Curriculum-Based Programs Our curriculum-based programs are free but must be booked at least two weeks in advance. We offer on-site field trips on Thursdays and Fridays.
Use the drop down menu below to explore each theme and find more information about the on-site programs we offer. This information should help you choose the program best suited for your group. Please let us know if you need further information about a program. Once you know what program you want to do, please contact us via email to request an Education Experience Request Form.
Students per group: maximum of 30
Chaperones per group: 3 Books and Beyond with a Ranger (Grades PreK-K, 30-45 minutes) Bring your little students to Rock Creek Park Nature center or other location to play and be inspired by the nature in the forest that surrounds us. This program includes puppets, books, songs, and movement to teach students about forest animals, seasons, and our sky. If weather permits, the program will take place outside. If the group is interested, the program will conclude with a 0.25 mile hike on a pave trail.
Students per group: maximum of 30
Chaperones per group: 2-4 What is a Habitat? / Animal Adaptations (Grades K-3, 60 minutes) This program encourages the exploration of three habitats (forest, meadow, and stream) found within Rock Creek Park. Students will be able to compare the different habitats and learn how animals and places are connected. They will also learn what a food chain is and how it connects all living things. This program includes learning games, demonstrations, and activities. This field trip can take place at several locations throughout the park - the ranger will offer options. NGSS: 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1 You Can Help the Earth! (Grades 3-5, 60 minutes) Things that people do to live comfortably can affect the world around them. Students learn that people can make choices that reduce their impacts on the land, water, air, and other living things. For example: reducing trash through reuse and recycling. Program includes a short walk outside. NGSS: 5-ESS3-1 Be a Junior Naturalist (Grades 6-8, 60-75 minutes) Go on a hike with a ranger! Watch a squirrel looking for acorns. Listen to the calls of birds. Search for animals using binoculars. Find out what lives within a pond. Record your observations. All of these experiences and more are available as students learn to be a naturalist. This program includes a hike available at several areas of the park - the ranger will provide options. NGSS: MS-LS2-1 Aquatic Ecology (Grades 6-8, 60-90 minutes) Water is a renewable resource. Explore how it cycles through our system in the form of clouds, precipitation, ground water, streams, rivers, oceans, plants, and animals. Learn how pollution gets into water. Also explore the macroinvertebrates that live in Rock Creek and the forest seeps throughout the park. This is a field trip offered at Peirce Mill. NGSS: MS-LS2-3, MS-LS2-4
Students per group: maximum of 25
Chaperones per group: 5-7 Recommended for ages 12 and up Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, dress according to the weather, and bring plenty of water. The Milkhouse Ford Hike (1.7 miles, 90 minutes) The Milkhouse Ford Trail offers both beautifully forested nature and a glimpse into Washington, D.C.'s history. Join a ranger at the Nature Center for a guided hike where you will encounter Fort DeRussy (which saw action during the Civil War), a two-room log cabin used by poet Joaquin Miller, and the historic Milkhouse Ford river crossing (one of Rock Creek Park's oldest and most well-preserved fords). You'll examine how the land that is now Rock Creek Park has been used for thousands of years while exploring the connections between nature, art, and history. After Emancipation History Hike (1.5 miles, 90 minutes) Step into a powererful and often untold chapter of local history. With a the help of a park ranger, use primary resources to uncover and explore the lives of formerly enslaved and contemporary individuals who built new beginnings in the community that became Rock Creek Park. Discover who they were, where they lived, and how their resilience and contributions shaped the park we know today. African American History of Herring Hill (2.5 miles, 2 hours) Join a ranger on a walk and learn about Herring Hill - a historically African American neighborhood in Georgetown. Learn about the people who lived here and the changes the area has undergone over the years. This hike will utilize sidewalks that can be narrow and uneven at times. It will traverse neighborhood streets in the Georgetown area of D.C. Meet the ranger at the Old Stone House gardens. There are no public facilities available on this hike.
Students per group: 40
Chaperones per group: 4 Farm Fields to Mill Wheels: A Program for Young Millers (Grades PreK-2, 90 minutes) Is there cornmeal in your kitchen cupboard? Where did it come from? Two hundred years ago, flour and meal came from the local mill. In this hands-on program, students will learn how farmers once grew corn, and how millers turned that corn into cornmeal. Students will try grinding grain by hand, then see how a water-powered mill makes the job much easier! Title 1 schools are eligible for free bus transportation while funds are available for the Farm Fields to Mill Wheels: A Program for Young Millers field trip program. For more information regarding free bus transportation, contact angela@friendsofpeircemill.org History Detectives: Unlocking the Old Stone House (Grades 3-5, 60 minutes) What can an old house tell us if its walls could talk? During this field trip, students become history detectives as they investigate one of Washington, D.C.'s oldest surviving structures. Through exploration, observation, historic objects, primary sources, and hands-on activities, students will uncover clues about the people who lived and worked there. They will compare life in the past with their lives today, investigate how people made and repaired everyday necessities, consider how Georgetown changed around the house, and discover why preserving historic places helps us understand our communities. By the end of the program, students will understand that history is not only about famous people and major events. Ordinary people, everyday work, objects, buildings, and neighborhoods are also important evidence of the past. There are no public restrooms inside the Old Stone House. Groups should plan to use the bathroom before arriving. Nearby businesses and restaurants have public restrooms. Accessibility note: Peirce Mill and the Old Stone House are historic buildings and some areas may present accessibility challenges. Expect historic architectural features including stairs, narrow passages, and uneven surfaces. Some portions of the buildings are not accessible to people in wheelchairs or those with limited mobility. Park staff are committed to making the field trip program as accessible and inclusive as possible. Therefore, please contact the park in advance if students or chaperones require accommodations so staff can discuss available options and adapt activities when possible.
Students per group: maximum of 55
Chaperones per group: 5 Smaller groups are welcome to inquire about currently scheduled weekend shows. The Young Planetarium (Grades PreK-2, 30 minutes) Watch the sun set and reveal a star covered sky. Explore the solar system with a park ranger in this introductory planetarium program. The Stellar Star Show (Grades 3-12, 30 minutes) Observe the movements of the moon, stars, and other planets in relation to the Earth and Sun. Explore what constellations are visible now. See the night sky as though you stayed up all night long! Planetarium Films (Grades PreK-12, various times) Teachers often choose to have a film accompany their ranger-led planetarium program, or choose just to watch a planetarium film. Find a list of current film offerings on our Planetarium Education page. Know Before You GoParking
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WeatherDuring inclement weather, particularly snow storms and hurricanes, federal offices in the District may be closed. To check if we are open, visit the OPM website. Also check local television and radio broadcasts for announcements.Where to meet?For field trips to the Nature Center and Planetarium, plan to meet the ranger at 5200 Glover Road NW, Washington D.C. 20015.For field trips at Peirce Mill, plan to meet the ranger at 2401 Tilden Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20008. For field trips to the Old Stone House, plan to meet the ranger at 3051 M St NW, Washington, D.C. 20007. For other locations, the ranger will provide the location for you to meet. Visit our Directions Page for more information. Running late? Need to change or cancel your reservation?Call us at 202-895-6070. We're available Wednesday from 10:30 am to 5 pm and Thursday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. Alternatively, contact the ranger who you corresponded with when they confirmed your visit. |
Last updated: September 20, 2026