 We offer a variety of naturalist-led field trip options for you and your students. PreK and K programs are 60 minutes long. For grades 1st through 6th, programs are 90 minutes long to allow for a more in-depth learning experience. Our programs are aligned with the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC) and organized by grade level. All programs are conducted both indoors and outdoors. Please remind your students to dress appropriately for the weather. Nametags are encouraged to allow us to personalize our programs for your students. To register for a program please call us at 240-314-8770. PreK-K Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians: Croydon Creek critters will help your young zoologists learn about the Animal Kingdom. Students will learn how to classify these creatures and meet a few of Croydon Creek’s favorite critters. They will also take walk through our forest and meadow to put classifying skills to the test.
VSC Alignment: 3.PK.A.1a-d, 3.K.A.1a-d
Available: All year Habitat Explorers: All living things have the same basic needs: food, water, shelter, and space. By engaging your group in activities and adventures in our forest and meadow our naturalists will help your students learn how different animals meet their basic needs.
VSC Alignment: 3.K.E.1a-d, 3.K.F.1a-c, 6.K.B.1a-b
Available: All year 1st-2nd Grades Forecaster’s Soup: Rain or shine, the same ingredients are needed to make the weather. Learn how air, water, and heat combine to create everything from sunny summer days to chilly winter snowstorms. Students will make a simple weather watcher to practice weather forecasting at home and participate in a weather scavenger hunt.
VSC Alignment: 2.1.E.2a-e
Available: All year Insect Explorations: Did you know there are more insects on our planet than any other type of living creature? Join us for an in-depth look at the world of entomology and discover the insect inhabitants of Croydon Creek. From butterflies and moths to beetles and grasshoppers, your students will enjoy learning how to identify a variety of species.
VSC Alignment: 2.3.C.1, 2.3.F.1, 2.6.B.1
Available: April-June Seasons: Spring, summer, fall and winter-the natural world changes with the seasons. Students will discover why our seasons change and how animal and plant life changes too! Depending on the current season, your group will travel outdoors to learn why leaves change color in the fall, how animals prepare for winter, or how to recognize the signs of spring.
VSC Alignment: 2.1.D.2a, 2.1.E.2a-d, 3.2.F.1a-c
Available: All year Budding Botanists: What makes a plant green? Where do new plants come from? Why are plants important? Your group will learn all about form and function from our photosynthesizing friends. Students will conduct plant part dissections, record observations in their field journals, and journey outside to search for plants in their natural environment.
VSC Alignment: 3.1.A.1a-c, 3.1.C.1a-b, 3.1.E.1a, 3.2.C.1a, 3.2.F.1a-c
Available: March -June 3rd-4th Grades CSI Croydon: Animal mysteries abound at Croydon Creek Nature Center and with a little detective work, our naturalists can show your students how to solve them! From tracks to scat your group will learn how to decipher wildlife clues in the John G. Hayes Forest Preserve and participate in an owl pellet dissection that will put their investigative skills to the test!
VSC Alignment: 3.4.E.1ab, 3.4.E.1ab, 3.3.E.1a-d
Available: All year Plants and People: You couldn’t live in a world without plants! From the socks on our feet to the cereal we eat, plants are organisms we depend on daily. Students will discuss the different ways we use these plants every day, dissect and classify some familiar plant parts, and create a project using natural dyes. Of course, no program is complete without a hike outdoors to see how plants function in the local environment!
VSC Alignment: 3.4.A.1a-d, 3.4.E.1a-c
Available: All year 5th-6th Grades From the Creek to the Chesapeake: The Chesapeake Bay sustains an amazing array of wildlife. Learn how Rockville’s streams are connected to the Bay and the impact human activity has had on the aquatic organisms living there. Students will conduct an experiment to explore the importance of water quality and hike to Croydon Creek to conduct a hands-on investigation into stream health involving a closer look at macroinvertebrates.
VSC Alignment: 6.5.B.1a-b, 6.5.B.2a-c, 3.5.A.1e, 6.6.A.1ade, 6.6.B.1a-c
Available: April-June Geology Rocks: Come discover the role that rocks have played in forming Croydon Creek. Your budding geologists will examine the physical properties of various rocks and minerals using a variety of testing methods and record their results in scientific field journals. Then, they will venture outdoors to observe geology in action by studying the earth processes and materials that form the John G. Hayes Forest Preserve.
VSC Alignment: 2.5.A.3a-c, 2.6.A.2ab, 2.6.A.4a-d
Available: All year Adaptation Adventures: How have animals and plants adapted to live in their environments? Investigate how living organisms have changed over generations in order to survive. Students will explore some incredible adaptations of different plants and animals, conduct an experiment that demonstrates a physical adaptation, and participate in an adaptation relay.
VSC Alignment: 3.6.D.1a-g
Available: All year Self-Guided Field Trip Programs: You are welcome to bring a group to the nature center with having a naturalist led program. We offer various activity sheets to augment your nature center experience. Advance reservations are required in order to ensure a quality visit for all. No fee is required. To register your self-guided group, please call us at 240-314-8770 What else is there to do at Croydon Creek Nature Center? The nature center offers a variety of activities and exhibits. We invite everyone to spend some time learning about their urban environment and enjoy some of the resources we have to offer. Discovery Room: Meet the animals that live in and around Rockville including snakes, turtles, and toads. Hands-on activities, books, and puzzles entertain and educate. Exhibit Room: Observe and identify birds while relaxing on the oak and hickory bentwood benches. Investigate our exhibits on venomous snakes, endangered species, and much more. Nature Center Explorations: Find the animal tracks in the building, search for hidden animals in the mosaic mural, or enjoy a game of “Mission Possible”. Venture outdoors for a scavenger hunt, visit our weather station, or take a walk to discover our meadow, forest, and stream. Trail maps are available at the front desk to guide you through the John G. Hayes Forest Preserve which is located next to the nature center. Hours of Operation:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Saturday: 9am-5pm
Sunday: 1pm-5pm
Additionally, we are closed New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Program Registration and Fees:
Program registration for the school year begins on the second Tuesday in August. Please note that group programs are not conducted in September and January. Fees: For City of Rockville schools the cost is $3.00 per student with a minimum of $50.00 per program. For non-City of Rockville schools the fee is $5.00 per student with a minimum of $50.00 per program When scheduling a program, please let us know if your group has special needs. We can tailor a program to your group’s abilities to make your trip memorable. To register for a program please call us at 240-314-8770. Full payment for the program will be due upon arrival. Group Size:
Due to facility size, we may limit group size to maintain quality and provided personalized attention. Large groups may be asked to visit on multiple days depending on their size. Currently, the maximum number of students we can accommodate is 64. Chaperones:
A 1:10 chaperone to student ratio is required for grades 3 and higher, and a 1:5 chaperone to student ratio is required for groups in grades 2 and lower. Lunch Facilities:
Due to space limitations we cannot reserve indoor lunch facilities for your group. On nice weather days we invite you to enjoy the outdoors and picnic on the grounds provided you dispose of your trash appropriately.
Cub Scout Badge Requirement Programs WEBLOS
Naturalist badge
Forester badge
Geologist badge
World Conservation Award BEAR CUB
Achievement 5: Sharing your world with nature
Nature Craft (Elective)
Native American Life (Elective)
Landscaping
Space
Weather World Conservation Award
Nature Notions
Nature Notions carries environmental friendly products to enhance your nature center visit. For this reason, it carries products (not including field guides) made with recycled content or eco-sensitive alternatives. We strive to provide recycled products with the highest possible amount of post-consumer content. If you are a school or other group that would prefer the store be closed on your visit, we can accommodate this request. To schedule your field trip, call 240-314-8770. | 
