For Educators
Self Guided Plans
Duke Farms provides the opportunity for teachers to lead their students independently through the Farm Barn Orientation Gallery and outdoor habitats. Each self-guided lesson plan is correlated to State Standards.
Remember, admission is FREE for self-guided field trips however, we do have capacity limits and require registration in advance. To schedule your class field trip, submit the School Group Registration Form.
A Sensory Walk Through Habitats
PreK-K
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Observe and describe how natural habitats provide for the basic needs of plants and animals with respect to shelter, food, water, air, and light (e.g., dig outside in the soil to investigate the kinds of animal life that live in and around the ground).
What Habitat is That?
Grades 1-3
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Using Eco-Kits, Duke Farms Field Guide and associated lesson plan, instruction sheets and activity sheets, provided by Duke Farms, instructors will guide students to three types of habitats where students will learn the type of habitat and the type of animals that can be found in that habitat.
We All Need Something
Grades 4-5
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Students will identify the needs of a species and determine if an area is a suitable habitat for the species. Students will be able to identify the needs of an organism, identify if those needs are met within a natural area, and understand the impact on an organism when a habitat changes.
Exploring Nature Mathematically
Grades 6-7
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Students will use a variety of math skills in real-world applications while exploring the natural environment of Duke Farms.
Plant and Animal Relationships
Grades 6-8
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Students will be able to define the following plant and plant/animal relationships: mutualism, commensalism, predation and parasitism and find examples in the field. Students will be able to describe 4 different relationships that occur between plants and animals and generate hypotheses about plant and animal relationships.
Exploring Nature Through Three Literary Genres (Short Story, Novel, Poems)
Grades 6-8
Developed by Susan Pomerantz, Eastern High School, Voorhees, NJ
Goal: Students will be able to actively read a short story, a short novel, and two poems in preparation for a creative writing field trip. At Duke Farms, students will observe and draw inferences about the natural world as inspiration for fiction and poetry in a living laboratory.
Winter Ecology Hike
Grades 6-12
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: While on a winter hike through Duke Farms, students will be able to identify adaptations of plants and animals that allow them to survive Central New Jersey’s winter climate.
Sustainability Scavenger Hunt
Grades 6-12
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Using clues from the worksheet, students will be able to identify the various sustainable elements around Duke Farms and make connections to their own homes and schools.
Who Can Live Here?
Grades 9-12
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Students will be able to locate habitat elements of a specific site. Using species information provided, students will be able to identify the fitness of a habitat for a specific species.
Ecological Scavenger Hunt
Grades 9-12
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Using clues from the worksheet, students will be able to identify the various ecological impacts of humans, invasive species as well as identify ecological systems in balance and out of balance.
Field Botany
Grades 9-12
Developed by Duke Farms Foundation
Goal: Using the information provided as well as the grounds of Duke Farms, students will be able to identify specific plant species, adaptations and habitats and assess forest health.
Poetry In Nature
Grades 11-12
Developed by Susan Pomerantz, Eastern High School, Voorhees, NJ
Goal: Students will be able to interpret sound devices, meter, form, figurative language devices, tone, theme, and purpose of nature poems in a nature setting.
Evaluating Informational Text (Invasive Plant Species)
Grades 11-12
Developed by Susan Pomerantz, Eastern High School, Voorhees, NJ
Goal: Students will be able to actively read complex informational text, evaluate arguments written about a contemporary issue (invasive plant species), and observe environments in various states of restoration at Duke Farms.