Nature's Classroom Programs

Nature’s Classroom believes that success in education requires experiential education as well as traditional classroom instruction and a mixture of both provides an effective way to reach all students. Every activity at Nature’s Classroom is designed to connect participants to what they are learning by providing hands-on experiences for each of the subjects being taught.

Program Components

The Nature’s Classroom Program Director works with each group’s trip organizer to help design a program to best fit the needs and goals of the group. While the schedule and specific activity choices are customized for each group, Nature’s Classroom’s program consists of various combinations of the following program components: Field Group, Classes, Large Group Activities, Evening Activities, and some groups also choose to add one or more Adventure Options.

Field Groups

Field Groups are an important part of every program and are a participant’s core small group during their time at Nature’s Classroom. Field Groups consist of up to 16 students, an adult chaperone, and a Nature’s Classroom teacher. Field Groups hike together, dine together, participate in team-building activities together, and some evening/large group activities also take place in Field Groups.

dedicated support

Classes

Classes are structured activities lasting between 60 and 100 minutes that cover a variety of academic areas. The trip organizer chooses the specific classes to be offered to the group. Nature’s Classroom Atop Lookout Mountain has a curriculum made up of 25 classes, which can be based on science, animals, outdoor skills and more.

Accredited facility

Large Group Activities

Large Group Activities provide an opportunity for shared experiences in bigger groups; this can mean multiple Field Groups working together or the whole group participating together. In addition to the Evening Activities that can double as Large Group Activities, other options for Large Group Activities include: Survival in the Woods, Scavenger Hunt, and International Meal.

experiential approach

Evening Activities

For multi-day programs, Evening Activities are often participants’ favorite parts of the program. Some activities most often utilized as Evening Activities can also be conducted during the day, such as: Night Live, Science Fair, Invention Convention, and Environmental Hearing. Weather permitting, every evening at Nature’s Classroom finishes with a Reflection story and a snack around the campfire.

experiential approach

Adventure Options

Some groups choose to add one or more of Nature’s Classroom’s optional adventure activities. These activities provide a great opportunity for participants to challenge themselves and gain a sense of personal accomplishment and growth. All challenge activities at Nature’s Classroom operate under Challenge By Choice ethics, which emphasize participants setting their own goals, choosing their own level of challenge, and creating an atmosphere in which everyone feels comfortable pushing themselves to do their best!

Program Schedules

The different Nature’s Classroom program components are combined in various sequences to create a customized schedule for each group. Therefore, every program schedule is different and can vary greatly based on the length of the program and the specific activities selected. Nature’s Classroom was originally designed as a 5-day program, however we understand that not all groups can attend a full week. Below are links to basic sample schedules for 1 to 5 day programs. What is not reflected in the samples are the optional Adventure and Large Group Activities, which (if chosen) would take the place of a Class or Field Group.

Day 1

  • 10:00 – Arrival of Group/Welcome Circle
  • 10:30 – Cabin Talks/Move-In
  • 11:30 – Intro to Field Group
  • 12:00 – Lunch
  • 1:00 – Field Group
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 5:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:00 – Dinner
  • 7:00 – Evening Program
  • 8:45 – Campfire/Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 2

  • 7:15 – Wake Up/Clean Up
  • 7:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Field Group
  • 12:15 – Meal Preparation
  • 12:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 – Class
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 5:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:00 – Dinner
  • 7:00 – Evening Program
  • 8:30 – Campfire/S’mores
  • 8:45 – Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 3

  • 7:15 – Wake Up/Clean Up
  • 7:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Field Group
  • 12:15 – Meal Preparation
  • 12:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 – Class
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 6:00 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:15 – Dinner
  • 7:15 – Evening Program
  • 8:45 – Campfire/Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 4

  • 7:15 – Wake Up/Clean Up
  • 7:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Field Group
  • 12:15 – Meal Preparation
  • 12:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 – Class
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 5:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:00 – Dinner
  • 7:00 – Evening Program
  • 8:30 – Campfire/S’mores
  • 8:45 – Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 5

  • 6:45 – Wake Up/Pack Up
  • Move Luggage
  • Clean Cabins
  • 7:45 – Cabin Inspection
  • Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Class
  • 10:30 – Field Group
  • 11:30 – Evaluations
  • 12:00 – Lunch
  • 1:00 – Gift Shop
  • 1:15 – Load Buses
  • 1:30 – Departure of Group

Day 1

  • 10:00 – Arrival of Group/Welcome Circle
  • 10:30 – Cabin Talks/Move-In
  • 11:30 – Intro to Field Group
  • 12:00 – Lunch
  • 1:00 – Field Group
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 5:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:00 – Dinner
  • 7:00 – Evening Program
  • 8:45 – Campfire/Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 2

  • 7:15 – Wake Up/Clean Up
  • 7:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Field Group
  • 12:15 – Meal Preparation
  • 12:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 – Class
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 5:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:00 – Dinner
  • 7:00 – Evening Program
  • 8:30 – Campfire/S’mores
  • 8:45 – Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 3

  • 7:15 – Wake Up/Clean Up
  • 7:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Field Group
  • 12:15 – Meal Preparation
  • 12:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 – Class
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 6:00 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:15 – Dinner
  • 7:15 – Evening Program
  • 8:45 – Campfire/Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 4

  • 6:45 – Wake Up/Pack Up
  • Move Luggage
  • Clean Cabins
  • 7:45 – Cabin Inspection
  • Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Class
  • 10:30 – Field Group
  • 11:30 – Evaluations
  • 12:00 – Lunch
  • 1:00 – Gift Shop
  • 1:15 – Load Buses
  • 1:30 – Departure of Group

Day 1

  • 10:00 – Arrival of Group/Welcome Circle
  • 10:30 – Cabin Talks/Move-In
  • 11:30 – Intro to Field Group
  • 12:00 – Lunch
  • 1:00 – Field Group
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 5:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:00 – Dinner
  • 7:00 – Evening Program
  • 8:45 – Campfire/Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 2

  • 7:15 – Wake Up/Clean Up
  • 7:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Field Group
  • 12:15 – Meal Preparation
  • 12:30 – Lunch
  • 1:30 – Class
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 5:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:00 – Dinner
  • 7:00 – Evening Program
  • 8:30 – Campfire/S’mores
  • 8:45 – Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 3

  • 6:45 – Wake Up/Pack Up
  • Move Luggage
  • Clean Cabins
  • 7:45 – Cabin Inspection
  • Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Class
  • 10:30 – Field Group
  • 11:30 – Evaluations
  • 12:00 – Lunch
  • 1:00 – Gift Shop
  • 1:15 – Load Buses
  • 1:30 – Departure of Group

Day 1

  • 10:00 – Arrival of Group/Welcome Circle
  • 10:30 – Cabin Talks/Move-In
  • 11:30 – Intro to Field Group
  • 12:00 – Lunch
  • 1:00 – Field Group
  • 3:00 – Snack Shop
  • 3:30 – Class
  • 5:00 – Rest and Recreation
  • 5:45 – Meal Preparation
  • 6:00 – Dinner
  • 7:00 – Evening Program
  • 8:45 – Campfire/Reflection
  • 9:00 – Tap Out: Good Night

Day 2

  • 6:45 – Wake Up/Pack Up
  • Move Luggage
  • Clean Cabins
  • 7:45 – Cabin Inspection
  • Meal Preparation
  • 8:00 – Breakfast
  • 9:00 – Class
  • 10:30 – Field Group
  • 11:30 – Evaluations
  • 12:00 – Lunch
  • 1:00 – Gift Shop
  • 1:15 – Load Buses
  • 1:30 – Departure of Group

With flexible arrival and departure times, one-day programs can last from four to eight hours and each group’s schedule is customized based on the needs and goals of the group. The base price for a one-day program starts at only $45. This base price includes activity supplies and instruction for all basic programming options (it does not include meals, adventure options, or gift/snack shop items).

Nature’s Classroom can provide hot meals to one-day programs for a fee of $10 per person, per meal. Adventure program options can also be added for a fee of $10 per person, per event. For every 12 paying students, one adult (teacher, parent, or other chaperone) may attend free of charge. Additional adults may attend, but will be charged the same rate as students. Fees for meals and Adventure Options are calculated on a per person basis, but meal and Adventure Option fees are applied to all paying participants (students and adults) and are not available on an individual basis.

One-Day Program $45
(bring your own lunch)

  • 9:00 – Arrival of Group
  • 9:30 – Field Group / Teambuilding
  • 10:00 – Class
  • 11:30 – Field Group Hike with packed lunch
  • 2:30 – Class
  • 4:00 – Gift Shop
  • 4:15 – Restrooms / Load Buses
  • 4:30 – Departure

One-Day Program $55
(hot lunch provided)

  • 9:00 – Arrival of Group
  • 9:30 Field Group / Teambuilding
  • 10:00 Field Group Hike
  • 12:00 – Lunch (in dining hall)
  • 1:00 – Class
  • 2:30 – Class
  • 4:00 – Gift Shop
  • 4:15 – Restrooms / Load Buses
  • 4:30 Departure