Virtual Field Trips

park ranger on a computer screen
Park Ranger Emily speaks to a school group hours away though the power of technology.

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Bring a Park Ranger into Your Classroom
The National Parks belong to the people and in an effort to make ranger guided experience's available to every student in America we are expanding our field trip programing to bring a ranger into your classroom.


Multiple Platforms


We are happy to offer ranger led programs on Zoom, Skype, Facetime, and Google Meet. Programs generally run 45 minutes and engage participation from the virtual audience including questions and answers. Technical assistance is available and rangers will be happy to work with you on a technical test run if needed.

Virtual Field Trip Programs

The Timucuan Preserve is a rich park with amazing stories to tell. We are constantly expanding our programs and field trip topics. Currently offered:

  • Virtual Habitat Hike-Take a virtual hike through the different habitats of Timucuan Preserve. Discover the animals that live there and how people lived on the land, and the ways they changed it.Benchmarks Addressed:SS.4.G.1.1 Identify physical features of Florida.

  • Salt Marsh Superheroes-Learn more about some of the plants and animals that inhabit the salt marsh and what makes this ecosystem a superhero. Benchmarks Addressed:SS.4.G.1.1 Identify physical features of Florida. SC.5.L.17.1 Compare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics.

  • A Day in the Life of a Mocama- This program compares everyday modern life with the experiences of the Timucua-speaking people. Explore how they used their environment to meet the same needs we have today. Benchmarks Addressed: SS.1.A.2.1-Understand history Tells the story of people and events of other times and places. SS.1.A.2.2-Compare life now with life in the past. SS.2.A.2.1-Recognize that Native Americans were the first inhabitants in North America. SS.2.A.2.2-Compare the cultures of Native American tribes from various geographic regions of the United States

  • Founding a Fort in Florida -Why did the French Huguenots leave their homeland? What did they find in Florida? How did they survive? What became of the colony? These mysteries will be answered in our virtual field trip exploring the story of Florida's Atlantis. Benchmarks Addressed: SS.4.A.3.1 Identify explorers who came to Florida and the motivations for their expeditions. SS.4.A.3.2 Describe causes and effects of European colonization on the Native American tribes of Florida. SS.4.A.3.6 Identify the effects of Spanish rule in Florida. SS.4.A.3.7 Identify nations (Spain, France, England) that controlled Florida before it became a United States territory. SS.4.A.3.3 Identify the significance of St. Augustine as the oldest permanent European settlement in the United States.SS.4.G.1.3 Explain how weather impacts Florida.

  • Slavery in Spanish Florida: Explore the history of Spanish Florida's plantation system. Learn about cash crops like Sea Island cotton, discover artifacts that help us understand the experiences of enslaved people and take a short video tour of the tabby slave cabins at Kingsley Plantation. 4th grade and up. Benchmarks Addressed: SS.4.A.3.9 Explain how Florida (Adams-Onis Treaty) became a U.S. territory.

For education programs for schools, please see our Education Guide.

For special programs or events, please see our Calendar.

 

Request a Virtual Field Trip

Organized groups of ten or more may request a virtual ranger program. Complete the form below to schedule. Staff is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for virtual programing. 

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/30/2025

Discussion Points for Virtual / Distance Learning Program

Virtual and/or Distance Learning can vary depending on the technical capabilities of the park and the school. in order to find appropriate accommodations for your learning experience, here are some categories to be prepared to discuss with the park:

  1. Internet Access
  2. Phone Access (speaker phone or conference line)
  3. Mobile or digital video conferencing capabilities
  4. Firewall
  5. Hardware and Software Capabilities
  6. Classroom pre-work or assignments

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.


NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.

Last updated: October 24, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

12713 Fort Caroline Road
Jacksonville, FL 32225

Phone:

904-641-7155

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