Field Trips - F.D. Roosevelt State Park

F.D. Roosevelt Logo

Ranger-Led Programs

To book a field trip, please call 706.663.4858.

The Secret Lives of Animals, Grades: Pre-K & Kindergarten

Learn what animals really do when you are not watching. Investigate small water critters in their natural environment and study habits and habitats of larger animals. Also discover which babies go with which parents; it’s harder than you think!

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90
  • GSE: SKL1, SKL2

Fantastic Beasts & Bushes, Grade: 1st

Set out on an adventure to uncover and investigate local plants and animals, and get a close-up look at plants parts and what they do.

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90
  • GSE: S1L1

Circle of Life, Grade: 2nd

Investigate life cycles of native plants and animals with interactive games, activities, and a hike.

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90
  • GSE: S2L1

Seed Survival, Grade: 2nd

Investigate the life cycle of some native plants and learn all about how seeds spread with interactive games, activities, and a hike.

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90
  • GSE: S2L1

Guardians of the Piedmont, Grade: 3rd

Become a hero. Investigate land and water habitats of the Piedmont region. Discover what it takes to conserve and preserve our local environment.

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90
  • GSE: S3L1, S3L2

Rockin’ Around, Grade: 3rd

Rock around F.D. Roosevelt State Park! Test different types of rock with Moh’s scale and learn about the processes of erosion through investigative labs and a hiking exploration.

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90
  • GSE: S3E1

The Tangled Web, Grade: 4th

Discover ecosystems and how energy moves and changes. Learn producers, consumers, and decomposers through games, owl pellet dissections and a hike.

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90
  • GSE: S4L1

Duck. Duck. Goose?, Grade: 5th

Students learn how to recognize, classify, and record similarities and differences among birds from egg to feathered adult. Then take a step back and compare birds to all other animals around, vertebrate and invertebrate.

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90 GSE: S5L1, S5L2

Water World, Grade: 6th

Become a raindrop in an interactive water-cycle game. Discover water basics, local bodies of water, and the conservation of this super precious liquid.

  • Program length: 2.5 hours; full program (including lunchtime) 9:30AM - 1:30PM
  • Program cost: $6 per student, minimum $90
  • GSE: S6E3, S6E6

Ranger-Led FAQ:

Q: What comes included with the program cost?
A: Any materials required for activities unless otherwise specified and pavilion for lunch/snacks. We do not provide bottled water or lunches so students must bring their own.

Q: Do you offer a discount to Title 1 schools?
A: Yes. For schools that can provide proof of their Title 1 status, we will take off $1 per student from the program fee.

Q: How do these programs relate to what I am teaching?
A: Each of these programs was designed to align specifically around the grade-specific standards outlined by Georgia’s Standards of Excellence.

Q: Is there a cost or limit for chaperones?
A: There is no upper limit for the number of chaperones that can come on a ranger-led program. Minimum number of chaperones is 2 per every 30 students. Any chaperone who drives a personal vehicle must have a ParkPass tag displayed in their vehicle. Cost for a ParkPass is $5 per vehicle.

Q: How early in advance do I need to book our program?
A: We require at least a month notice to book any ranger-led school programs. Call the Visitor’s Center at 706.663.4858.

Ranger-Led Additional Information

  • Educators and group leaders must fill out and submit a Field Trip Contract Request Form
  • Educators and group leaders will be responsible for the behavior of their students at all times.
  • Groups larger than 4 classes will need to be broken up amongst multiple days.
  • Please be on time for your scheduled program. If running late, call to let us know. We try to keep to schedule so that you may return to school on time. Occasionally, we have programs scheduled back-to-back and late arrivals may either shorten or possibly forfeit their program.
  • Programs will be outside regardless of temperature, so participants should dress for the weather and bring plenty of water.
  • Rain dates are available in the event of thunderstorms and/or heavy rain. We still present the program outdoors in misty rain or cold weather, so please have your students dress accordingly.
  • If you have any questions regarding ranger-led program reservations, please call the Nature Center at 706.663.4858 and ask for the Interpretive Ranger.

Outreach Programs

If you can’t make the trip to the park, we will bring a little piece of the park to you. Programs are offered off-site for businesses, schools, & special events. Outreach programs can be scheduled within a 20-mile radius of the park. Cost for a 60-minute program per classroom is $125 for the first program, $75 for additional programs at the same location on the same day. Please call 706.663.4858 for additional information.

The following outreach programs are available:

Mammals

A park ranger will bring mammal furs, skulls, and items for activities. Students will learn about mammal identification and adaptations including camouflage, fur texture & layers, and how teeth and skulls relate to an animal’s diet.

Survival Skills

A park ranger will bring fire building & shelter building tools, hiking backpacks with essentials, and inflatable archery. Students will learn basic survival and critical thinking skills, and learn how to shoot a bow & arrow. Program must be held outside or in an open indoor space, like a gymnasium.

Custom Programs

Contact us and we can create a custom program that will fit with your theme or subject matter. Relevant topics include:

  • Local nature-related subjects such as ecology, zoology, botany, geology, or geography
  • History focusing on President Franklin D. Roosevelt and/or the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
  • In-depth survival skills such as compass reading, fire building, or shelter-making

Self-Guided Explorations

Educators and group leaders have the opportunity to experience Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park on a self-guided basis. Georgia’s largest state park offers more than 40 miles of hiking trails including two public nature trails with interpretive signs. There are informative panel signs by our Visitor’s Center, Lake Deleanor, and Liberty Bell Pool as well. Parking is free for official school vehicles (school bus, van, etc.). Any personal vehicle must display a valid ParkPass. Parking fees for self-guided explorations are:

  • $5.00 for vehicles with less than 13 passengers
  • $30.00 for vehicles with 13-30 passengers
  • $70.00 for vehicles that can hold 30 or more passengers

Other Information

For any questions, visit the Visitor Center or call us at 706.663.4858.