In-Person Program List
Select the Hudson River experience that connects and enhances your classroom curriculum. Each program can be modified to meet the specific needs of your students. Programs accommodate up to a maximum of 30 students. Advance registration is required.
Catch of the Day: Seining
$525
All ages!
2 hours
Explore the biodiversity of the Hudson River by dragging a 30-foot seine net through the water to catch fish and other remarkable estuarine animals. Students keep a tally of our catch and draw conclusions by graphing the total outcomes. We provide chest waders to help keep students dry. While waiting their turn at seining, students embark on a marsh scavenger hunt to see how many Hudson River artifacts they can find.
Please note, this program is conducted April–October.
Animal Adaptations
$300
Grades 1–5
1 hour
How do fish swim? How do birds fly? Students discover the unique adaptations of various fish, birds, reptiles and invertebrates that inhabit the Hudson River watershed. Participants will view real life adaptations using our resident turtles, fish and other species.
Hudson River Start to Finish
$300
Grades 3–5
1 hour
Students learn about Hudson River geography, estuaries, watersheds, tides, wetlands, and pollution, through demonstrations using a one-of-a-kind Hudson River Estuary Model. A Hudson River floor puzzle is included in the lesson.
Peek at Plankton
$375
Grades 3–6
1.5 hours
Plankton is not just a cartoon character! Enter the fascinating world of aquatic phytoplankton (plant-like plankton) and zooplankton (animal plankton) beginning with their role in food chains. Students toss a plankton net into the river to collect live specimens. They then learn observation and identification techniques using microscopes and reference guides.
Wetland Wonders
$375
Grades 3–6
1.5 hours
Explore our tidal marsh and uncover the secrets of this delicate system. Students work in teams learning about marsh zones, tides, and plants. In groups, students embark on a scavenger hunt (chaperone guided), a filtration experiment, and a sediment analysis..
Please note: this program follows the tides and is conducted April – October
Water Cleanup
$375
Grades 3–8
1.5 hours
In this fun, messy activity, students compete in groups to see which team can make the best economic and procedural decisions to best clean “pollution” from a dirty water sample (made with food coloring, vegetable oil and dirt).
Fish Identification
$300
Grades 4–8
1 hour
How can you tell a striped bass from a white perch? Exploring fish from the center’s aquaria, students will use a dichotomous key to identify various Hudson River fish species with an emphasis on form and function, external anatomy, as well as both physical and behavioral adaptations.
Hudson River Water Chemistry
$375
Grades 7–12
1.5 hours
Students get an introduction to water quality in the estuary and then collect water samples to measure physical and chemical parameters. Interactive demonstrations and data analysis help students understand the dynamic roles of each parameter in the Hudson. The data is compared to real-time data from other Hudson River monitoring systems.
One Day, Two Hudson River Experiences
Are you interested in also visiting our neighbors at the Science Barge, for one-day, two Hudson River experiences? Book a program with both of us on the same day and receive a $50 discount per program!
Both of these programs will provide students with a cohesive understanding and excitement for the mighty Hudson River. See flyer for details about programming options.
Booking your program
If you have any questions, please contact our Director of Education at cedsall@sarahlawrence.edu.