Denali Science School: Program Details

On This Page:

• Sample Schedule
• Sleeping
• Eating
• Packing Lists
• Phones at Denali Science School
• Roles of Teachers and Chaperones
• Curriculum Standards

This Page includes in-depth information for registered participants. For a Science School overview, visit the Denali Science School Homepage.

 

What will we do during Denali Science School?

DSS sessions include classroom-based and outdoor science activities, hikes near the classroom and at Mountain Vista (mile 13 of the park road), and a visit to the park’s sled dog kennels. A typical schedule is included below; we provide each group with an updated version upon arrival. Flexibility is key to balance the needs of the group with weather and environmental conditions.

Day One:

• 1:00 – 1:30 Arrive in Denali! Duffle Shuffle – bring things inside
• 1:30 – 1:45 Student Game (outside) and Chaperone Talk (inside)
• 1:45 – 2:15 Welcome and Orientation (inside)
• 2:15 – 2:30 Snack and Get Ready for Hike
• 2:30 – 3:15 Denali’s Habitats and Ecosystem (at Denali Visitor Center)
• 3:15 – 5:00 Taiga Time Travel Hike (outside)
• 5:00 – 5:15 Get Ready for Dinner
• 5:15 – 5:45 Dinner (inside)
• 5:45 – 8:00 Reflection Time/Teacher Choice
• 8:00 – 8:30 Get Ready for Bed
• 8:30 – 9:00 Lights Out

Day Two:

• 7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast, Set up Chairs, Prepare for Outdoor Field Work
• 8:30 – 10:30 Permafrost Monitoring and Impact (outside)
• 10:30 – 10:45 Snack, Bathrooms (inside)
• 10:45 – 11:00 Sled Dogs in Times of Change (inside), Load Bus
• 11:00 – 11:15 Bus to Kennels
• 11:15 – 12:15 Kennels (outside)
• 12:15 – 12:30 Bathrooms, Load Bus
• 12:30 – 1:00 Bus Ride to Mountain Vista, Lunch on Bus
• 1:00 – 2:30 Mountain Vista Walk (outside)
• 2:30 – 2:45 Bathrooms, Load Bus
• 2:45 – 3:30 Bus Ride, Snack on Bus, Transition to Classroom, Bathrooms
• 3:30 – 5:00 Manage a National Park Activity (inside)
• 5:00 – 5:15 Get Ready for Dinner
• 5:15 – 5:45 Dinner at Murie Hall
• 5:45 – 8:00 Reflection Time/ Teacher Choice
• 8:00 – 8:30 Get Ready for Bed
• 8:30 – 9:00 Lights Out

Day Three:

• 7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast at Murie Hall, Set Up to Work on National Parks
• 8:30 – 9:30 Manage a National Park Activity (inside)
• 9:30 – 10:00 National Park Presentations (inside)
• 10:00 – 10:30 Postcards/Thank You Notes (inside)
• 10:30– 11:15 Pack Up, Duffle Shuffle, Classroom and Bathroom Clean-Up
• 11:30: Depart, Lunch Outside or On the Bus

Where will we sleep?

Students, teachers, and chaperones bring sleeping bags and pads and sleep in the MSLC classroom. The classroom has a divider wall that can be closed if desired. The MSLC is equipped with drinking fountains and restrooms with sinks and toilets. Showers are not available.

Do we need to bring food?

We are still working to confirm donations of food for 2025. In past years, school groups who are not from Title 1 schools were sometimes responsible for some costs of on-site food service. In the past, full meal costs have been about $2,000 for a group of 30, with subsidies available to Title 1 schools. It is important to us that food is not a barrier to attending Denali Science School, so please apply even if it seems like food costs might be a hurdle.

Where, when, and what will we eat?

Food is served in Murie Hall directly adjacent to the MSLC and includes hot dinners both evenings and breakfasts both mornings, and a bag lunch on days two and three. A sample menu is below. With advance notice we can accommodate special food needs related to many allergies and other health issues; please let us know at least two weeks ahead of time. However, we cannot guarantee that we can accommodate all requests, so participants with specific dietary needs are encouraged to bring meal supplements.

Sample Menu

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Breakfast	N/A	Breakfast Scambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, cereal	Breakfast Scambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, cereal
Lunch	Sack lunch from home (eat on the way to the park)	Grab and Go Sandwiches Ham or turkey & cheese or PB&J sandwich with potato chips, cookie, whole fruit, granola barm and hummas (available for vegans)	Grab and Go Sandwiches Ham or turkey & cheese or PB&J sandwich with potato chips, cookie, whole fruit, granola barm and hummas (available for vegans)
Dinner	Pizza Party Cheese and pepperoni pizza, vegan cauliflower crust pizza, garden salad (italian dressing), and brownies	Homestyle Dinner Chicken tenders (unbreaded grilled chicken for gluten free), mashed potatoes, corn on the co, and cookies	N/A

Should students bring their own snacks?

All food and snacks will be provided, so aside from the first lunch, groups do not need to bring their own food. If desired, teachers may allow students to bring snacks, or bring group snacks to share, but it will be the group’s responsibility to ensure equity, cleanliness, and happy tummies.

What should participants bring?

We do lots of outdoor activities regardless of the weather, and students learn best when they are warm and comfortable. In May, September, and early October, Denali tends to have average high temperatures in the 40s and 50s and average lows in the 20s and 30s. Students should come prepared for rain – or maybe even snow! – and cold weather. As your DSS session approaches, please check the forecast for zip code 99755.

Pack clothes that can be layered to accommodate variable weather conditions and indoor/outdoor transitions. Clothes and shoes should be comfortable and easy to walk in for long periods of time. Cotton is cold and heavy when wet, so synthetic or wool layers are best. Students and adults must always wear long pants, socks, and closed-toed shoes when outside. Participants will likely be most comfortable wearing long sleeves, a sweatshirt, and a light jacket.

Required Items

Please bring ONE bag and ONE daypack with the following items. All overnight items should pack into the bag and all-day items should fit into the daypack.

Day Items

• Daypack for carrying lunch, water bottle, rain gear, and extra layers
• Enough water bottles to fit 2 liters of water (non-leaking and closeable)
• Sweatshirt or fleece jacket – not cotton, preferably wool or synthetic/wool blend
• Sneakers or hiking boots (no sandals or open-toed shoes)
• Warm jacket
• Warm hat
• Mittens or gloves
• Rain jacket
• Rain pants
• Lunch for the first day, on your way to Denali
• Face mask

Overnight Items

• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Two sets of clothes appropriate for learning and moving outside – wear one, pack the other
• Extra warm socks – not cotton, preferably wool or synthetic/wool blend
• Pajamas
• Underwear and socks
• Personal items: toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, small hand towel, etc. Put your liquid items in a plastic bag in case they leak.
• Optional: Small pillow
• Optional: Stuffed animal OR book OR journal
• All medicine is labeled, in a plastic bag, and given to your teacher.

Double Check

• Do all of your overnight items pack into one bag?
• Do all of your day items pack into one daypack?
• Except for your lunch on the first day, no extra snacks in bags.
• No music players, electronic games, or toys are allowed.
• Items prohibited at school are also not permitted at Denali Science School.

Can students use their phones to take pictures?

DSS is a chance to unplug from electronics and plug in to 6 million acres of nature! We hope that students will fully experience Denali through their own senses and eyes and ask that electronics such as music and game players be left at home.
We will yield to teachers the decision of whether students can bring and have limited use of cameras and phones. Other electronic devices should stay at home. Here are some guidelines you may choose to use (please let us know your decision so we can be consistent with the students):

• Option 1: No electronic devices, including cameras and phones. Adults take pictures for everyone to share. Adults will have cell phones on hand to manage emergency communications.
• Option 2: No phones. Cameras are permitted until their batteries run out.
• Option 3: Phones are allowed, but only for taking photos and only until their batteries run out. At all other times, phones will stay in airplane mode or in the possession of an adult.
• Option 4: Phones are allowed for taking photos during the day, for limited communication during the evening, and for research during free-time hours. Games are not permitted. Note: students away from home talking to family often exhibit signs of homesickness.

Is there cell service?

For most service providers, there is typically cell service in the first three miles of the Denali Park Road.

What role do teachers play?

The lead teacher serves as the interface between the park instructors and the class. They set behavioral expectations, actively manage group dynamics, help clarify instructions, and enforce activity engagement and timelines. They also play a crucial role in supplementing learning by helping students to make connections between the material and prior experience by providing examples and synthesis questions.

Teachers are also responsible for recruiting chaperones for Denali Science School. Chaperones provide invaluable support during travel to and from the park and during out time within the park. Chaperones are active learners, leaders, and behavior managers who make sure their assigned groups are on-task, safe, and actively learning. An optimum ratio of adults to students is 1:6. The right number of adult chaperones helps maintain a safe and effective learning environment; too many adults can be distracting to both students and each other. As you are selecting your chaperones, consider the following:

• Which adults will work best with which students? Consider assigning specific adults to specific student groups.
• Will I ask guardians to serve as chaperones. Guardians often want to be paired with their students. Will a guardian be able to treat all students in their group with equal attentions? Will they be able to manage behavior equitably? How might students flourish if non-guardians are their group leaders?
• Do I have backup chaperones in case of a last-minute cancellation?
• How will I impress upon the chaperones their responsibilities? Consider holding a short meeting ahead of the trip to make sure that all chaperones have the same expectations.

What role do chaperones play?

Chaperones are an integral part of Denali Science School, and we deeply appreciate that you have opened your heart (and schedule!) to make this experience a memorable one for the students. We can’t do this alone, and we rely on volunteers like to you make Denali Science School a positive and enriching experience.

Being a group leader is your main responsibility. Make sure your group is on-task, safe, and actively learning by playing the following roles:

• Let the students be responsible. As adults, we know that it can be easier and faster if we “just do it for them,” but this away-from-home experience is a chance for students to grow new skills, try new things, and start taking responsibility for themselves. Let kids take on as much responsibility as they can but do provide guidance.
• Check on readiness. Let the students be responsible, but check on readiness for hiking (clothes, gear, food amounts, water, etc.) and activities (knowing the assignment, timeframe, etc.).
• Be a moderator. Be a moderator when the group has trouble taking turns or coming to consensus.
• Keep students engaged. Keep kids focused and engaged during down time (journals, etc.)
• Know the schedule. Track what activities are on deck as well as your group’s assigned chore.
• Know where they are and what they’re doing. An adult should be always present with students.

What should teachers and chaperones do during the activities?

Lead by example! Be an active learner, a leader, and a behavior manager.

• Be positive. Students pick up on how you react. If you are having fun, they will, too.
• Be curious. Model the behavior that we’re hoping to inspire. If you show that it’s okay to wonder and not know the answers, students will model that. It would take several lifetimes to learn everything about Denali, so chances are that you’ll have an opportunity to learn something or see this place in a slightly different way by the end of your experience, too.
• Encourage respect. During large group sessions, help keep everyone’s attention on the speaker – whether that’s the ranger, teacher, elder, or other student – and encourage students to listen, think critically, and answer questions.
• Listen for instructions. We will frequently break into smaller groups and rely on adults to remember the instructions and moderate the group while the lead teacher is bouncing from group to group.
• Correct behavior. You know the students, and we recognize that your class may have normalized customs, behaviors, and expectations. Please correct behavior, re-focus attention, and manage the group.
• Let the students fumble a bit. Fumbling a part of the learning process! We hope to inspire lifelong learners, which means that it’s not so much about being right as being self-motivated and excited to learn.
• Avoid looking at your phone. We’ve asked the students to unplug, and hope that you will, too. If you need to use cell phones, do it discreetly.

Behavior Management

We yield management of student behavior and group dynamics to teachers and chaperones; please help us by ensuring that an appropriate number of adults participate in each activity. We know that you might have special rules, customs, or behaviors that you use in your classroom, so feel free to interject. Please notify us in advance if there are any students who regularly need special assistance for behavioral, physical, or medical reasons.

What about homesick students?

It can be tough to be away from home and familiar routines! We’ve found that for most students, a busy schedule full of engaging activities doesn’t leave much time to feel homesick. We try to relieve the anxiety of new routines and expectations by frontloading students with information about what to expect, giving lots of time to ask questions, exploring at a comfortable pace, and incorporating fun into all we do. Students have a chance to grow interpersonal and self-care skills through everyday activities like packing and carrying their own daypacks and supporting each other. Adults are sometimes surprised by students and the remarkable capacity they demonstrate while caring for each other!

What do we do in an emergency?

Emergencies can happen, but good risk management will often help eliminate some of the worry. As you plan your trip, think about the kinds of emergencies that might happen during your excursion, and how you might respond to them. Write down your plans and consider sharing them with school administration, chaperones, guardians, and other interested parties.

While in Denali National Park and Preserve

Denali hosts the 24-hour Alaska Region Communication Center (ARCC). The ARCC is able to dispatch in-park emergency responders and coordinate with local and state resources, such as State Troopers.

When You are With a Park Employee

The NPS instructors for DSS will have at least two forms of communication to contact ARCC at any time. These might include landlines (in buildings), cell phones (when in range), communication radios, satellite phones, and personal location devices.

When You are Overnight in the Building Without Park Employees

You will be sleeping in the Murie Science and Learning Center, a building with landline phones and cell service for many providers.

• True emergency (danger to life or limb): Call 911. To use a landline in the MSLC, dial 9-9-1-1.
• Urgent problem that can’t wait until morning: Call the ARCC, who can dispatch a ranger to assist. The number will be provided to you when you arrive.

What if there are emergencies at home?

If there is an emergency at home and guardians need to get an urgent message to a student, guardians should call the teacher’s cell phone (or other designated chaperone cell phone numbers) first. In true emergency situations, the 24-hour Alaska Region Communication Center can communicate messages to the group.

What about medical emergencies?

Denali has 24-hour EMS personnel. These individuals can be contacted for medical assistance and will assume authority during emergency situations. At all other times the school has ultimate authority over their students. You will need to bring a standard school district medical form for each student and always carry it with you, so that it can be made available to EMS personnel in emergency situations. You will also need to hold and administer student medications.

Do we need permission slips?

Your school will need to assume liability for students and chaperones during the entire trip. Schools are responsible for securing permission to attend from guardians and school administration. As you prepare, consider the following questions:

• Who do you need to communicate with to arrange a multiple-day, off-campus trip like this?
• How far ahead will you need to get this clearance?
• Find out what kinds of requirements your school and district have for travel in buses or personal vehicles, clearance for adult volunteers, guardian paperwork (permission, medical forms, etc.), possible substitute staff, and risk management.

What does the curriculum look like?

With the Denali ecosystem and associated habitats as a framework, students explore the question How can we use science to manage Denali’s changing ecosystem? The students use scientific tools, gather evidence, examine case studies, and think critically to make the kinds of decisions park managers face. The students’ decisions explore the balance between preservation and enjoyment of resources within a framework of changing environmental conditions and societal values.

After arriving at Denali Science School, students develop a common language to describe Denali’s habitats (What habitats and resources are present in Denali? What does Denali’s ecosystem look like?) and are encouraged to demonstrate curiosity, attribute deeper meanings and relationships to familiar parts of the ecosystem, and begin to assess familiar and unfamiliar aspects of the natural world (How fast does change happen?).

In How do scientists measure change and use data? students engage in authentic scientific research by collecting data from permafrost monitoring sites and interpreting their findings. As students piece together the role of permafrost in the park by examining the Pretty Rocks case study, they will begin to understand how scientists collect data and measure change; how visitors define what is important in a park; and how park managers seek solutions based on park values and scientific data.

Next, students grapple with the question How do we decide what’s important when two values are in conflict? using a dog mushing case study with opposing cultural values. Students question how values might adapt to changing ecological and cultural conditions, then weigh and articulate the relative importance of the two values as they engineer a solution for dog mushing travel solution in a warmer future.

Before their final project, students engage in the question Is change good or bad? as they compare historic photographs to the current state of a recreation area within the park and challenge perceptions of parks as static museums and begin to develop their own values related to change on public lands.

In their culminating activity, students work in small, collaborative groups to manage their own national parks and explore the question How can we use science to manage a changing ecosystem? Through this activity, students synthesize information obtained in prior lessons about Denali and adaptive management and make park management decisions that encompass science, values, and change as they consider how organisms interact within the ecosystems in their parks and how they can maintain the health of those ecosystems. The students develop management plans for their park resources, including the human visitors who depend upon the park. After creating a visual representation of their parks, the students give oral presentations where they explain their parks’ management plans.

Learning Standards

Denali Science School meets these Alaska Standards for Education:
Science Standards for Alaska - Grade 5

• 5-ESS3-1: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.
• 3-5 ETS 1-1: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
• Crosscutting Concept: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World: People’s needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.

Alaska English/Language Arts Standards, Speaking, and Listening - Grade 5

• 5.1 – Comprehension and Collaboration: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade-level topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• 5.4 – Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Science Standards for Alaska - Grade 6

• MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
• MS ETS1-1: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
• Crosscutting Concept: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World: The use of technologies and limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions.

Alaska English/Language Arts Standards, Speaking, and Listening - Grade 6

• 6.1 – Comprehension and Collaboration: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade-level topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• 6.4 – Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

How can we prepare students ahead of time?

Teachers play a critical role in DSS by frontloading students with information about Denali and science basics. Students who have learned the fundamentals before they travel to the park are better able to make connections with what they’re learning in the park, and educators are able to build on prior knowledge instead of covering the basics.