Grades Pre-K through 6
A Place of Discovery and Enchantment
for all ages
Originally a 1920s Gold Coast estate,
Planting Fields was designed as a
weekend home for William Robertson Coe and his wife, Mai Rogers Coe, a Standard
Oil heiress. In 1949, Mr. Coe deeded his property to the State of New York
with the intention that it be used for horticultural education.
Planting Fields has a rich history
of possessing some of the greatest
horticultural treasures on Long Island. Visitors can explore acres of
historic landscape and plantings, including exotic specimen trees from all
over the world, in a lush setting.
Rolling lawns and natural woodlands
are some of the beautiful features found throughout this 409 acre
estate. These places and many more can be explored with the help
of Environmental Educators when you call and reserve a date to come
and visit with us for a tour.
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Our Educational Field Trips
What better place for children to experience hands-on learning
than at Planting Fields Arboretum?
The Education Department of Planting Fields Foundation, in cooperation with teacher input, is working to provide the best possible experiential education programs for our visiting school groups.
For a small fee, up to two classes per session (five sessions in total) can visit with our experienced, Red Cross Certified, Environmental Educators for a hands-on, information packed hour and fifteen minute program during the Fall (last week of September - November) and the Spring (last two weeks of April - June).
Field Trip topics are listed below. All information presented during the trips support school curricula and consist of games and activities that entice students to participate and have fun while they are learning.
Current field trip topics available are:
Fall Alphabet Garden Walk Field Trip
Come wander through the Synoptic Garden with our trained Educators. The Synoptic Garden is a unique learning tool that offers the opportunity to see a wide variety of plants (that grow well in our area) in an organized way, and observe how they mature and change with the four seasons. While focusing on the letters of the alphabet, learn about the colors, shapes, needs and growth habits of plants, while enjoying the fall season display.
Pre-K – 2nd grade
- Alphabet Walk
Seven stop, Educator-led tour of the Synoptic Garden (garden with plants in alphabetical order) with corresponding activities at each stop in the Fall Alphabet Walk Student Journal.
- Hands on Fall Nature Activity
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Tremendous Trees Field
Trip
(PreK - 6th) 1hr. 15 min.
Offered in the FALL SEASON ONLY
Explore the vast collection of trees that the arboretum has to offer while
engaging in grade-appropriate, hands-on activities that include:
- Birch Tree
Exploration
Trees and You Activity to help build connections between trees and people.
- Reading The Rings
Identification / Discussion of vocabulary associated with growth rings of trees. Hands-on observation of card-mounted, cross sections of trees.
- Leaf Patterns Matching Game
Basic observation of leaf characteristics (leaves mounted on cards) that lead to tree identification.
- My Pet Tree
Basic journal activity where students draw a picture and do a leaf/bark rubbing of their pet tree at Planting Fields.
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- Birch Tree Exploration / Photosynthesis
Trees and You Activity to help build connections between trees and people. Discussion of photosynthesis with use of laminated manipulatives.
- Reading The Rings
Identification / Discussion of vocabulary associated with growth rings of trees. Hands-on observation of card-mounted, cross sections of trees.
- Leaf Pattern Study / Tree Detective Badges
Advanced observation of leaf characteristics focusing on building the vocabulary that leads to tree identification. Presentation / Introduction of basic tree identification card (Tree Detective Badge) attached to a lanyard.
- Tree Detective Case # 1 - Tree Identification Activity
Journal led activity where students pretend that they are detectives and work together to solve the case of the Mystery Tree.
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5th – 6th
grade
- Birch Tree Exploration
Trees and You Activity to help build connections between trees and people. Discussion of photosynthesis with use of laminated manipulatives.
- Reading The Rings
Identification / Discussion of vocabulary associated with growth rings of trees. Hands-on observation of card-mounted, cross sections of trees.
- Leaf Pattern Study Advanced observation of leaf characteristics focusing on building the vocabulary that leads to tree identification.
- Tree Identification with Field Guides
Presentation / Introduction of use of an age appropriate field guide.
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Playing with Plants Field Trip
(Pre-K - 3) 1hr. 15min.
Offered in the SPRING SEASON ONLY
This 1hr. 15min. program allows you to enjoy the Arboretum in full bloom as you learn with Educators about the lives of plants.
Hands-on activities include:
Pre-K – 1st
grade
- Tour of Main Greenhouse or Story Time on the Lawn
Tour of the Palm and Hibiscus Houses found within the Main Greenhouse. If the Main Greenhouse is being replanted, Good Morning Garden by Barbara Brenner and Denise Ortakales will be read on the lawn.
- Plant Life Cycle
Plant Personification – Active Dramatics activity demonstrating / reinforcing plant lifecycle.
- Plant Part Puzzle
Group Puzzle Activity with vocabulary excluding the introduction of the reproductive parts of flowers.
- Plant Your Own Veggie Greenhouse Activity
Four types of vegetables are planted into peat pellets and placed in sealed/transportable bins (greenhouse) to be taken back to school or home.
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2nd – 3rd
grade
- Tour of Main Greenhouse
Tour
of the Palm and Hibiscus Houses found within
the
Main Greenhouse as long as it is not being re-planted
- Plant Part Puzzle
Group Activity including reproductive parts of flowers
- Plant
Your Own Veggie Greenhouse Activity
Four types of vegetables
are planted into peat pellets and placed in sealed/transportable
bins (greenhouse)
to be
taken back to school or home
- Introduction to Plant a
Row For the Hungry (PAR)
Group initiative to grow produce for local soup kitchens
- Maple
Seed Mix-Up Game
(if time permits) Game that reinforces what things are necessary
for a plant to be able to grow
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Sensational Seeds
(2nd – 3rd grades) 1hr. 15min.
Offered in the SPRING SEASON ONLY
Enjoy the Arboretum in full bloom as you learn with Educators about the
exciting lives of seeds.
| 2nd – 3rd
grades
- Tour of Main Greenhouse
- How Seeds Travel - Seed Dispersal
- Seed Diversity Discussion and Observation
Magnifying boxes with seeds for close observation.
- The Life of a Seed Activity
Group Activity with vocabulary Focusing on germination.
- Microscope MadnessStudents use basic microscopes to view seeds shapes and sizes and practice classification skills by recording information gathered into a basic journal.
- Plant Your Own Veggie Greenhouse Activity Four types of vegetables are planted into peat pellets and placed in sealed/transportable bins (greenhouse) to be taken back to school or home.
- Introduction to Plant a Row For the Hungry (PAR)
Group initiative to grow produce for local soup kitchens.
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Radiant Rainforests
(2nd – 5th
grade) 1hr. 15 min.
Offered in both FALL AND SPRING SEASONS
Take a visit to the rainforest without leaving the country! Enjoy the opportunity to experience the rainforest community in person. Fun and exciting activities and information are listed below.
-
Scientist Nature Journal
Take-home journal presented to students that assists in field trip presentation and can then be used later for more science-based exploration.
- Rainforest Layer and Animal Find
Group activity focusing on rainforest environment, plant life, layering, biodiversity and food chain.
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Scientific Mission Impossible
Hands on activity stressing the steps of the Scientific Method while studying a particular rainforest resource.
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Rainforest Scavenger Hunt
Organized Scavenger Hunt for rainforest plants in our Main Greenhouse. Hunt ends with tour introducing real life examples of rainforest terms introduced in our outdoor classroom.
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Field Trip Registration
Teachers may call the Planting Fields Education Department any time during the year to reserve the date(s) that they would like to visit the Arboretum. Dates are awarded on a first come, first serve basis and teachers are encouraged to reserve early to ensure preferred date availability.
Planting Fields can accommodate up to two classes of students per session, Monday through Friday. Schools registering can choose one or more of our five, 1hour and 15minute sessions.
| Session times are as follows: |
| Session 1 |
9:30 am – 10:45 am |
| Session 2 |
10:15 am – 11:30 am |
| Session 3 |
11:00 am – 12:15 pm |
| Session 4 |
11:45 am – 1:00 pm |
| Session 5 |
12:30 pm – 1:45 pm |
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Field trips can be scheduled by calling our Field Trip Coordinator Elisabeth Alberty:
(516) 922-8676 or send an e-mail to ealberty@plantingfields.org
After your date(s) has been scheduled with the Education Department, a confirmation letter will be sent to your school that will list your visit date, schedule, payment information and any other pertinent information. This letter will accompany your trip Pre-packet which will include maps, directions and pre-activities for your class that support field trip curricula. Please read all materials sent concerning your scheduled field trip.
Cost and Payment
The fee for all scheduled field trips is $6.00 per student.
* Program registration of less than 20 children will result in a flat fee
of $120.00 being due. *
Payment for the field trip is due on the day of your visit to Planting Fields Arboretum and is presented to an Education Staff Member at the culmination of the field trip.
Payment is accepted in the form of cash or checks. Checks must be made payable to:
Planting Fields Foundation
Teachers and chaperones assist with both field trip facilitation and children supervision and are therefore admitted free of charge.
* There is a maximum of four adults (including teacher) allowed to accompany each class.*
Due to space constraints within the greenhouse and other areas of the field trip, we ask parents to make alternate arrangements for younger siblings to be left at home. Adults are expected to participate, to stay with the class, and to turn off cell phones once the program has begun.
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Pre and Post Visit Activities
Upon scheduling a field trip, each classroom teacher will receive a Pre-packet filled with: information about the visit, map and directions, and Pre-visit Activities that introduce concepts that will be covered at Planting Fields during the field trip.
At the end of the field trip visit, each teacher is presented with Post-visit Activities that support and reinforce the understanding of concepts covered.
A Teacher Field Trip Evaluation is also included with a self-addressed, stamped envelope offering teachers the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings about their trip. Comments from the returned evaluations let us know where we have succeeded in our program presentation and assist us in program improvement.
Inclement Weather
The Cancellation or Rescheduling of Your Field Trip
The majority of field trip activities are outside; therefore, if there is inclement weather (or the threat of) on the day of your scheduled field trip, you will be contacted by the Education Coordinator before you leave your school that morning. At that point you may choose to either cancel your visit or to reschedule. If you choose to reschedule, every attempt will be made by the Education Department to identify a new date that accommodates your schedule.
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Program Accessibility
Parts of the arboretum are accessible to groups with special needs. The Education Department asks that you make them aware of any students with special needs so that your group may be accommodated in the best possible manner.
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Lunch and Snack During a Field Trip
An area in the heart of the arboretum center (and near the bathroom facilities) has been designated for use by school groups for the consumption of lunch or snack. It is the choice of each school group to decide if they wish to eat while surrounded by the beautiful natural environment. If your group wishes to bring a lunch or snack, please let the Education Department know at time of registration so that time during your trip can be allocated.
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Contact us
If you have any questions or you wish to register your class / school for one of our field trips, feel free to contact us using the information provided below.
School Field Trip Contact Information
Field Trip Coordinator and School
Contact: Elisabeth Alberty
Phone: (516)
922 - 8676
Fax: (516) 922 - 9226
Email: ealberty@plantingfields.org
Planting
Fields Foundation
1395 Planting Fields RoadOyster Bay, NY 11771
Attn: Education Department
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