We cannot accommodate more than the stated number of students listed for each field trip. Larger groups may wish to schedule two or more different days. All teachers, parents, and chaperones can attend for free. All groups are required to pay a minimum of $60 ($100 for Medicinal Plants).
Scheduling for September-February field trips starts August 1st and scheduling for March-May field trips starts December 1st of each year.
Healing Medicinal Plants
Plants that grow wild in Southeastern forests have been used for hundreds of years to treat common ailments. In this field trip, students will investigate the properties of medicinal plants in the Garden's Herb and Physic Gardens. Activities include discovering plants used in treating common ailments during an Herb Garden Scavenger Hunt, hands-on science experiments with chromatography, investigating the consequences of over collecting medicinal plants through an action game, and making herbal products for a medicinal first aid kit.
Grades: 5-12
Fee: $5.00 per student
Available: September-November, January-May
Class Size: 20-30
Program Length: 2-2.5 hours
Foreco's Garden
Earth is a garden that we all share! In this field trip, young learners explore pollinators, soil critters, trees and food chains in the cultivated gardens and surrounding forest. Children meet puppets including Suga Magnolia who is in charge of the flowers, Oli Earthworm who takes care of the soil, Madame Squirrel who runs a woodland restaurant and Foreco, the forest ecosystem! Outdoor adventures include sensory activities, learning games, a discovery hunt and other age appropriate activities that help children understand and care for Earth.
Grades: preK-2
Fee: $3.00 per student
Available: September-November, March-May
Class Size: 20 - 60
Program Length: 1.5-2 hours
Really Remarkable Rainforests
An amazing array of plants and animals live in the tropical rainforests of the world. Although we don't live in the rainforest, the rainforest is important in our daily lives. Learners explore this unique ecosystem using the collection of tropical plants in the Visitor Center Conservatory. A puppet show and mural activity, plant discovery hunt, microscope investigation and other hands-on activities help children explore the world of rainforests, plant adaptations and conservation.
Grades: 1-5
Fee: $3.00 per student
Available: September-November, January-May
Class Size: 20-30
Program Length: 2 hours
Stream Ecology Adventures
Our local watersheds critically impact our daily lives, from the foods we eat to the health of our drinking water. Using a watershed model, students investigate the impact their lives have on aquatic ecosystems and discuss ways to conserve this valuable resource. Students will conduct water quality tests in a stream tributary by collecting, identifying and releasing stream organisms. They will also explore the history and effects of past land use on our soils, stream quality and plant life.
Grades: 3-7
Fee: $3.00 per student
Available: September-October, April-May
Class Size: 20-40
Program Length: 2 hours
Treats and Treasures from the Botanical World
In this field trip adventure, students learn that Georgia's landscapes, kitchens, medicine cabinets, and households are filled with plant products from around the world. While inside the Visitor Center, "The Plant Is Right" game spotlights the importance and use of plants in common household products. The International Garden hosts fun outdoor learning activities including a Plant Explorer's Hunt where students become plant explorers and search for plants with economic importance from around the world. In the Heritage Garden, students gain a more "local" perspective when considering the role of plants in Georgia's history.
Grades: 3-5
Fee: $3.00 per student
Available: September-November, March-May
Class Size: 20-60
Program Length: 1.5-2 hours
Ecosystem Standards Checks
During this outdoor excursion, teams of learners collect ecological data by using environmental probes to answer scientific questions. Data will be collected and compared over time to determine changes in the ecological health of the State Botanical Garden ecosystem. This field trip is sure to evoke probing questions from your young scientists about their own home and school ecosystems.
Grades: 3-8
Fee: $3.00 per student
Available: September-November, March-May
Class Size: 20-30
Program Length: 2 hours
Our Shared Forests
This field adventure highlights the importance of conserving existing habitats and reestablishing fragmented habitats of neotropical migratory birds. Neotropical migrants are birds that spend their summers in North America and their winters in Central and South America. Field trip activities include a bird habitat hunt, bird observation and ID at feeding stations, a microscope investigation and a migration game. A puppet show is included for younger learners. Activities emphasize that bird conservation and forest sustainability are interconnected and of global concern.
Grades: 2-5
Fee: $3.00 per student
Available: September-November, January-May
Class Size: 20-30
Program Length: 2 hours
Invasive Plants Service Learning Program
Exotic plant species are altering the habitats of many native species at the State Botanical Garden and elsewhere. This service learning project allows students to learn about the importance of biodiversity as they restore native plant habitats along the Middle Oconee River. Students learn about forest ecosystems during a 45-minute hike along one of the Garden's trails. This knowledge is then used to identify and remove invasive plants, particularly Chinese privet and Japanese honeysuckle, from a selected site. Following removal, students may replant the area with native species.
Grades: 9-12
Fee: Free
Available: September-November, January-May
Class Size: 20-30
Program Length: 3 hours
