Field Trips, Outreaches, & Assemblies
Hello teachers and parents,
As the coronavirus situation continues, we want to be proactive and address any questions/concerns you might have. We are aware that some counties have cancelled out of state and international field trips, but at this point local field trips are still allowed. We are monitoring the situation day by day and enhancing our cleanliness and protective protocols to keep you and your children safe.
Unlike our local zoos/aquariums/museums, that see thousands of patrons on any given day, Eco Adventures is a small facility, with only a few staff, that only schedules small numbers of visitors each day. This greatly minimizes the chances of viral and or bacterial transmission of any local bugs going around, and something that these large facilities with staggering numbers of visitors simply battle constantly. In short, we feel that we are the safest place for an educational program outside of your school setting. We pride ourselves on our stringent sanitizing and safety guidelines, and have now increased our efforts. After every program in the facility all surfaces that are heavily touched, toys, bathrooms, floors, enclosures, etc., are thoroughly sanitized. We have also increased our hand washing procedures (now required every hour) amongst our small number of staff, and children, and in addition, Eco Adventures is HIGHLY stocked with alcohol based hand sanitizer for everyone’s use! Finally, as always, any employee that is under the weather, stays home, ensuring a happy and healthy facility! We at Eco Adventures are working hard to make our facility the safest, cleanest, place to play and learn, in our community, especially during these stressful times.
Below are some questions that have come to our attention:
Q: My field trip is coming up but we are concerned about coming, OR our county has cancelled all of our field trips. What are our options?
A: We are open to the public until school closings or field trip cancellations. If you must cancel we recommend Option 1: we come to your school on the same as your scheduled date and do the same educational programs and stations, at your school. We would need 3 rooms (or same # of rotations you have) in close proximity that can house the students. Outside is also acceptable as a space. It would be the same price. Option 2: If you desire to reschedule for a future tentative date instead before school is over we can hold your $100 deposit until then.
Q: What about our Outreach program (you coming to us)?
A: As long as you are open and able to gather, we are able to come to you. Of course, this is dependent on how severe the outbreaks become.
Q:What if schools close?
A: We can reschedule to another date In May/June before the end of the school year, and assess the situation day by day. Should you not be able to do this, we can hold the deposit until the following year or summer for (preschools and private schools) and schedule a date and time then.
Lastly, Eco Adventures plans to remain open as an option for parents and caregivers should schools close, but we will also abide by any recommended actions by state and local regulators. We can also bring animals to you as an option. We are hoping to provide Eco Adventures as a valuable resource for working parents. We plan on limiting the numbers of children to a small size during this rare and stressful situation. Kids will get all the fun learning activities that they have come to enjoy and expect at all Eco Adventures camps.
PLEASE- during this unusual situation, do not hesitate to contact us with any other questions, concerns, or situations, that you might have. We at Eco Adventures, are doing everything humanly possible, to remain the best, cleanest, healthiest, most responsible, local, educational center around! We're all in this together, and we got this!!
Sincerely,
Eco Adventures Team
410-987-1300
In-House Field Trip Pricing 2019-2020
Build Your Field Trip: Click on theme for more info
10:00am - Arrival
10:00 – 10:15 am Introduction in the Rainforest
10:20 – 10:50 am 1st Rotation: Rainforest
10:55 – 11:25 am 2nd Rotation: Africa
11:30 – 12:00 pm 3rd Rotation: Underwater Discovery Room
12:00 – 1:00 pm Optional Lunch - picnic tables outside (inside Rainforest Room for bad weather)
*4th & 5th stations depending on number of children
Rainforest Adventure
What is biodiversity? 50% of all biodiversity comes from the rainforest among medicines, spices and fruits and so much more! Join us in a quest to learn about the importance of saving our rainforests. Learn and interact with animals you may find in each layer of the rainforest. Use all your senses, from smell to sounds and sights of the mysterious endangered habitat and even watch volcano rumble with smoke!
Chesapeake Bay Habitat/Native Species
This rotation will open the eyes and ears of students as we introduce them to “near nature”, things they can find in their very own school yards. Learn how to safely interact and what to do if you encounter one of these backyard beasts Our instructors will explain what to look for, animal signs, clues, and ecosystem indicators. What is the difference between invasive, exotic and native species? How are our local terrestrial animals related to the Bay? These are all questions that will be answered as they see and interact with some examples of local creatures for hands-on inquiry based learning.
Animal Adaptations
Survival of the fittest is what this world is all about and what other way to learn about survival, than to see what are the coolest adaptations animals have to offer! From glow in the dark animals, to quills, and spines, poison and venom, and slime. What are the best adaptations for each habitat? Dessert, rainforests, aquatic, wetlands, -Meet and touch and a chameleon change color right in front of your very eyes- or touch a spiny hedgehog! This world keeps ever changing and only the animals that can adapt can survive.
Fossils everywhere...Dig It (literally)!
The Chesapeake Bay is 35 million years old. Learn about the different marine invertebrates and vertebrates that roamed the earth millions of years ago. How different are they from today? Put on your paleontologist hat and discover some fossils, and gems in our fossil troughs. From sharks and marine mammals to crinoids, snails, scallop shells, and more! Junior paleontologists will dig in, find, and identify various fossils and gems.
*Keep one shark tooth to keep as a reminder of how amazing the Chesapeake is! *extra $.50 per person
Animal Training/Feeding Demonstration
In this exciting rotation, students will learn what it takes to be an animal trainer. What are some animals that we didn’t know could be trained? Learn about the pros and cons about working with animals along with the basics of positive reinforcement by “training” a volunteer. Do you like to touch worms, mice, and fish? Are you patient? Do you like psychology? If you said YES to all of these- then move on to assist in a real animal training and perhaps train a dragon, gator, or a mammal…Get your target pole and clicker ready to train away!
Amazing Food Web Game!
What is the Chesapeake? What makes it so amazing? From wetlands to the ocean – This unique ecosystem is made up of a wide range of animals, from snakes, osprey, sharks and oysters. How are they all inter-connected? Explore how the food web relates to the survival of all species. Play an interactive game where each student becomes an animal. From decomposers, to top predators…Senarios will be given to see how it all is connected and all makes sense once you see the: “web” form.
Animal Rescue 911!
Maybe at some point you've found an abandoned baby bird...a opossum in your attic...or yikes a snake in the garage! What do you do...you call Rescue 911!!! When an animal is in distress it's up to experts to come to the rescue, and that is exactly what this program is all about, Animal Rescue 911. Sometimes it's a box turtle but at times it can be a gigantic croc, or a half ton manatee. Each and every rescue requires different expertise. Participants in will learn all about why animals need rescuing- or even not! Meet and interact with some of Eco Adventures very own rescued animals, and learn about their amazing back stories! From Wally, our gator that was found in the icy waters of Lake Michigan, to our terrapin babies that were discovered taped to the body of an apprehended smuggler, or Flaco the caiman left behind in a deserted house by irresponsible owners. These amazing animal stories are living, breathing examples of many of the conservation issues in todays' world, from poaching to pollution, entanglement to irresponsible pet ownership, and much more! Experience an exciting demo on how we catch some uncooperative alligators or participate in a “Mock Rescue” of a dolphin. It’s all hands-on as students learn how to make a difference with the power of knowledge...and Animal Rescue 911!
Dr. Brady Barr - Meet and Greet plus Autographs
Meet National Geographic's TV personality and author along with audio video clips, and stories of his world travel adventures and real life encounters with the most dangerous beasts on the planet.
“I've been coordinating an average of 4 events annually for almost 17 years and Brady is the top in terms of speaker quality. He was engaging, honest, funny and appealed to all ages.” -Noble Foundation
Fear Factor
Don’t make eye contact…Please, please, please, not the spider. They’re all thoughts that might run through your mind as the crowd is searched for brave volunteers. It's Fear Factor! You won't be disappointed with this high energy, excitement packed, hair raising test of wills where guests will compete in a series of challenges and dares to probe their fears and put their determination to the test! Hold a giant spider, wrangle a croc, or eat a bug??…YIKES, they’re all tests that each contestant might face. cockroaches, snakes, and slimy creatures, you never know what it’s going to be. It’s all random, so keep your fingers crossed when you flip over a coconut and find out what challenge awaits you.
Eco Oyster Reef
Outdoor Trip to Sandy Point State Park (50 students or less)
Outdoor Turtle-tacular Research Trip to Kinder Farm Park (50 Students or Less)
School Outreach – We Come to Your School
Can't come to us? We come to you! These are dynamic, interactive and FUN programs that have many topics from MD State Next Gen Science Standards. Choose from various options that fit best for your school or camp. Why read about these animals in your textbook or watch a video on the smart board, when you can get them up close and personal? We bring the menagerie to YOU! We customize each program accordingly so if the option or theme is not there-feel free to call us! Eco Adventures also comes to libraries!
Option A
(For aprox up to 50-60 students)
(Pre-Schools)
$250 School Year Base Price
Includes two - 30 minute back to back presentations for 25 participants per presentation
$4 per additional student over 25 participants (30 participants maximum per presentation).
$260 Summer Camp Base Price (the rest is same as above)
Option B
(For aprox up to 45-75 students)
(Elementary Schools)
= $250 School Year Base Price
Includes 1 hour presentation for up to 45 participants
$4 per additional student over 45 participants
$260 Summer Camp Base Price (the rest is same as above)
Outreaches for Title One schools for up to 45 kids $225 additional kids are $2 per child
Option C
(For 75-100 students)
Assembly Style
Includes 1 hour presentation for up to 75-100 participants
$4 per student
Please note: not all children will get to touch animals (touching will be on a volunteer basis). If you would like an extra interactive 20-30 minute session, please add $75.
Option D
(Over 100 + students)
Assembly Style
$685 includes two - 45 min back to back assemblies for up to 250 participants in each group.
$3 for each additional student after 500 participants.
Please note: not all children will get to touch animals (touching will be on a volunteer basis). If you would like an extra interactive 20-30 minute session, please add $75 per session.
Option E
National Geographic's herpetologist/TV personality/book author
Dr. Brady Barr Assembly
$700 for a 1 hour program for up to 300 participants
$775 for two – 50 minute back to back programs
$3 per additional child, after 300 participants per assembly
Program Themes Include- Click on theme for more info
Don't make eye contact....think good thoughts....cross your fingers. Please, please, please, not the spider , not the spider…WHOA! They’re all thoughts that might run through your mind as you experience Eco Adventures Fear Factor !! In this high energy, excitement packed, hair raising, test of wills, students will compete in a series of challenges and dares to probe their fears and put their determination to the test!
Hold a giant spider, make a scorpion glow, hold a snake, train a dragon, tame a gator, or eat worm… YIKES, they’re all tests that each contestant might face. Leeches, cockroaches, snakes, and eels, you never know what it’s going to be, and we’re pulling out all the stops to make sure your students find out who has what it takes to be crowned Eco Adventures Fear Factor Champ!! It’s all random, so keep your fingers crossed when you flip over a coconut and find out what challenge awaits you – it’s not for the faint of heart! You will learn so much about our animals all while have FUN!
Which animal has the strongest bite?…can climb walls, or virtually disapear, or even can stretch like a rubber band? Spectators beware: are you brave enough to volunteer and let a tarantula crawl up your belly, wrestle a giant snake or a gator? Get all the answers In this fascinating exploration of the super powers of some of natures' most amazing animals. Live animals will be on hand to demonstrate their super powers up close and personal.
NOTE: Super Villains unwelcome at this presentation! Capes are optional
Dr. Edna, a world-famous explorer and her assistant, need your help! Some evil poachers took animals from the wild and we were able to stop them! Now they are all together in crates and we need to return them to their homes. Evil poachers left clues that contains hints as to where these animals may live around the world. Can you help Dr. Edna solve the clues? In this hands-on animal adventure, you will encounter many animals, from tarantulas, armadillos, spiky lizards, to alligators and giant pythons. We need some brave explorers to travel around the globe with Dr. Edna and help her save the animals along the way!
Grab your binoculars and safari hat and get ready to go on a jungle safari!
Learn why this habitat is one of the most important and endangered habitats on earth and how we can protect this critical resource. Students will discover animals, plants, and materials that come from the rainforest by using all their senses. Smell the spices of the rainforest, touch snakes, roaches, tarantulas, crocs, and even a opossum. Discover the cools ways that jungle animals can camouflage for survival. It's a jungle out there, so grab a vine and swing into the rainforest!
Smell the spices of the rainforest, touch snakes, roaches, tarantulas, crocs, and even a opossum. Discover the cools ways that jungle animals can camouflage for survival. It's a jungle out there, so grab a vine and swing into the rainforest!
Do you ever close your eyes and listen… just listen to the sounds of nature? A symphony of nature goes on around us each and every day. Many of us are too distracted to hear it, but if you open your ears and concentrate, what you will hear is magical. In this exciting new program, we are bringing the sounds of nature -indoors, as Eco Adventures Animal Experts will introduce kids to the amazing world of animal sounds and adaptations. Why do Hissing Roaches hiss? What animals have huge ears for listening? What animals have NO ears and can’t hear? Did you know that crocodiles think a rumbling motorcycle or thunder is one of their own? Howler monkey can be heard from over a 3 miles away...how far away can you be heard?? Clear your throat and test out some animal sounds of your own on our decibel reader. How will you compare to a lion or the loudest bird in the world- the Screaming Piha!? Then witness how animals are in tune with their environments. Whether it is sensing upcoming rains or approaching predators, witness their intelligence with an animal training session learned from our own voice commands and clicker sounds cues. This interactive, presentation features hands-on encounters with live animal ambassadors. Sign up now and join the Call Of the Wild!!
This exciting new program is all about the Chesapeake Bay, and will introduce students, in a hands-on manner, to many of the living, breathing,components, of our local ecosystem. The dynamics of the Bay food-web will be explored, from crabs and crab traps, to oysters, terrapins tohorseshoe crabs, frogs, box turtles, snakes and sharks, and all things in between. Kids will find out exactly what’s in their backyard Bay, and how they can make a difference and help protect it!
Students will be rotate with classes depending on the # of students to different areas. You may choose 3-4 stations depending on the group size for a 25 minute rotation with 5 minutes in between to change rotations. Or, if 100 or more participants, 5 stations will be utilized. We require 2-3 parent volunteers to assist for each rotation.
PRICES:
Outreach: $720 min for up to 60 students after 60 students, $8 per child
*extra $1 per person set up fee and souvenir fossil for “Fossils Everywhere”
In house Field Trip to ECO: $720 min for up to 60 students after 60 students, $12 per child
Rotation #1: Watermen vs Water Creatures (Crabs, Oysters, and terrapins)
Students will learn all about the life of a waterman, and how they have crafted the history of the Chesapeake Bay, and the fisheries that have made it famous. This rotation leaves no oyster uncovered as we cover everything from terrapins to turtle soup, oysters to oyster tongs, and crabs to crab traps, and all things aquatic. To help explain concepts and reveal many of the Bay’s secrets, some of its’ resident turtles will be available for hands-on activities!
Rotation #2 Backyard Beasts?
This rotation will open the eyes and ears of students as we introduce them to “near nature”, things they can find in their very own school yards. Our instructors will explain what to look for, animal signs, clues, and ecosystem indicators. How are our local terrestrial animals related to the Bay? They will learn how to safely interact and learn about backyard beasts. What do they tell us, what can we learn from them, why are they here, are all questions that will be explored. Some examples of local creatures will be available for hands-on inquiry based learning. If your school does not have a suitable outside area, we can do an alternative activity outside incorporating a very popular food web activity.
Rotation #3 Amazing Food Web!
What is the Chesapeake? What makes it so amazing? From wetlands to the ocean – This unique ecosystem is made up of a wide range of animals, from snakes, osprey, sharks and oysters. How are they all inter-connected? Explore how the food web relates to the survival of all species. Meet and interact with snakes, endangered salamanders, frogs and toads and even a very special guest- Rocket the flying squirrel!
Rotation #4 Fossils everywhere...Dig It (literally)!
The Chesapeake Bay is 35 million years old. Learn about the different marine invertebrates and vertebrates that roamed the earth millions of years ago. How different are they from today? Put on your paleontologist hat and discover some fossils, and gems in our fossil troughs. From sharks and marine mammals to crinoids, snails, scallop shells, and more! Junior paleontologists will dig in (literally) , find, and identify various fossils. Keep one shark tooth to keep as a reminder of how amazing the Chesapeake is! *extra $1 per person set up fee and souvenir fossil for “Fossils Everywhere”
Rotation #5 Animal Rescue 911
Maybe at some point you've found an abandoned baby bird...a opossum in your attic...or yikes a snake in the garage! What do you do...you call Rescue 911!!! When an animal is in distress it's up to experts to come to the rescue, and that is exactly what this program is all about, Animal Rescue 911. Sometimes it's a box turtle but at times it can be a gigantic croc, or a half ton manatee. Each and every rescue requires different expertise. Participants in Rescue 911 will learn all about why animals need rescuing- or even not! Meet and interact with some of Eco Adventures very own rescued animals, and learn about their amazing back stories! From Wally, our gator that was found in the icy waters of Lake Michigan, to our terrapin babies that were discovered taped to the body of an apprehended smuggler, or Flaco the caiman left behind in a deserted house by irresponsible owners. These amazing animal stories are living, breathing examples of many of the conservation issues in today's world, from poaching to pollution, entanglement to irresponsible pet ownership, and much more! Experience an exciting demo on how we catch some uncooperative alligators or participate in a “Mock Rescue” of a dolphin. It’s all hands-on as students learn how to make a difference with the power of knowledge...and Animal Rescue 911!
FLASH NEWS RELEASE: ALIENS AMONG US!!!
There have been recent reports of animal sightings so outlandish, so freakishly different, that there is growing concern about what they are, where they come from, what do they want. Could they be...aliens living among us? Some of these bizarre beasts have been described by eyewitnesses as having multiple brains, eyes in the back of their heads, they drink through their behinds, and even have the ability to grow new limbs. Many of these reports are unsubstantiated and need to been investigated immediately. Time is of the essence...Earth’s' survival could be at stake.
This is urgent, so you've been assigned to a top secret Eco-Investigative agents, where you will help create your own example of an alien for a “Most Wanted Poster”. With the help of live animals, you will ascertain whether these aliens have slime, multiple eyes or limbs, or special adaptations or powers?? If you choose to accept this assignment, you will be tasked with separating fact from fiction, and determine whether there are aliens living among us, and hopefully, assure all Earthlings that they are in no present danger...
*Live animal presentation, may interact with some earthling creatures
National Geographic herpetologist: Dr. Brady Barr School Assembly- (100+ children) There is no better way to kick off your reading program than to have National Geographic's TV personality and author come out to your school with audio video clips, and stories of his world travel adventures and real life encounters with the most dangerous beats on the planet. He also bring some of his scaly friends himself. Put some real BITE in your next reading kick off program. Please contact us for more details for National Geographic's Dr. Brady Barr to come out to your school.
“I've been coordinating an average of 4 events annually for almost 17 years and Brady is the top in terms of speaker quality. He was engaging, honest, funny and appealed to all ages.” -Noble Foundation
“Take it from someone on the front lines, a recent visiting teacher from Annapolis Area Christian School, who proclaimed: “The best field trip ever and I have been teaching over 20 years .“ Please move forward and plan a visit on The WILD SIDE, where you can touch, see, and “Experience the Extraordinary” at Eco Adventures!”
“WOW! My son had the opportunity to come through Eco Adventures this morning with his class from Woods Memorial. I am a teacher and absolutely was impressed with the smooth way your team ran their adventure today. The presentations were easy to understand and we knew we were dealing with professionals as soon as our program began, so thank you, on this rainy, rainy day. (and I read the Baltimore Sun article from a while ago and, again, wow-80 countries-your training and hard work to bring this location to life is inspiring)”