Newcomb VIC - Field Trip Programs
VIC Field Trip Information
Spring, Fall & Winter Programs - Newcomb VIC
Kindergarten
Insects vs Spiders - 1 hour
What is an insect and what is a spider? How can you tell them apart? This
hands-on activity-based program helps your students learn about invertebrates
and develop their observation and comparison skills. Any Season
Whooo are Youuuu? - 1 hour
Children love owls, and during our introduction to this stunning group
of birds, your students meet a live owl and create an owl craft to take
home. Fall or Spring
Self-guided Sensory Awareness Trips are also available to you and your students. Bring them out for a morning on the VIC trails, looking for things that begin with each letter of the alphabet, or certain shapes and colors. Any Season
Grades 1-3
Fall Foliage Frolic - 1.5 hours
What child doesn't love to play in the leaves? This outdoor-based program
is a great first introduction to trees for young children. Students will
learn how to tell conifers from deciduous trees, and will spend time learning
about why trees make autumn so special. Fall
Winter is for Woolly Bears - 1.5 hours
All things living in the Adirondacks must prepare for winter. What do
they do? With fun, hands-on activities, students get their first look
at what it means to live in the mountains in the winter. Fall or Winter
Birding for Beginners - 1.5-2 hours
It is never too early to start learning one’s birds. In this hands-on program, students learn how to identify the most common birds they will see around home and why birds have differently shaped beaks and feet. They will also learn the functions of different types of feathers and why birds come in a variety of colors. Any season
Discover Nature Field Walk - 1.5 hours
So many children are disconnected from the outdoors. This field walk around
one of our trails is a wonderful introduction to the world around them.
From plants to bugs, scat to nests, everything is fair game on this walk. Any season
Come Be a Bear if you Dare - 2 hours
With winter on the way, what is a bear to do? Finding enough food can
be a real challenge...are your students up to it? Fall or Spring
Sizing-Up Wildlife - 2 hours
Who knew that learning about animals and how to take measurements could
be so much fun! Bring your students out for a fun-filled morning to see
just how moose and mice measure up! Fall or Spring
Flying Tigers: Adirondack Owls - 2 hours
Back by popular demand - students meet live owls and dissect owl pellets
to learn about these amazing nighttime predators. Fall or Spring
Grades 2-5
Snow Patrol - 3 hrs.
We are re-focusing our Snow Patrol program for younger students this year
on how to use and enjoy snowshoes. Animal tracking will still be taught
but on a simpler scale. Winter
grades 4-6
Staying Put for Winter - 2 hours
If you are an animal that doesn't leave the north country come winter,
what do you do? Students find out the nitty and gritty details of winter
preparation for the animals who stick it out through the subzero temperatures.
Fall or Winter
Biodiversity Investigation - 2 hours
Not all habitats are created equal. Students survey three habitats to
learn which has the greatest abundance and diversity, and why. Fall
or Spring
Nature Journaling - 2 to 3 hours
Learning to record one's observations is a skill that can be applied to
many future endeavors. Using words and illustrations, we teach your students
how to observe. Fall or Spring
It Came from the Bottom of the Lake: Aquatic Study -
2.5 hours
Students sample and compare macroinvertebrates from two aquatic ecosystems
(pond and moving water) as a way to determine water quality, based on
species diversity. Spring
Grades 5-12
Screech Owls, Squirrels and Science, oh My! - 2 days,
overnight
This program offers students a unique opportunity to conduct genuine,
hands-on, field-based research at the Newcomb VIC. Students spend the
day at the VIC studying either red squirrels or eastern screech owls,
followed by dinner and an evening program at the SUNY College of Environmental
Science and Forestry's Adirondack Ecological Center, where they will spend
the night. The following day, teachers are encouraged to select a self-guided
field trip to one of the area's natural or historic attractions. Call
for more information. Fall
grades 6-12
Nature Journaling - 2 to 3 hours
Learning to record one's observations is a skill that can be applied to
many future endeavors. Using words and illustrations, we teach your students
how to observe. Fall or Spring
It Came from the Bottom of the Lake: Aquatic Study -
2.5 hours
Students sample and compare macroinvertebrates from two aquatic ecosystems
(pond and moving water) as a way to determine water quality, based on
species diversity. Spring
Finding Yourself - 3 to 4 hours
Everyone who calls the Adirondacks home should know how to use a map and
compass. Here is a great chance for your students to give it a try. Fall
or Spring
Tools of the Trade - 2 to 3 hours
From reading a compass to using radio telemetry, your students get hands-on
experience with the tools used by field biologists around the world. Fall
or Spring
Whose Woods These Are - up to 3.5 hrs.
Students learn how to identify animal tracks by learning not only what
the footprints look like but also what gaits animals prefer to use. This
program is an in-depth look at the science behind animal tracking. The
outdoor portion includes lessons on how to snowshoe. Winter
Design Your Own Program
Design Your Own: Are you looking for an outdoor educational
experience for your students, but our programs don't quite fit your needs?
Our staff are happy to work with you to develop a custom-made program
that meets your requirements. Call to speak to an educator and discuss
the possibilities.
For information on the Newcomb VIC School Program contact:
Ellen Rathbone
Environmental Educator 1
Adirondack Park Agency Visitor Interpretive Center
PO Box 101
Newcomb, NY 12852
(518) 582-2000
ejrathbo@gw.dec.state.ny.us
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