:: SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS TO NDAKINNA ::
School field trips are facilitated by The Ndakinna Education Center. Trips to the Ndakinna Education Center & Nature Preserve can range from a three hour field trip to multiple day sleep overs. Headed by director James Bruchac, programs are designed for both students and teachers. We also draw from a pool of experienced wilderness staff and Native American educators. Along with our focus on Northeast Native culture, programs utilize hands-on learning & creative presentations to create an awareness of the natural world. Programs emphasize observation skills, team building, hands-on activities, critical thinking, and co-operative problem solving.
>> Native American Programming
Native American Storytelling (K-12)
Storytelling is an essential part of Ndakinna programming. Native legends, traditional drum songs and the explanation of various native philosophies help give people a better understanding of native culture and teach valuable lessons. Ndakinna is proud to be the home of the internationally known Bruchac family, as well as many other native storytellers. Because of the important roll of storytelling at Ndakinna, it is worked into most of our programs.
Native American History & The Use of Natural Resources (2-12)
Focusing on natural resources, instructors provide physical evidence as to how Native Americans shaped the land and animals into everything they needed to survive. Our exhibits feature an indoor and outdoor longhouse, deerskin clothing, furs, birch bark canoes, snowshoes, wampum, baskets, and hunting tools. l Instructors also explain how this reliance on the natural world helped shape many of the native legends, cultural values, and social interactions that continue to this day.
Native American Games (K-12)
Join in Native American games of skill, chance and observation. Drawing from Jim Bruchac’s book Native American Games & Stories by Fulcrum publishing, participants will learn a variety of Native games as well as their cultural significance.
>> Animal Tracking & Animal Studies
Basic Animal Track Identification (Grades 1-12)
The use of tracking can help students of all ages better understand the everyday life of animals. Students get both a visual and hands-on experience with the tracks of various animals through the thousands of plaster casts of animal tracks in our tracking room. We have an extensive range of casts available; from local foxes, moose, porcupines, and black bears, to more exotic species such as mountain lion, wolves, tigers, wolverine, and grizzlies. Longer field trips can allow for tracking expeditions within the surrounding Marion Bruchac Nature Preserve.
>> Wilderness Skills & Team building Workshops
Survival & Awareness Walk (Grades 2-12)
During a walk around Ndakinna’s Nature Preserve students will learn about such human necessities as protection from the elements, making fire, finding food and water. Along the way instructors will demonstrates how people past and present made their way through the wilderness obtaining such necessities in the wild. During hands-on workshop such as those listed below students will not only learn about but try our various wilderness survival skills.
Hands-on Survival Skills (Grades 2-12)
Participants taking part in this hands-on workshop will learn some key wilderness skills, both modern and primitive. These skills will not only heighten their sense of security in the wilderness, but could also save their life. Depending on the length of the program, skills can include shelter making, wilderness navigation, fire making, emergency insulation, rescue signaling, proper reaction to a survival situation, basic wild edibles, drinking water & more. Survival Skills classes can also include storytelling, animal tracking and elements from our new ropes challenge course.
Primitive Fire Making Demonstration & Classes (Grades 3-12)
During this demonstration instructor will introduce students to several primitive ways of making fire. Following these explanations instructor will demonstrate one of these methods, producing fire by friction with either a bow or hand-drill. Longer classes can allow older participants (Grades 4-12) to make their own fire by friction, usually with one of our large group bow drills. During more intensive multi-day courses individuals can also make and try out and take home their very own fire kit.
Ropes Challenge Course (Grades 2-12)
Through our new ropes challenge course, participants will gain a greater sense of self awareness, and learn skills that can promote healthier relationships among peers. Via the physical and mental challenges provided by this program, participants approach harder and harder tasks throughout the day that require critical thinking, and stronger group cohesion.
:: PROGRAM PRICING ::
- 3 hour Field Trip = $350. (up to 30 students), $12.00 each additional student
Full Day Field Trip = $550. (up to 30 students), $15.00 each additional student
Multiple Day Sleep Over = $700 per day/night (up to 30 students). $15.00 each additional student, over 40 call for special rates. Last day without overnight will range from 3 hour to full-day rate depending on time of departure (look above for rates).