Make nature's playground your classroom. School Programs
Students can learn by doing through hands-on activities like operating a seine net, dyeing fabric with indigo, and participating in a variety of engaging nature and history programs designed to bring lessons to life.
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Turn nature into the ultimate classroom with a field trip to Charleston County Parks. In addition to park admission, program fees include the valuable guidance of one of our environmental or social studies educators—experts who know the parks inside and out and help bring each experience to life for students.
To arrange a school program, review the available programs and submit a booking and information request form. A program coordinator will then contact you to discuss your needs and confirm a date. Program costs vary by length, typically ranging from $75 for a 30-minute program to $130 for a 90-minute program for groups of up to 25 students. Programs can be held at nearly any Charleston County park, and parks generally offer amenities such as restrooms, picnic areas, and bus parking. Schools may bring multiple groups in one day using a rotating “round robin” format, and groups must maintain a maximum of 25 students with a recommended 1:10 chaperone-to-student ratio.
Groups that prefer to explore on their own are welcome to visit without a guided program. Discounted park admission tickets for groups are available by calling 843-795-4386. Funding from the Charleston County Parks Foundation may also be available to help offset field trip costs for qualifying Charleston County Public Schools on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Preschool programs combine literature, art, play, and environmental education to give children a well-rounded learning experience. Schools are encouraged to schedule programs at a park so students can experience nature firsthand.
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All programs are 45 minutes long.
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Programs are designed for groups up to 25 children ages 4 to 6 and multiple programs can be offered to accommodate your school.
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An adult supervisor from the childcare facility or school must be present at all times during the program.
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Programs scheduled at county parks cost $75 per session, which includes admission into the park for all participants.
Natures Detectives
Help your preschoolers discover natural wonders found in a park or playground. We share our nets, binoculars, and sense of adventure with children to engage their natural curiosity about common plants and animals.Flower Friends: Bees, Butterflies, and Their Buddies
Learn more about the animals that call the garden home. We read stories and dress up like insects to gain a better understanding of the friends of flowers.Fins, Scales & Fishtails
Our tales will be about fishtails in this program. We read stories, play games, and create art to help children learn about animals that call the ocean home. -
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Dawn of Freedom
Learn about the role of the Freedman’s Bureau immediately following the Civil War and gain an understanding of what life was like for newly freed people during early reconstruction in Charleston, SC.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 5
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: McLeod Historic Plantation Site
Secrets in the Sand
Beach combing provides beautiful shell treasures, but these animal homes have a history. Explore the food web of the creatures commonly found in our local waters. Students have the opportunity to use shovels and strainers to search for their own beach animals to observe and release. This program complements Barrier Island Ecology.-
Program Length: 30 minutes
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Grade Levels: Preschool - 5
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Fee: $75 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: Folly Beach County Park, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, and Isle of Palms County Park
Native Americans of Coastal South Carolina
Explore Native American culture of coastal South Carolina at the time of European settlement. Handle and use reproduction artifacts, like bows and traps, to learn how local tribes successfully used natural resources available to meet their needs.-
Program Length: 60 minutes
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Grade Levels: K-5
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: James Island County Park, Wannamaker County Park, Palmetto Islands County Park, Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Seining the Sea
Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission staff will pull a net through the surf to catch fish, crabs, jellies, and other sea life. Students will have the opportunity to observe these creatures before they are released.-
Program Length: 60 minutes
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Grade Levels: 1-8
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: Folly Beach County Park, Beachwalker County Park, Isle of Palms County Park
Barrier Island Ecology
Students of ecology study the relationship between organisms and their environment. In this program, we will do just that on a barrier island. Participants will build barrier islands out of sand, collect animals in the swash zone, and use a seine net to collect fish in the ocean. Through these activities, students will gain an understanding of the ties that link living things with their environment.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 3-8
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: Folly Beach County Park, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Isle of Palms County Park
Salt Marsh Ecology
The salt marsh is a dynamic and fascinating habitat. Students will become familiar with common plants and resident animals, sample phytoplankton, and gain an appreciation of this unique environment through hands-on exploration.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 3-8
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: James Island County Park, Palmetto Islands County Park
Pond Poking
Explore the adaptations to fresh water of the plants and animals that live in freshwater ponds. Use dip nets to observe insects, fish, amphibians, and plants before releasing them. Not available at Wannamaker.-
Program Length: 30 minutes
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Grade Levels: Preschool - 5
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Fee: $75 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: James Island County Park, Palmetto Islands County Park
Habitat Chat
The Ravenel Caw Caw Interpretive Center encompasses several habitats. Students are guided through an investigative activity-based experience. The flora and fauna of a distinct ecosystem will be identified. Samples will be gathered from the area for further observation in the lab.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 1-5
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Birds
Take a close look at beaks, feet, eggs, and feathers. Beginning birders will use binoculars to observe birds in the park and search for bird behaviors such as flight, bathing, and feeding. The unique characteristics of birds that make them suited to so many areas will be explored.-
Program Length: 60 minutes
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Grade Levels: K-2
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Palmetto Islands County Park, James Island County Park, Wannamaker County Park
Plants for Primary Grades
Students become familiar with how the structures of plants help them survive and grow in their environments. A plant walk will explore the historical role of plants and time with microscopes encourages a close investigation of plant parts.-
Program Length: 60 minutes
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Grade Levels: K-2
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Palmetto Islands County Park, James Island County Park, Wannamaker County Park
Carolina Indigo
Experimented with by Eliza Lucas Pinckney, an enslaved man named Quash, and others, Indigo was an important but short lived cash crop in South Carolina. Investigate the science behind this “magic” dye, learn how enslaved men and women cultivated and processed it, and try your hand at dyeing your own t-shirt.-
Program Length: 60 minutes
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Grade Levels: 3-5
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center or McLeod Plantation Historic Site
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Participants should bring a cotton t-shirt to dye.
Characteristics of Organisms
The Caw Caw Interpretive Center is a wonderful place to study the diversity of the natural world. Students become familiar with how the traits of plants and animals allow them to survive in specific habitats and ecosystems.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 4
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Custom Program
Charleston County Park educators will customize programs to meet specific learning objectives. Call 843-762-8015 to arrange a custom tour or program. -
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Dawn of Freedom
Learn about the role of the Freedman’s Bureau immediately following the Civil War and gain an understanding of what life was like for newly freed people during early reconstruction in Charleston, SC.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 8
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: McLeod Plantation Historic Site
Native Americans of Coastal South Carolina
Explore Native American culture of coastal South Carolina at the time of European settlement. Handle and use reproduction artifacts, like bows and traps, to learn how local tribes successfully used natural resources available to meet their needs.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 6-8
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: James Island County Park, Wannamaker County Park, Palmetto Islands County Park, Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Seining the Sea
Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission staff will pull a net through the surf to catch fish, crabs, jellies, and other sea life. Students will have the opportunity to observe these creatures before they are released.-
Program Length: 60 minutes
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Grade Levels: 1-8
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: Folly Beach County Park, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Isle of Palms County Park
Ecosystems at Caw Caw
Observe the complex communities of organisms found at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Students learn about food webs, limiting factors and human influences on the land as they walk the Park’s trails. An investigation of a water sample in the lab completes the program and connects the students to their park.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 6-8
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Barrier Island Ecology
Students of ecology study the relationship between organisms and their environment. In this program, we will do just that on a barrier island. Participants will build barrier islands out of sand, collect animals in the swash zone, and use a seine net to collect fish in the ocean. Through these activities, students will gain an understanding of the ties that link living things with their environment.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 3-8
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: Folly Beach County Park, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Isle of Palms County Park
Salt Marsh Ecology
The salt marsh is a dynamic and fascinating habitat. Students will become familiar with common plants and resident animals, sample phytoplankton, and gain an appreciation of this unique environment through hands-on exploration.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 3-8
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: James Island County Park, Palmetto Islands County Park
Carolina Indigo
Experimented with by Eliza Lucas Pinckney, an enslaved man named Quash, and others, Indigo was an important but short lived cash crop in South Carolina. Investigate the science behind this “magic” dye, learn how enslaved men and women cultivated and processed it, and try your hand at dyeing your own t-shirt. Participants should bring a cotton t-shirt to dye.-
Program Length: 60 minutes
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Grade Levels: 6-8
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center or McLeod Plantation Historic Site
Custom Programs
Charleston County Park educators will customize programs to meet specific learning objectives. Call 843-762-8015 to arrange a custom tour or program. -
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Ecosystems at Caw Caw
Observe the complex communities of organisms found at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Students learn about biodiversity, limiting factors, resource management, and human influences on the land as they walk the Park’s trails. An investigation of a water sample in the lab completes the program and connects the students to their park. High school students may even collect data analyze in their classroom.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 3-12
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Native Americans of Coastal South Carolina
Students explore Native American culture of coastal South Carolina at the time of European settlement. Learn how local tribes successfully used the natural resources available to meet their needs.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 3-12
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: James Island County Park, Wannamaker County Park, Palmetto Islands County Park, Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Carolina Indigo
Experimented with by Eliza Lucas Pinckney, an enslaved man named Quash, and others, Indigo was an important but short lived cash crop in South Carolina. Investigate the science behind this magic dye, learn how enslaved men and women cultivated and processed it, and try your hand at dyeing your own t-shirt. Participants should bring a cotton t-shirt to dye.-
Program Length: 60 minutes
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Grade Levels: 9-12
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Transition to Freedom
A tour of McLeod Plantation, a former sea island cotton plantation, reveals the story of a place and a people transformed. War, emancipation, and the struggle for civil rights moved McLeod Plantation, and America, in “fits and starts,” toward a more equal and just place. Explore how this transition to freedom played out in the lives of the plantation’s inhabitants.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 9-12
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Location: McLeod Plantation Historic Site
You, Me & Marine Debris
Using a seine net, students collect, observe, and release marine animals at a local beach while also learning about common marine debris. We will discuss the impacts of trash on the marine ecosystem and how a small change on our part can lead to less debris in the seas.-
Program Length: 90 minutes
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Grade Levels: 9-12
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Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
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Locations: Folly Beach County Park, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Isle of Palms County Park
Custom Programs
Charleston County Park educators will customize programs to meet specific learning objectives. Call 843-762-8015 to arrange a custom tour or program. -
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Charleston County Parks offers educational programs via video conferencing! Explore your county parks from your classroom or home. We offer both live and recorded virtual program options. All of our programs can be customized to meet South Carolina State Science Standards for Kindergarten through 12th-grade students.
Virtual Secrets in the Sand
Beachcombing provides beautiful shell treasures, but these animal homes have a history. Virtually explore the food web of the creatures commonly found in our local waters.-
Program Length: 45 minutes
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
Virtual Pond Poking
Beetles that use SCUBA skills and underwater dragonfly larva with harpoon-like jaws are just a few of the surprises waiting as we survey a freshwater pond. Educators will use dip nets to capture insects, fish, and amphibians before releasing them.-
Program Length: 45 minutes
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
Virtual Ecosystems
Observe the complex communities of organisms found at your parks. Students will learn about food webs, limiting factors, and human influences on the land as they join a virtual guide through the trails of Caw Caw Interpretive Center.-
Program Length: 45 minutes
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
Virtual Habitat Chat
The Caw Caw Interpretive Center encompasses several habitats. During this virtual program, students are guided through an investigative activity-based experience. The flora and fauna of a distinct ecosystem will be identified.-
Program Length: 45 minutes
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
Virtual Plants
Students become familiar with how the structures of plants help them survive and grow in their environments. A virtual plant walk with an educator will explore the historical role of plants and investigate plant parts.-
Program Length: 45 minutes
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
Virtual Insects
It has 6 legs and its skeleton is on the outside; what is it? An insect of course! Enter the miniature yet mesmerizing world of insects as we learn about their characteristics.-
Program Length: 45 minutes
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Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
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