third grade
Come explore the Chattahoochee Nature Center with your class for fun, educational experiences your students won’t ever forget!
Can’t make the trip to visit us? No problem, book an Outreach Program and we will bring the learning into your classroom! Either way, a
CNC naturalist will lead your class in exploration. School programs include hands-on activities and a Teacher’s Guide with additional curriculum.
All onsite programs are conducted at CNC and are suggested as a 2 hour and 30 minute experience.
Each program includes:
>> Guided forest hike with one of our naturalists plus an up-close animal encounter with one of our non-releasable wildlife. The program is 1 hour and 15 minutes.
>> Self-guided time in our picnic areas, gardens, and Wildlife Walk, and a guided tour of our Watershed Gallery in the Discovery Center with the rest of the time.
Learn about the different Eco-regions of Georgia and the adaptations of plants and animals in the diverse habitats of these regions.
GSE: S3L1a,b,c
Learn about the rocks and minerals of Georgia with a hands-on investigation. Students will identify rocks in a discovery lesson by examining their characteristics. GSE: S3E1a,b
This hands-on experience demonstrates the various types of pollution and their causes and effects. Students then discover some possible solutions and recognize ways to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. GSE: S3L2a,b
Students gain a deeper understanding of how the native peoples who inhabited this area of Georgia used the land, river, wildlife, and other natural resources for their survival. GSE: SS3H1a,b
A general introduction to nature and wildlife, students will explore the native plants and animals of the CNC through hands-on exploration and inquisitive observation. GSE: S3L1a,b,c
This spring program explores the world of the insects to learn what good things these fascinating animals do for their environment. Students will learn the techniques for sampling insects to observe. GSE: S3L1a,b
Focusing on Georgia native species, students will learn about these fascinating animals while exploring the grounds looking for them in the wild. GSE: S3L1a,b,c
While viewing an amphibian monitoring station, students will examine some of the limiting factors affecting the survival of amphibians and thus the survival of other species in the food web. GSE: S3L1a,b,c; S3L2a,b
This program focuses on the birds of prey that call Georgia home. Habitats, adaptations, and conservation issues will be discussed. Hands-on owl pellet dissection is included. GSE: S3L1a,b,c
Using dip nets, students collect macroinvertebrates to identify and use them to make inferences about the condition and health of the pond habitat. GSE: S3L1b,c; S3L2a,b
Students hike our river wetlands boardwalk to learn about the unique relationships of this very fragile and important ecosystem. GSE: S3L1b; S3L2a
This field based experience combines science, writing, and art to help students develop a broader understanding of the natural history of their environment by using the wonderful natural setting at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Our interactions with nature will reinforce science skills. Science is a process that requires freedom for curiosity and creativity to answer one’s questions about the natural world.
GSE: VA3.CR.2a; VA3.CN.2
When you schedule a program, we reserve a slot in the calendar for your group, and we commit staff and resources to ensure you an exceptional educational experience. Please review the following cancellation policy for Chattahoochee Nature Center:
>> All programs take place rain or shine {indoor space is available).
>> You may reschedule a program, if space is available, up to 4 weeks before your originally scheduled date without penalty.
>> You may cancel a program up to four weeks before your originally scheduled date without penalty.
>> Programs cancelled less than 4 weeks from program date will not receive a refund of deposit.
>> Schools with an unpaid balance will not be able to schedule another program until the balance is paid.
Transportation issues? Not a problem. CNC naturalists can bring high-quality programming directly into your school. In addition to the auditorium programs listed below, all of our Onsite Programs (except water programs) can be conducted at your school in individual classrooms. They still include an animal encounter and hands-on activities. All programs are GSE correlated for each grade and include Small Group and Large Group Programs. Programs can be booked Monday through Sunday, mornings, afternoons, and evenings, year-round. Spaces are limited during spring and fall due to high demand. All programs must be booked a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the program date.
PLEASE NOTE: Audience limits are set to ensure an optimal experience for every student participant. Audience size may not exceed the published limits without permission of the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Audiences who do exceed the published limits will incur additional session fees. Please contact us if you have any questions about our policies.
Our Small Group outreach programs are ideal for your unique group! Programs include a live animal presentation, biofacts such as bird wings, turtle shells, animal furs, an activity and time for question-answer with a CNC naturalist. Unless stated otherwise, these are one hour programs.
Participants in this one hour program will learn all about the basics of the plants and animals found in Georgia. What’s living in your neighborhood will be explored as well as backyard animals, ways to look for wildlife, tracks and even scat! Visit with a CNC resident animal up close and personal.
Are snakes slimy? In this fun-filled program, participants will touch a live snake and find out. Participants will also learn what makes a reptile a reptile and which ones you are likely to encounter in your neighborhood. This program will conclude with a live reptile presentation.
Participants in this program will learn all about our native birds of prey. Habitats and adaptations will be discussed, and conservation and protection issues surrounding these creatures will be examined. Hands-on owl pellet dissection is included. This program will conclude with a live raptor presentation.
In this warm and fuzzy program, the naturalist will explain the identifying characteristics of mammals and tell you what species to look for around your home. This program will conclude with an opossum presentation.
CNC offers auditorium and festival programs to meet your needs.
If you have a large audience to please, this program will be perfect for your needs. This one hour educational program focuses on raptors, some of our most fascinating native predators. A CNC naturalist will utilize fun activities with large props and audience involvement to teach participants about the birds and their impressive abilities. This program will include presentations of an owl and a hawk.
This one hour educational program focuses on animals that make their home in the Georgia Piedmont. This program will include presentations of an opossum, snake, and bird of prey. GSE: S4L1a,b,c
This Information Booth is available for an unlimited mobile audience in festival setting. When we think about enjoying wildlife, we often forget about these cold-blooded creatures. Yet, reptiles thrive in our backyards, parks, and natural areas in metro Atlanta. With this program, CNC will bring a collection of fascinating reptile information to you. Using biofacts – such as skulls, turtle shells, and snake sheds – and hands-on activities, the naturalist will share with participants about the many amazing reptiles found in Georgia. This program includes a live snake and a turtle. Participants may come and go from the display area at leisure. PLEASE NOTE: A six-foot table in a shaded area is required for this program. The program must be held indoors when temperature is less than 60 degrees.
Prepackaged curriculum and activities you can rent from CNC to use in your classroom for up to 3 weeks.
This program is a study of one of Georgia’s protected vertebrates in an investigation kit filled with activities, animal biofacts, books, posters, and more! This trunk provides students with awareness of state-wide habitat issues, knowledge of the endangered Gray Bat and its natural history, and opportunities for critical thinking relative to past, present, and future environmental actions.
In partnership with the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia, this trunk includes multicultural activities about migratory neotropical bird migration. Great for Family STEM nights!