EXPLORE Day stands for EXperiential Learning and Outdoor REcreation day is an engaging day of activities for Baltimore City Students held on National Park Week. Local students participate in different stations with topics in STEM and history while engaging with their hometown national park.
Since 1916, the National Park Service mission has been to preserve these places “for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” EXPLORE Day is an annual event where local students participate in this mission by exploring interactive education stations and learn about history, conservation, and how they can help preserve their public lands!
In collaboration with:
Living Classrooms Foundation
Friends of Fort McHenry
Maritime Education
Masonville Cove
Baltimore National Heritage Area
Buffalo Soldiers
Chesapeake Conservation Corps
Cromwell Valley Park
Students learn about the lives of soldiers at Fort McHenry
Tim Ervin
EXPLORE Day Stations
National Park Service "...this and future generations" The National Park Service Mission Explore the National Park Service's symbol and learn about the different jobs and skills rangers have throughout the National Park Service and the mission that brings them all together.
National Park Service Civil War Fife & Drum Music
What was the role of the field music? Learn more about Field Music and listen to a performance by the Fort McHenry Guard. Demonstrating calls, signals, duties and marching music, national aires, patriotic music. Musicians regulated the day waking the garrison up, telling the soldiers when to eat, go to sleep in bunks or sounding the alarm to quickly rally the troops in time of emergency. What was it like to be a duty musician at Fort McHenry during the Civil War?
National Park Service Story of the Star-Spangled Banner
Hold a 30’ x 42’ replica of the “Star-Spangled Banner” flag while learning the meaning behind the icon and how it ties into Baltimore’s local history and Fort McHenry’s national significance.
National Park Service Soldiers, Sailors, and STEM
Learn about the STEM principles and simple machines at work with demonstrations of the historic weapons from the War of 1812. Students will learn military drill and how to crew an 1812 naval gun. See how sailors loaded the cannons and what types of shot they fired from them. Learn about the Chesapeake Flotilla sailors and what was it like to be in the US Navy in in 1814!
Ospreys are often found at Fort McHenry throughout the summer.
NPS/Tim Ervin
Living Classrooms Foundation Masonville Cove Local Wildlife
Educators from Living Classrooms Foundation – Masonville Cove will utilize “animal artifacts” to teach all about the amazing wildlife that can be found in and around Baltimore.
9th & 10th Cavalry Association
Buffalo Soldiers
Learn the history of the Buffalo Soldiers, an all African-American troop that became the nation’s first park rangers!
Living Classrooms Foundation Maritime Education Department Buoyancy Experiment
Join educators in this interactive buoyancy experiment where STEM principles are taught by seeing who can build a model boat that can handle the most weight.
Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Careers in Conservation
Meet young professionals serving in the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps, a youth career development program. Learn about their work and how anyone can become an environmental professional. Careers in Conservation
Maryland Center for History and Culture Indigenous People
Learn about the site’s history before Fort McHenry was built. What Native American groups were here? How did they live? What happened to them, and where are they now?
