Classic Trips
Native Plants
Scavenger Hunt
All Grades
Available April through October
Discover the plants that call Mill River Park and the rest of coastal Southern New England home. Learn how native plants support a thriving ecosystem all the way from microscopic organisms to the top of the food chain. We will scour the entire Park in search of every species on our list, stopping to discuss the ecological significance of each species.
Soil and Nutrients
Grades 3 –5
Available All Year
Both Off-Site and In-Park Programs
Through phenomena-based learning, students will understand how important healthy soil is to a resilient and functioning ecosystem. We will cover topics including nutrient cycling, sediment deposition, erosion, and composting. Students will get the hands-on opportunity to explore healthy soil and have a hands-on experience with our resident decomposers.
Water Sampling
Grade 4 and higher
Available March through November
Collect water samples at various points along the Mill River, ranging from freshwater to tidal brackish water, and compare nitrate, dissolved oxygen, and pH levels. We will discuss what factors in and around the river influence these abiotic characteristics of the water.
Leaf Pack Investigation
All Grades
Available May through August
Who lives in the Mill River? This is your opportunity to find out for yourself! Investigate a leaf pack, which will be deployed into the river and create a temporary home for fish, eels, shellfish, insects, and if you’re lucky even a salamander.
This program must be booked at least 4 weeks in advance to give time for leaf pack deployment.
Take a Nature Walk
All Grades
Available Year-Round
Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Mill River Park’s riparian meadows. We will take a leisurely stroll around the Park to observe a variety of bird species, unique native plant habitats, and clues left behind by elusive mammals and reptiles of the Park.
This program can be tailored to your specific interests, but must be booked a minimum of 4 weeks in advance.
New Half Day Field Trip Format
3 – 4 hour programs for school groups include lab and field components. Half of the field trip is spent in one of our labs, followed by a 30-minute break for the students to eat a picnic lunch. The other half of the program will focus on place-based field studies out in the park.
Forces and Motion
Grades 3 & 4
4.5 hours, including a 30-minute lunch
Students explore the principles of motion and forces through hands-on lab activities, a curling demonstration, and ice skating at our Cohen Skating Center. Time on the ice reinforces the concepts they learn in the lab in a fun, active way while giving students a special opportunity to skate* and bond with their peers.
*Ice skating lessons are not part of this class. Students are encouraged to try on their own with skate aids.
Grant funding for this program may be available; inquire for more information.
In the Field
Through three hands-on investigations involving friction, mass, and speed, students will analyze the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object, observe patterns of motion, and construct explanations about the changes in energy when objects collide.
In the Lab
In a brief demonstration of the sport of curling, students will observe the principles of forces and motion in action. They will relate the scientific phenomena that occur during curling to what they learn in the lab about friction, mass, and speed. The students will experience these principles firsthand as they skate at our Cohen Skating Center.
Habitat Hunters
Grades 3 – 5
3 hours, including a 30-minute lunch break
Students will observe, discuss, and examine how different animals are adapted to their different habitats. Students will discover how changes in a habitat directly affect what animals can live there.
In the Field
Students will hike through the park and hunt for signs of a healthy habitat and the animals that call it their home. They will hear the incredible story of the river’s restoration and explore how restoring a landscape brought life back to a lost habitat and improved the urban environment.
In the Lab and Exhibition
Students will examine live fresh and brackish water animals and compare and record the animal’s structures and behavior in relation to their habitat. They will also utilize hands-on activities to learn more about this amazing native river ecosystem.
Environmental Engineers
Grades 5 – 7
4 hours, including a 30-minute lunch
Environmental Engineers are important in solving the problems that are facing our environment.
In the Field
On the hike, we will examine the ways our parks, meadows, and wetlands act as natural engineers while designing some solutions to keep them healthy.
In the Lab
In this class, students will become engineers to learn about the design process and how it can be used to clean up water, restore habitats, and provide healthier places to live.
at Mill River Park
Mill River Park Collaborative has partnered with Henkel North America to bring their Researcher’s World initiative for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders to the Whittingham Discovery Center. The program aims to spark curiosity in young minds about science and show that science and research require collaboration. The holistic approach of Researchers World combined with Mill River Park’s experiential and place-based methodology provides a powerful learning experience for students. For more about our partnership, click here.
Generous support from the Henkel Corporation has reduced the transportation and cost barriers to participation in the following programs for local public schools. Contact us for more information about pricing.
Sticky Situation
Grade 2 – 3
3 hours including a 30-minute lunch break
Students will be charged with the mission of helping us solve a simple problem in the park. The class will look to nature for inspiration as they help us figure out how to “naturally” hang signs in the park.
In the Field
Students will hike the park loop, searching for and examining organisms that have evolved to naturally stick to things or stick things together in a variety of ways.
In the Lab
Students will make and test different materials to see which is stronger. They will compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each substance performs.
Nature’s Perfect Packaging
Grades 3 – 5
3 hours, including a 30-minute lunch break
We are in the Plastician era, marked by an abundance of plastic waste. In this class, we will look to nature for lessons on how to package items without waste. Students will act as design engineers working to remove waste from a simple manufacturing process.
In the Field
Students will hike through the park searching for some of the packages that nature has designed, from seeds to shells to egg casings nature knows packaging.
In the Lab
Students will examine packaging form, function, and material as they act as design engineers working to remove waste from a manufacturing process.
All About Energy
Grade 3 – 5
4 hours, including a 30-minute lunch break
In this class, students will learn about the conservation of energy, Stamford’s first energy source, hydropower, and explore renewable energy sources such as solar.
In the Field
In the park, we will discuss other renewable energy sources and the pros and cons of the first energy source harnessed in Stamford, hydropower. First, students will see the site where Stamford’s first dam and grist mill once stood. Then, they will explore how hydropower is generated by designing, building, and testing water wheels in the river.
In the Lab
Students will do a fun activity to understand the conservation of energy and build a circuit using solar cells.
Winter Class Adaptation
During the winter months, the outdoor portion of our classes may be substituted for free skate time on the ice rink. Contact us for more details.