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kidsNatureKids

G.E.E.K.S.

Garden-based Environmental Education Knowledge for Students

General Information


Science G.E.E.K.S. - Garden Tours

      

Pre - K & K Garden ABCs
1st Grade
Flowers & Friends
2nd Grade Creepers & Croakers
3rd Grade

Garden Ecosystems

4th Grade Earth in Motion
4th-6th Grade Lakes Alive!

Social Studies G.E.E.K.S. - World of Wonders Children’s Adventure Garden Tours

Pre-K Little Sprouts
Kindergarten WOW ABC's
1st Grade Plant Parts and Book Smarts!
2nd Grade

Plants & People

3rd Grade Plant Geeks & Ancient Greeks

Outreach Science Programs (K-6th Grade)

K – 1st Grade Plants and Animals of the Garden
2nd - 3rd Grade Seeds 101
  The Native Americans
4th - 6th Grade A Chesa-peake into Watersheds
  Know Your Niche!

 

Self Guided Tours

Home School Families

Teacher Resources

Garden of Lights Fundraiser


General Information

Reservations

Register by phone: Monday through Friday 10AM - 2PM

Call: (757) 441-5838 or Email: education@nbgs.org

Advance registrations are required.  Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance.  After registering you will receive a confirmation by mail, as well as directions and instructions to get you to the garden. 

Online Reservation request

Guided Garden Tours

Cost: $7.00 per student and offered at 9:45am, 10:45 am and 11:15. Groups choosing the 11:15 time slot will have their tram tour from 11:15-11:45 so that all students will be back to their buses by 1:00pm.  

World of Wonders Children’s Adventure Garden

Only groups that schedule for the WOW G.E.E.K.S. programs

will be admitted into the children’s garden. 

Groups that are coming for a program in the children’s garden

will not be given free time after their program to play. 

All groups will receive coupons for their students to visit the garden at a

discounted rate with their parents. 

 

Payment

Minimum tour fee is $50.  While we are not able to offer discounted programs, we do, on occasion have grant funded programs.  Please inquire about these when you call.  Payment can be made in advance with a credit card or by check or cash the day of your field trip.  Make checks payable to NBGS.  If using cash, please have the exact amount collected prior to your arrival.

 

Cancellations

If you need to cancel a field trip you must notify the School Programs Coordinator at (757) 441-5830 ext. 461 as soon as possible.  Cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance, or you will be charged the $50 minimum program fee. 

Inclement Weather

Guided Garden Tours are conducted rain or shine.  In extreme weather conditions, tours can be rescheduled with no penalty if another date is available.  Call the registrar’s office at (757) 441-5838 to determine applicability.  Please dress appropriately in closed-toed shoes and jackets if necessary.

Arrival

Buses are to be parked in the Baker Hall parking lot to unload students.  Please try to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled program time to allow for restroom visits, payment, etc.

Lunch

The garden’s picnic shelter and the airport berm overlooking the Norfolk International Airport are available on a first come first serve basis.  Please be responsible for your own trash.

Visit Tips

  • The maximum number of students per group is 25.  If you are bringing more than that amount, have the groups divided into equal sized groups before you arrive at the garden.
  • Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled program to allow for check-in, rest-room visits, etc.
  • Should you need to leave earlier than previously planned notify your garden teacher upon arrival.
  • Remind students to dress appropriately for an outdoor walking tour.

 

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Science G.E.E.K.S. - Guided Garden Tours

Guided Garden Tours (not including the World of Wonders Children’s Garden).

The Norfolk Botanical Garden is an ideal setting to have a field trip.  An oasis of green smack dab in the middle of Hampton Roads, mere minutes away from your classroom but worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  Come on out and let one of our Garden Teachers lead your class to some of hotspots for an hour, then hop on board one of our “critter crawler trams” for a 30-minute cruise with one of our Garden Guides who will show you all 155 beautiful acres. 

 

Pre-K and Kindergarten

Garden ABC’s

Join us for this hour long adventure and allow us to immerse your little ones in the Garden’s sights, sounds, textures, shapes and smells.

VA SOL: Science: K.2, K.4, K.6, K.7, K.8

Pre-K and K Pre-visit packet

 

1st Grade

Flowers and Friends

What is the difference between an evergreen and a deciduous plant? Why do some animals hibernate and some animals migrate? From the plant lifecycle to the animals that use our plants for survival, take a hike with a Garden Teacher and investigate the intricate world here inside the garden.

VA SOL: Science: 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 1.8

1st Grade Pre-visit packet

      

2nd Grade

Creepers and Croakers-

This journey through the Garden explores the magic of metamorphosis. Come learn about the life-cycle of 3 beloved Garden residents: butterflies, dragonflies and frogs.

VA SOL: Science: 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8

2nd Grade Pre-visit packet

 

3rd Grade

Garden Ecosystems

Bring your students out for this fieldtrip to see first hand some examples of plant and animal adaptations while learning about food chains and natural resources.

VA SOL: Science: 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10

3rd Grade Pre-visit packet

 

4th Grade

Earth in Motion

This program is all about the Earth’s cycles. Allow a Garden teacher to help your students discover why they function and how they help to maintain healthy habitats that provide

important natural resources.

VA SOL: Science: 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8

 

4-6th grades

Lakes Alive! (currently offered as a shore based program until further notice)

The Norfolk Botanical Gardens is unlike other gardens around the country because it is practically an island.  Take advantage of our uniqueness by scheduling a Lakes Alive tour that puts your class onboard one of our Garden Boats taking them though our canal system and out onto Lake Whitehurst.  While onboard, a Garden Teacher will use various instruments to teach students about fresh water ecology, the lake as an ecosystem and the Chesapeake Watershed. 

VA SOL: Science: 4.5, 4.8, 5.5, 5.7, 6.5, 6.7, 6.9

 

 

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 WOW G.E.E.K.S. Children’s Adventure Garden Tours  

Take your class through the World of Wonder’s Children’s Adventure Garden.  Enjoy an hour in the garden learning about natural science, history and geography!  After your WOW Adventure, hop aboard one of our “critter crawler trams” for a half hour trip to visit the rest of the garden.  

Pre-K

Little Sprouts

Bring your little sprouts to WOW and enjoy playing along in our story program. Your students will listen to a Garden Teacher read a story to your group, explore the garden on a themed walk, and even plant a seed to take home! Every month is a different story so be sure to visit often!

  • September: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  • October: The Fierce Yellow Pumpkin
  • November: Stone Soup
  • December: Bear Snores On 

 

Kindergarten

WOW ABC’s

Join us for WOW ABC’s to explore your senses in our sensory garden, visit the dirt factory to learn about the plant lifecycle, plant sunflowers to take back to school and explore our plant safari looking for creatures in the frog bog!.

VA SOL: History/Geography: K.1, K.2, K.3, K.4, K.5, K.8

 

1st Grade

Plant Parts with Book Smarts!

This is a brand new program from the Norfolk Botanical Garden designed to bring together Science, Math and History!  Walk up discovery Peak with our garden teacher and learn many great accomplishments of George Washington Carver!  Visit the plant safari conduct your own scientific investigations, then head to the sensory garden to study plant parts and functions!

VA SOL: History/Geography: 1.1, VA SOL: Math : 1.20, 1.16, 1.21 , VA SOL: Science:1.4, 1.7     

      

2nd Grade

Plants and People

Journey up Discovery Peak and find some important plants from China and Egypt. Explore a Powhatan village and compare this environment with those of the Pueblo and Sioux to see how their use of natural resources differs.

VA SOL: History/Geography: 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.8

 

3rd Grade

Plant Geeks & Ancient Greeks

Come to WOW and let us introduce your students to the Ancient Greeks and their contributions in Ithaca Isle, travel to Africa to investigate the rich history of Mali, and follow the route of famous explorers Christopher Newport, Ponce De Leon, Jacques Cartier and Christopher Columbus on Discovery Peak to find some of the spices that those explorers were searching for.   

VA SOL: History/Geography/Economics: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7, 3.8

 

4th grade

Virginia is for Learners

How much do your students know about where they live?  With the help of a Garden Teacher, identify and locate the geographic regions of Virginia and their importance.  We will visit the Powhatan Village of Werowocomoco to learn about the state’s first inhabitants, and test your students settler survival skills in Whichway woods.

VA SOL: Virginia Studies: VS4.1, VS4.2, VS4.3

 

 

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Outreach Science

Can’t make it out the garden? Then let the Garden come to you with our Suitcase Science outreach programs. Choose from a variety of topics, schedule a visit, and let one of our Garden Teachers lead an SOL based program designed to complement your curriculum.

$80 per class (maximum 25 students)
$55 for each additional class
Limit 3 classes per day with same program

Pre-K- Kindergarten

Plants 101

Introduce your students to the world of plants with this exciting, hands-on program led by one of our knowledgeable Garden Teachers!

VA SOL: Science: K.4, K.6, K.8, History: K.8

 

1st Grade

Plants and Animals of the Garden 

What is the Norfolk Botanical Garden?  Sure we have plants, but did you know that these plants are a very important part of the habitat for our wildlife?  Let us show your students the inside scoop on how our garden grows and how our plants and animals that live here change throughout the seasons. 

VA SOL: Science: 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 1.8

 

2nd-3rd Grade

Seeds 101-Plants as a natural Resource

From the almost microscopic vanilla bean seed to the 40-pound Coco-de-mer this outreach will show your students that seeds come in all shapes sizes and colors and are used to make many of the items we use everyday.

VA SOL:  Science:  2.8, 3.7, 3.8, 3.10

The Native Americans

How did the Native Americans use their environment for survival?  What are some of the great achievements of Ancient China and Egypt?  Let our garden teacher bring these answers to your classroom through plants and tools use by these cultures.  (Great Review for 3rd Graders!)

VA SOL: History/Geography: 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.8

 

4th-6th Grade

Now Available for all Schools! 

Part 1 of the 4th grade grant program created especially for the Portsmouth Public School district.  These programs have been tested and tried during the 2008 school season with great results!  Part 1 of this program focuses specifically on SOL 4.5 with Living Systems.    (Also a great review for 5th grade SOL testing)

 

Know Your Niche!

Liven up your classroom with an introduction to living systems from the Norfolk Botanical Garden!  Pass the energy through the food web game, learn about animal adaptations, habitats and niches as we explore the interdependence of plants and animals in their ecosystem.

VA SOL: Living Systems 4.5

This program can be taught alone but to extend your learning we offer the second part of this learning day with the following program focusing on one of our biggest natural resources the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  

Part 2 of the 4th grade grant program

A Chesa-peake into Watersheds

Explore the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed system. Learn about the threats to this famous waterway, our influence on the environment and why it’s in our best interest to help protect it.

VA SOL: Science: 4.8

 

 

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Self-Guided Garden Tour

Even for the most energetic of classes, 155 acres is an awful lot of ground to cover on foot.  Why not schedule to have one of our Garden Guides give you a ride in a critter crawler?  This is the perfect way to get some fresh air, while receiving a general overview of the Garden.  Tram rides are approximately 30 minutes in length. 

15 people minimum

$4 per student (Does not include admission to WOW Garden).

 


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Home School Families

HOME SCHOOL TAKEOVER DAYS

SCIENCE IN A ROOM WITHOUT WALLS

Attention all homeschoolers!  Norfolk Botanical Garden would like to invite you to come explore our 155 acre outdoor classroom.  These exciting educational fieldtrips offer homeschoolers a chance to get together with other kids and take part in hands-on programming led by our experienced Garden Teachers.  Science journals will be provided for all participating children and are included in the cost of the program.

(Please note:  Pre-registration is required for all members of your group visiting the garden, including those not participating in the program)

Friday • October 17 • 9AM-12:30PM

Come learn about the creative critters that live in the garden!  Let us introduce you to some of the most useful native plants in Virginia, Why are trees so important? Learn about the many amazing uses for a tree and explore ancient Mali in the World of Wonders. 

Cost: $10 per participant ($8 for NBG Members) *includes 1 free adult

(Please note: this program is best suited for children 5 - 10.)

Friday • November 14 • 9AM-12:30PM

Native American Theme. 

The Native Americans were the first environmental stewards.  Come visit the homes of the Sioux, the Powhatan and the Pueblo.  Learn about their way of life, and how they used their natural environment for survival. 

Cost: $10 per participant ($8 for NBG Members) *includes 1 free adult

(Please note: this program is best suited for children 5 - 10.)

 

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Teacher Resources

Project Learning Tree

Free Teacher Workshop

Thursday, November 13th, 9am-3pm

Norfolk Botanical Garden

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an international environmental education curriculum that uses the forest as a "window to the world." PLT materials bring the environment into the classroom and students into the environment. The program covers topics ranging from forests, wildlife, and water, to community planning, waste- management and energy. PLT, a program of the American Forest Foundation, is one of the most widely used environmental education programs in the United States and abroad. Through PLT, students across the nation have learned environmental content that correlates to national and state standards in science, social studies, language arts, math, and other subjects – and strengthened their critical thinking, team building, and problem solving skills. The 402-page PLT Activity Guide contains 96 hands-on activities for PreK-8, and is correlated to the Virginia Standards of Learning.

Register by October 31st. Contact Holly Carson at 441-1347 or holly.carson@norfolk.gov.

 

 

PEEC Workshop Handouts

Engineering and Ecosystems

Shopping for Natural Resources

A Day without Natural Resources

 

Green Classroom Routine!

1.  Litter pick up.  The easiest way to keep your kids from dumping their litter is to make them clean it up.  You can do this as a game: the team that picks up the most gets to go to line up for lunch first, or gets whatever your incentive is for good classroom behavior. 

*This can also be turned into a good lesson about which items that can be recycled, and the team that has the most recyclable goods can be the “winners” of that activity.

 

2.  Make a recycle bin for paper in your classroom, and use that paper to make your own handmade paper.  This can be used for classroom art projects, valentines, Christmas cards or any other craft you would like to do with your students.  Also this would be a good lesson on physical change of matter. 

3.  Keep your students up to date.  Read articles about new and creative ways that people are saving energy or reducing their waste.  Challenge your students to “Waste Away for a Day” where they do everything they can be less wasteful with their use of natural resources, or how they reduce the amount of garbage they have. 

*Examples include using a reusable shopping bag instead of a plastic bag or a paper sac at the store.  Washing and reusing your plastic lunch bags.  Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. 

 

 

 

 

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Garden of Lights School Fundraiser

Your Students are going to come to the Garden of Lights with their families.

You can save them money on their admission price,

and make a profit for your school or club!

Sell “stocking stuffer” tickets to Norfolk Botanical Garden’s Garden of Lights as a fundraiser for your school.

Garden of Lights tickets are great gifts for your friends, co-workers, family and employees.

For more information contact School Programs Coordinator by phone 757 441-5830 ext 461 or by e-mail at emily@nbgs.org

 


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