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## Field Trips

# 2023 & 2024 Ranger-led Programs at Sleeping Bear Dunes

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

                      Grade Level:
Lower Elementary: Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade

                      - Subject:
                      - Science,Social Studies

See below for descriptions of ranger-led hikes or programs offered at Sleeping Bear Dunes.Questions about logistics? Visit the planning page.
PreK-1st gradeDunes Survival
 Students will learn that all living things need food, water, shelter, air and space to survive. They will discover that there are special plants and animals that live in the dunes that use their external parts to get what they need to survive. Students will understand that national parks like Sleeping Bear take care of the places where plants and animals get what they need to survive.

This program can be faciliated in two locations:
- One-way along the Cottonwood Trail. The bus drops the students off at the Picnic Mountain location on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and then picks up students at the Dune Climb. Requires advanced planning to shuttle chaperone vehicles.
- The Heritage Trail along the base of the Dune Climb.
Maritime Museum Exploration
Step back in time on a tour of the Maritime Museum. Complete a scavenger hunt and participate in a mock water resuce. 
2nd and 3rd grade Habitat Needs
Students will discover what plant and animal species live in or travel through the dunes here at Sleeping Bear, what factors make the dunes a challenge, and learn about the ways they adapt to survive in this harsh environment. Students will also understand that animals and plants use their adaptations to find food, water, shelter, air and space to survive.

This program can be faciliated in two locations:
- One-way along the Cottonwood Trail. The bus drops the students off at the Picnic Mountain location on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and then picks up students at the Dune Climb. Requires advanced planning to shuttle chaperone vehicles.
- The Heritage Trail along the base of the Dune Climb.
Maritime Museum Exploration
Step back in time on a tour of the Maritime Museum. Complete a scavenger hunt and participate in a mock water rescue.
Winter Experience
Students will use the Lakeshore as a placed-based example of watershed dynamics. Then they will use FREE lesson plans and their creativity to design a machine to help rangers clean microplastics off of Sleeping Bear Dunes' beaches.
4th gradeWinter Experience
Students will use the Lakeshore as a placed-based example of watershed dynamics. Then they will use FREE lesson plans and their creativity to design a machine to help rangers clean microplastics off of Sleeping Bear Dunes' beaches.
Geology
Students will learn that wind, water, and ice are the forces that drive weathering, erosion, and deposition. They will discover that some of these processes occurred long ago, and some are still occurring today. Students will make observations about the rocks and minerals that make up our sand. Students will understand that the dunes at Sleeping Bear are special and that plants that grow on them can change them, too.

This program can be faciliated in two locations:
- One-way along the Cottonwood Trail. The bus drops the students off at the Picnic Mountain location on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and then picks up students at the Dune Climb. Requires advanced planning to shuttle chaperone vehicles.
- The Heritage Trail along the base of the Dune Climb.
Maritime Museum Exploration
Step back in time on a tour of the Maritime Museum. Complete a scavenger hunt and participate in a mock water rescue.
5th gradeWinter Experience
Students will use the Lakeshore as a placed-based example of watershed dynamics. Then they will use FREE lesson plans and their creativity to design a machine to help rangers clean microplastics off of Sleeping Bear Dunes' beaches.
Dunes Food Web
Students will understand the components of a food web and how they interact. They will create a food web based off a “mini ecosystem” that was marked out along the trail. They will define “invasive species” and identify common invasive species in our area.

This program can be faciliated in two locations:
- One-way along the Cottonwood Trail. The bus drops the students off at the Picnic Mountain location on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and then picks up students at the Dune Climb. Requires advanced planning to shuttle chaperone vehicles.
- The Heritage Trail along the base of the Dune Climb.
Maritime Museum Exploration
Step back in time on a tour of the Maritime Museum. Complete a scavenger hunt and participate in a mock water rescue.
Middle SchoolEcosystem Comparison
Students will compare the biotic and abiotic factors of a forest and a dune ecosystem, enabling them to discover why the dunes are a challenging, yet unique ecosystem. Students will also learn that animals and plants have developed adaptations that help them live or travel through the dunes.

This program can be faciliated in two locations:
- One-way along the Cottonwood Trail. The bus drops the students off at the Picnic Mountain location on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and then picks up students at the Dune Climb. Requires advanced planning to shuttle chaperone vehicles.
- The Heritage Trail along the base of the Dune Climb.
High SchoolSuccession Data Collection
Succession is an important ecological process. It provides information about particular communities at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The dunes provide a wealth of information regarding succession, the health of the dunes and the apex forest.   

This program can be faciliated in two locations:
- One-way along the Cottonwood Trail. The bus drops the students off at the Picnic Mountain location on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and then picks up students at the Dune Climb. Requires advanced planning to shuttle chaperone vehicles.
- The Heritage Trail along the base of the Dune Climb.
Schedule your field-trip.
Contact

Education technicianemail us231-326-4735

**Tags: **michiganmidwest nps

## Lesson Plans

Last updated: February 1, 2024

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