Field Studies

Field studies coupled with classroom activities are an integral part of Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences. Find a field study program that gets your students' feet wet and hands dirty.

Find a Program Near You

Begin by choosing the criteria for your search. Matching field study programs will be displayed as pin-points on the map below. Click on a pin-point for details about each program. Be sure to scroll through all your results using the "next" button at the bottom of the page.

If you know of a great field study not included in the Bay Backpack let us know by suggesting a field study.

Create Your Own Field Study

Learn how to create your own field study at a local park or on your school grounds.

All Studies by Location
Records: 22

Theme

Level

Length

Organization

Keywords

Field Studies > Land Use and Agriculture   > boats, canoes and kayaks  
1 - 22 of 22

Stanley Norman Skipjack Program in St. Michaels

The Stanley Norman, one of the last of the Chesapeake's famous fleet of skipjacks, provides an authentic setting to study the Bay's resources. Originally built in 1902, the Stanley Norman is an unforgettable venue for participants to dredge for oysters, test water quality, and imagine what it was like to work on a 65 wooden sailing vessel. CBF instructors utilize activities to deepen participants’ understanding of local ecosystems and give relevance and depth to the classroom curriculum. Our goal is to actively engage students and promote higher order thinking skills by learning through active experience.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: 213 North Talbot St. St. Michaels, MD 21663 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, History and Culture, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, oyster, blue crab, culture and watermen, habitat and niche, water quality, water testing
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Kids’ Bay Adventures Program

This program consists of several week-long educational sessions focused on different environmental topics. Children are given the opportunity to have fun in the outdoors, while learning about science and nature in their “own backyard.” Craft projects, games, and other activities are included as part of the educational experience. This program is offered for children entering pre-K – 8th grades in the upcoming school year.

Organization(s): Horn Point Laboratory
Location: 2020 Horn Point Road Cambridge, MD 21613 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Early Learning, Elementary School, Middle School
Program Length(s): Multi-Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, water cycle and movement, wetland, land use, watershed, ecosystem and biomes, forest, habitat and niche, stream study, water quality, water testing, wildlife
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Arthur Sherwood Study Center Program

Combining the resources of a fully equipped research vessel with the hands-on experience of flat water canoes, the Arthur Sherwood program allows students to gain a more complete understanding and appreciation of the ecosystem. On the open Bay and within sight of the Bay Bridge and U.S. Naval Academy, students aboard the Marguerite conduct biological sampling, test water quality, and dredge for oysters. Additionally, students explore the quiet shallower waters of Meredith Creek, identifying marine and plant species and evaluating water quality.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: 1750 Colbert Rd Annapolis, , MD 21401 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, oyster, ecosystem and biomes, habitat and niche, water quality, water testing
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Baltimore to the Bay Program

Baltimore to the Bay is a one-day combination boat and canoe program that will accommodate groups of 26 to 52 people. Students will explore the mouths of the Back and Middle Rivers, learning of their connection to the Bay. Through combined use of canoes and workboat, students discover the complex relationship between land and water.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: 501 E. Pratt St. Baltimore, MD 21202 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, History and Culture, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, culture and watermen, water quality, water testing
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Stanley Norman Skipjack Program in Annapolis

The Stanley Norman, one of the last of the Chesapeake's famous fleet of skipjacks, provides an authentic setting to study the Bay's resources. Originally built in 1902, the Stanley Norman is an unforgettable venue for participants to dredge for oysters, test water quality, and imagine what it was like to work on a 65 wooden sailing vessel. Programs run out of Annapolis. CBF instructors utilize on-board activities to deepen participants’ understanding of local ecosystems and give relevance and depth to the classroom curriculum. Our goal is to actively engage students and promote higher order thinking skills by learning through active experience.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: City Dock, Randall Street Annapolis, MD 21401 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, History and Culture, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, oyster, blue crab, culture and watermen, habitat and niche, water quality, water testing
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Smith Island Study Center

Located within Tylerton MD, one of three watermen's communities on Smith Island, this center emphasizes the culture and ecology of a Chesapeake fishing village. Steeped in Chesapeake lore and heritage, Smith Island is the largest inhabited offshore island in the Bay. Participants gain insight into island culture to better understand how the community has interacted with the Bay for more than 300 years. Extensive wetlands, underwater grass beds, oyster reefs, and forests are easily explored on foot and by canoe and workboat.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: 20846 Caleb Jones Rd Ewell, MD 21824 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, History and Culture, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Multi-Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, wetland, watershed, oyster, blue crab, forest, habitat and niche, restoration, stream study, water quality, water testing, wildlife
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Potomac River Program

This program is based in the heart of the nation's capital at the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. While aboard the Susquehanna, CBF's 42 research workboat, participants test water quality, perform plankton studies, trawl for fish, and learn about the local features that impact the ecological integrity of the surrounding waterways. This is a unique opportunity to explore a hidden side of D.C., discover a diverse watershed of the Chesapeake, and investigate a habitat that few people are able to witness.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: Gang Plank Marina, 600 Water St. SW Washington, DC 20024 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, watershed, stream study, water quality, water testing
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Port Isobel Island Study Center

Port Isobel is a 250-acre island east of Tangier Island. It is the southernmost point between the Tangier Sound and the Chesapeake Bay proper. All buildings have electricity, central air, and heating systems, and Clivus Multrum composting toilets that use no water or chemicals. The dorm and the conference center were architecturally adapted from working barns in Pennsylvania to become some of CBF's first environmentally friendly buildings. Facilities include a full kitchen with a stove, microwave, refrigerator, and oven.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: Port Isobel Island Port Isobel Island, VA 0 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, History and Culture, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Multi-Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, wetland, land use, watershed, green development, habitat and niche, restoration, stream study, water quality, water testing, wildlife
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Hampton Roads Study Center

Near the southernmost port on the Chesapeake, students aboard the new workboat / floating classroom Bea Hayman Clark explore the Elizabeth and James Rivers and learn about the relationship between the land, the rivers, and the Bay. Participants explore rivers and tributaries, sample aquatic life, and perform water quality tests. They learn about the effects of human activities on the estuary, local ecosystem health, and system dynamics. Through hands-on activities, students discover how water quality is degraded by our actions and learn what we can do about it. Offered at the Portsmouth Portside, Lynnhaven Waterway Marina, and Newport News James River Marina.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: Waterside Dr Norfolk, VA 23510 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, watershed, oyster, blue crab, stream study, water quality, water testing
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James River Program

Aboard the workboat Baywatcher, participants engage in water quality testing, biological sampling, and analysis while overlooking locations that have significant historical ties to the river plantations, heavy industry, and serene wildlife preserves. Students sample aquatic life and perform basic water quality tests.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: 109 Jordan Point Rd Hopewell, VA 23860 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, History and Culture, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, watershed, restoration, stream study, water quality, water testing
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Virginia Watershed Education Program

The Virginia Watershed Education Program (VWEP) gives participants an exciting new perspective on their own local tributary and its connection to the Bay. While paddling freshwater, non-tidal rivers and streams, students and educators examine the relationship between human activities and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Hands-on activities encourage sensitivity and knowledge of local ecosystems, giving relevance and greater understanding to classroom curricula. Our program staff provides opportunities for careful observations, data collection, analysis, and synthesis of information gathered during the field study experience. They encourage participants to explore the complexity of the watershed, and to see themselves as part of the solution. Serving, Charlottesville and Virginia west of Interstate I-95.

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: 1108 East Main Street, Suite 1600 Richmond, VA 23219 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Restoration, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, nitrogen and carbon cycle, pollution, land use, watershed, agriculture, ecosystem and biomes, habitat and niche, water quality, water testing
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Virginia Canoe Program

From Northern Virginia to Richmond to Virginia Beach, the mobile Virginia Canoe Program travels to a river or stream near you. Trip participants probe the Bay's biologically diverse flat water to learn about the effects of creekside land uses and study the area's plants and wildlife. CBF staff travel to many Virginia rivers to investigate some of the most scenic waterways in the watershed. While paddling these tidal rivers and streams, students and educators examine the relationship between human activities and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay

Organization(s): Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Location: 1108 East Main Street, Suite 1600 Richmond , VA 23219 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Restoration, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, nitrogen and carbon cycle, pollution, land use, watershed, agriculture, ecosystem and biomes, habitat and niche, restoration, water quality, water testing
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Natural Resources and Environmental Education Program

The Natural Resources and Environmental Education program of 4-H offers many different projects in wildlife, forestry, fishing, outdoor adventure, and environmental education. Through these projects you learn to think critically about the natural world and sustainable living.

Organization(s): Jamestown 4-H Educational Center
Location: 3751 4-H Club Road Williamsburg, VA 23185 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, forest, habitat and niche, stream study, water quality, wildlife
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Field Trip to Prince Gallitzin Park

An environmental education specialist offers programs spring through autumn. Summer activities include nature hikes, pontoon and kayak lake tours, and evening programs that are conducted on a scheduled basis.

Organization(s): Prince Gallitzin State Park
Location: 966 Marina Road Patton, PA 16668 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, wetland, watershed, forest, habitat and niche, stream study, wildlife
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Watershed Explorers Program

Watershed Explorer innovative, hands-on environmental science program helps middle and high school students develop a closer connection with the natural world around them. Using the Anacostia River as living example and natural laboratory, WE learning modules highlight the many connections between ecological and human communities. Students receive a wide variety of enriching experiences by engaging in multiple classroom sessions, an outdoor field study on the Anacostia, and a practical environmental restoration service project.

Organization(s): Anacostia Watershed Society
Location: 4302 Baltimore Avenue Bladensburg, MD 20710 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Restoration, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): High School
Program Length(s): Multi-Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, watershed, habitat and niche, water quality, wildlife
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Wetland Ecology Program

Explore and enjoy the wetlands as you never have before. This program combines a canoe trip and marsh exploration where students test water quality and go on a nature hike.

Organization(s): Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Location: 647 Contees Wharf Road Edgewater, MD 21037 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, water cycle and movement, wetland, water quality, water testing
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Elizabeth River Eco Expedition

Get onboard the Victory Rover! This in depth field trip will consist of a three-part guided boat trip exploring the Elizabeth River's ecology, biology and history. Perform water chemistry experiments, hands on activities with a coastal enviroscape and perform biological sampling.

Organization(s): Nauticus
Location: 1 waterside drive Norfolk, VA 23510 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, stream study, water quality, water testing
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Echo Hill Science and Ecology Day Programs

Echo Hill's science and ecology classes involve students in the following activities: examining water quality; sifting through bottom samples; using sense of touch on a nature walk through the forest; studying fish, insects, crustaceans, and other animals; making dyes from natural materials; planting in the garden; feeding barnyard animals; tending to a compost pile; participating in scavenger hunts on the beach; canoeing through the swamp; using a map and compass; and learning about night vision and the night sky.

Organization(s): Echo Hill Outdoor School
Location: 13655 Bloomingneck Rd Worton, MD 21678 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, watershed, agriculture, habitat and niche, stream study, water testing, wildlife
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Chesapeake Research Cruise

Takes students on a forty-two foot research vessel to explore the biological, chemical and physical aspects of the water. Sampling cruises begin at the Smithsonian dock and continue through the Rhode River into the Chesapeake Bay.

Organization(s): Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Location: 647 Contees Wharf Road Edgewater, MD 21037 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, land use, water quality, water testing
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Chesapeake Champions and Teasure Our Waters

During the 30-minute program each week, students meet people who work on, work with, or are inspired by the Chesapeake Bay and together they explore the natural and cultural history of the Chesapeake Bay through hands-on experiences and exploration opportunities not available in school. The first six weeks have included a boat ride, an in-depth exploration of oysters and terrapins, meeting a working waterman, and writing their own Bay-inspired song with singer-songwriter Janie Meneely.

Organization(s): Annapolis Maritime Museum
Location: 723 2nd St Annapolis, MD 21403 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, History and Culture, Pollution and Pressures, Restoration, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips Multi-Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, pollution, watershed, oyster, habitat and niche, water quality, wildlife, fish
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Canoe & Outdoor Activities

Learn basic paddling, navigating and safety canoeing skills. Students will also participate in environmental exploration. An instructor certified by the American Canoeing Association will teach this program.

Organization(s): Horn Point Laboratory
Location: 2020 Horn Point Road Cambridge, MD 21613 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Middle School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks
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Bay Buddies Program

Bay Buddies serves 80 students with special needs, ages 5-21, with a unique summer enrichment program. During the program, students participate in a wide variety of hands-on experiences. Activities include arts and crafts, model paddle boat construction and racing, field trip to the MD Council for Special Equestrians (therapeutic horseback riding), sailing aboard skipjacks, and a gardening project.

Organization(s): Living Classrooms Foundation
Location: 802 South Caroline Street Baltimore, MD 21231 (Map It)
Theme(s): Habitats and Critters, Pollution and Pressures, Land Use and Agriculture
Level(s): Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Length(s): Day Trips
Keywords: boats, canoes and kayaks, oyster
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