilitate project ideas for end of year service projects.

Use field nets, field guides, and scientific equipment to explore local habitats. Students will create a local food chain & food web while learning about the different stages within the cycle. Work in large groups to build a local food web and search for local wildlife on the trails.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Students will create a local food chain & food web while learning about the different stages within the cycle (producers, consumers, and decomposers). We will explore local animal ambassadors to study and discuss what role their energy has in this cycle.

Use field nets, field guides, and scientific equipment to explore and compare different habitats. What types of plants can we find in each? How does that determine what types of animals we may find? Learn what makes each one special to wildlife and people.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Learn why all animals need food, water, shelter, and space. Various habitats will be discussed and students will be challenged to think about biotic & abiotic components in a game called habitat charades.

Use nature journaling to better understand how and why scientists classify local organisms. Compare the traits of animals and plants that you find and create a class field guide of your experience to reinforce learning.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Students will learn how and why scientists classify living things. They will participate in classification activities and by the end of the program will be able to identify the five animal vertebrate groups.

Visit one of our local sanctuaries to explore evidence do of plate tectonics or glaciers activity from the past. Investigate the life cycle of the forest and how living things respond to changes through structure and behavior. Learn about some of the research Mass Audubon is doing to understand the effects climate change has on this resource.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Explore the life cycle of the forest and how living things respond to changes through structure and behavior. Look at foliage characteristics and plant adaptations to determine biodiversity. Discuss how plate tectonics or glaciers have shaped the forests we now explore.

Take simple weather measurements and predict a forecast. Explore how the land, communities of people, and local wildlife respond to short term weather events and longer-term seasonal patterns. Hike the sanctuary during the Fall, Winter or Spring with your students depending on your curriculum.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Students will explore the life cycle of several groups of animals and discover how each one is special in its own way. For insects, we will identify the difference between complete and incomplete metamorphosis, and which species has them.

Take a trip to one of our local wildlife sanctuaries to discuss and learn the difference between renewable and non-renewable energies. What is the difference and why is sustainable energy sources important? Explore how Mass Audubon uses renewable energy sources to power their facilities.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

A hands on investigation of how energy makes its way through the environment in the forms of light, heat, and wind. Students wok with a professional teacher naturalist to discuss and explore and how we can capture that energy for our communities.

Through hikes, activities, and observations students will identify various rocks and their meaning in the landscape. Search for Puddingstone to discover a special type of conglomerate that is our state rock. We will also explore and discuss our land's past through fossils.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Learn about the rock life cycle and study real rocks and minerals hands on. Group activities will help students explore how they form. Then, examine fossils and explore the study of past living organisms.

Science helps us learn about the world around us and why things work the way they do! Join Mass Audubon educators to discover how to be a scientist exploring nature around your home or school. This unit introduces fundamental science skills and language at a developmentally appropriate level for K-2 students, with an emphasis on learning outdoors. Lessons focus on using our senses to make observations, practicing sketching and writing skills in a nature journal, and fostering excitement and curiosity for safe outdoor exploration. This unit lays the foundation to prepare students for additional Science of Massachusetts units.

Join Mass Audubon educators as we learn how energy from the sun powers life on Earth, both living processes and the technologies we use to power our communities. Each lesson explores one aspect of the energy cycle within biotic and abiotic systems; including photosynthesis, consumers, decomposers, renewable, and non-renewable energies.

In this introductory unit, students will build the foundation for future Science of Massachusetts units by learning to safely complete their outdoor assignments and collect data from the natural world in their field journals. The third lesson includes an engaging introduction to climate change, with a focus on taking an active role in creating solutions.

Water is essential for life, but climate change is threatening water all over the planet. Understanding how water moves through our homes, neighborhoods, state, and world can give us clues about how to solve this enormous challenge. The unit focuses on exploring our local watersheds and water within our neighborhoods, connecting those watersheds to the global movements of water, understanding how climate change is affecting the water cycle, and working towards solutions to those threats.

Trees provide much more than shade or pretty additions to city streets and neighborhood parks. This unit explores habitats, adaptations, and life cycles, with trees as a unifying theme. With accessibility to all learners as a priority, lessons highlight the diversity of trees across various Massachusetts habitats, including suburban, urban and rural areas. Nature journaling assignments highlight observation and other science skills and encourage students to choose a tree near their home or school to chronicle throughout the unit.

Are trees the solution to climate change? Through place-based, inquiry driven investigation, students will study the role of trees in the carbon cycle, and expand their investigation to find out whether forest sequestration, or indeed any one nature-based solution, is enough to fight climate change. Finally, students will explore their own role as a changemaker by planning a collective, climate-positive action.

In this unit we will explore different types of "minibeasts", or invertebrates, like worms, pill bugs, and more. Students will engage in outdoor investigations to find out where the best place is for a minibeast to live. Students will document their observations in field journals as they explore different habitats in their schoolyard and use models to explain how these habitats may or may not support the needs of invertebrates. Finally, students will expand their investigation to explore the role invertebrates play to enrich the soil, and understand how humans can learn from them to reduce their footprint and protect their local environment.

In this unit, students will get outside and investigate the ways stronger storms impact their communities, specifically through rain and snow. They will identify places of vulnerability and places of resilience in their schoolyard or neighborhood. As a culminating project, they will design solutions to help reduce the impacts of stronger storms in their area and communicate it with members of their community.

Develop your inner scientist! Learn how to prepare to safely explore outside, practice observation skills in nature, and create scientific drawings in a nature journal that you made yourself. Meet some local scientists as we explore what evidence-based science really is and how it applies in the real world.

While incorporating some of the same activities and discussions from the "In Class" description, students will get the opportunity to visit a wildlife sanctuary to learn about particular species that sanctuary is working to protect. It could be Blanding's turtles at Oak Knoll, river herring at Tidmarsh, or coastal waterbirds at Allen's Pond and North River.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

What are some of the challenges conservation scientists have when trying to protect local endangered species like the Timber Pine Rattlesnake or The American Chestnut Tree? Students will review literature and data sets regarding local conservation efforts, which will drive group discussions and potential solutions.

At one of our sanctuaries,students will explore a watershed model and run an experiment to discuss outcomes of runoff, flooding, sediment distribution, and potential pollution impacts. We will discuss ground water and study real live bio-indicator species in our wetlands to help monitor it's health.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Students will explore a watershed model and run an experiment to discuss outcomes of runoff, flooding, sediment distribution, and potential pollution impacts. We will discuss ground water, aquifers, and explore the bioindicator species that help people monitor the health of our local Watersheds.

Through activities and games explore the difference between weather and climate, and why its important for our municipalities to have a plan and be more prepared for managing storms. Learn how it impacts the land, and visit our wetlands to explore how preserving them benefits our local community.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Through activities and games explore the difference between weather and climate. Learn how it impacts the land, how the land can be preserved to protect the spaces we live, and what people are doing to develop more storm resilient communities.

Discover what a wetland habitat is and its importance in the water cycle. Use maps, dip nets, and ponding tools to learn about the water's movement, it's inhabitants, and what makes this type of land special. Depending on which sanctuary you visit; you may explore vernal pools, ponds, streams, marsh, and swamp, or tidal zones. Learn how each one is special in its own way.

This field trip is available at all of our South East Sanctuaries which include Allen's Pond, North River, Oak Knoll, and Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Students will participate in group activities and learn what makes a wetland, a wetland. They will describe and compare the different types of wetlands found in MA and how they benefit people and our communities. This lesson will include a lesson on the water cycle and how water flows and gathers over land.