Curriculum Materials

A habitat is a specific place where plants and animals live. A complete habitat must provide the basic needs, both living and nonliving, for the survival of its inhabitants. Shenandoah National Park offers the opportunity for students to discover and explore nature as they apply and expand concepts and knowledge learned in the classroom.

Living things use adaptations to respond to life needs for survival. These adaptations may be behavioral or physical in nature. Students will investigate adaptations of plants and animals living in Shenandoah National Park using observation, cooperation, discovery, and participation skills.

The world is composed of many natural ecosystems in which plants and animals interact with one another and the nonliving environment. Through this field trip, students will explore the natural communities found in Shenandoah National Park and make comparisons between natural and human communities.

The Earth is constantly changing and evolving. These changes occur through natural processes such as plate tectonics, weathering, and erosion, while other changes are caused by human actions. Through this field trip, students will study Earth’s dynamic geologic makeup and rock cycle, understand the forces and processes that create Earth’s various landforms, and develop an appreciation for the importance of geology in people’s lives.

The Shenandoah salamander is an endangered species found only on a few rocky slopes within Shenandoah National Park. Its survival is being threatened by changing climate and habitat competition from the more common red-backed salamander. Students will conduct field research on the red-backed salamander to compare the two salamander species’ habitat requirements and determine how climate change and habitat competition are impacting the survival.

The Shenandoah salamander is an endangered species found only on a few rocky slopes within Shenandoah National Park. Its survival is being threatened by changing climate and habitat competition from the more common red-backed salamander. Students will conduct field research on the red-backed salamander to compare the two salamander species’ habitat requirements and determine how climate change and habitat competition are impacting the survival.

Plants and animals live all around us and each one has the same life needs. Students will explore Shenandoah National Park to discover the different plants and animals that live in the park. Students will investigate how, where and why plants and animals meet their life needs in their respective environments and how Shenandoah National Park provides protection for plants and animals.

Shenandoah National Park is a significant part of our nation’s history as well as Virginia’s environment and economy. In this lesson, students will explore the historical, cultural, economic, and ecological significance of the Park through classroom activities and a field trip.

This curriculum has 5 (five) teacher-led lesson plans that provide in-depth opportunities to study different earth science processes and concepts. The lessons include pre-visit and post-visit classroom activities as well as on-site activity descriptions, maps, and worksheets for the park field trip. The lesson that is ranger-led can be viewed on the ranger-led field trips page.

A child investigates the world and learns about his/her surroundings through the five senses. Shenandoah National Park is a great place to expand a child’s sense of wonder and develop observation skills through hands-on discovery and nature experiences. Students will learn stewardship behaviors and find ways they can help protect and preserve the environment.

Shenandoah National Park is home for the Shenandoah salamander, an endangered species that lives nowhere else on the planet. Human-accelerated climate change could cause a serious decline in the population of the Shenandoah salamander. During this in-classroom ranger program, students will learn about the environmental threats to the Shenandoah salamander and determine ways people can help protect species and care for their national parks and the environment.

Shenandoah National Park is an important natural and cultural resource in Virginia’s Blue Ridge geographic region. Students in the 9 Virginia counties that border this long and narrow national park will discover those resources with ranger-led in-class activities such as analyzing artifacts, investigating geologic samples, and writing creative responses while gaining classroom knowledge about Virginia’s history, geology, and geography.

This interdisciplinary curriculum supplement for grades K-5 integrates character education with science, math, language arts, and social science lessons for the classroom. The activities focus on the concept of stewardship and the ideals of the National Park Service to provide relevant educational experiences that involve students and promote an understanding of their responsibility to care for the world and its resources.

Help rangers solve the mystery of the missing berries while virtually exploring Shenandoah National Park! Use your senses to find clues, meet some of the animals that live here, and learn all about the importance of Shenandoah and all National Parks. 30 minutes

The National Park Service is over 100 years old and still going. Shenandoah National Park is over 80 years old. Each of them have a history and future to explore and discover. Join a ranger as we virtually explore the National Park Service and Shenandoah National Park. This virtual field trip is recommended for second through eigth grade. 30 minutes

A habitat is a specific place where plants and animals live. A complete habitat must provide the basic needs, both living and nonliving, for the survival of its inhabitants. Shenandoah National Park offers the opportunity for students to join us as we discover and virtually explore nature as they expand concepts and knowledge learned in the classroom. 60 minutes

Living things use adaptations to respond to life needs for survival. These adaptations may be behavioral or physical in nature. Students will virtually investigate adaptations of plants and animals living in Shenandoah National Park using observation, discovery, and participation skills. 60 minutes

The world is composed of many natural ecosystems in which plants and animals interact with one another and the nonliving environment. Through this field trip, students will virtually explore the natural communities found in Shenandoah National Park and make comparisons between natural and human communities. 60 minutes

The Earth is constantly changing and evolving. These changes occur through natural processes such as plate tectonics, weathering, and erosion, while other changes are caused by human actions. Through this virtual field trip, students will virtually study Earth’s dynamic geologic makeup and rock cycle, understand the forces and processes that created Shenandoah National Park's geology, and develop an appreciation for the importance of geology in people’s lives. 60 minutes

The Shenandoah salamander is an endangered species found only on a few rocky slopes within Shenandoah National Park. Its survival is being threatened by changing climate and habitat competition from the more common red-backed salamander. Students will virtually explore and research to determine how climate change and habitat competition could be impacting the survival of the Shenandoah salamander. 60 minutes

The Shenandoah salamander is an endangered species found only on a few rocky slopes within Shenandoah National Park. Its survival is being threatened by changing climate and habitat competition. Students will virtually explore and research to determine how climate change and habitat competition could be impacting the survival of the Shenandoah salamander. Students will collaborate and present potential survival plans for the species. Two 60 minute sessions

This interactive program uses Rapidan Camp, President Herbert Hoover’s summer retreat, to explore the events leading up to the Great Depression and how President Hoover's personal and political philosophies defined his approach to the crisis.

This interactive program tells the story of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the context of the social, political, and economic history of the 1920s and 1930s using real places, real people, and real stories in Shenandoah National Park.

This interactive program takes students through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and the struggle to make all of Shenandoah National Park for all people.

This interactive program connects the social, economic, geographic, and political history of the 1920s and 1930s with the establishment of Shenandoah National Park and the people whose lives were impacted.