Discover learning through adventure with Chandler’s Exploration Field Trips. Designed to inspire kids (and adults) to let their imagination and curiosity lead them on daily exploration, the field trips offer grade-specific, hands-on learning activities focused on sustainability, the Sonoran Desert, and the natural world around us.
Learning Through Adventure
Outdoor learning isn’t a subject or topic; it’s a way of teaching. Each month, Instructors transform the Chandler Nature Center into a laboratory, workshop, and field research center, all in the spirit of playful learning. The curriculum is designed to complement educators’ lesson plans while providing an interactive learning environment that’s adaptable to all learning styles.
Educators can use the monthly field trips to jump-start their students' critical thinking or dip into the program’s ever-growing collection of topics for content that relates to specific themes and student interests. Students connect and further their education using inquiry-based activities, investigations, and experiments on-site through applications found inside the recreation center and throughout Veterans Oasis Park.
With multi-disciplinary content that purposefully aligns to academic standards set to meet the Next Generation Science Standards; the Exploration Field Trips have earned a place in the K-8 curriculum, in classrooms, and at home.
Start your students’ adventure.
Explore Field Trip Themes
All programs are able to be scaled up or down depending on group needs.
Earth Day Everyday
It’s easy being green! In pursuit of all things green, enjoy a fun-filled day of learning to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. This lesson focuses on recycling and protecting Earth’s natural resources.
Entomology
Be an entomologist for a day by studying how insects benefit the environment and to humans. Students will bug out as they explore the life cycle of insects.
Growing with Gardens
Dig in and explore your garden senses with hands-on experiments and demonstrations that cover the art, science, and nourishment that gardens provide us.
Solar System
This shining program introduces stargazers to astronomy and familiarizes them with the sun, planets, and constellations.
Sound and Light
Explore the properties of Sound and Light through hands-on activities and experiments. Concepts of reflection, refraction, sound vibration, and more will be experienced practically by the students in this program.
Tracks and Scat
Even though wildlife lives around us, we don’t often see animals. Students will put their investigative skills to work as they measure and identify tracks, scat, and other evidence of wildlife to uncover the animals behind the mystery.
Aquatic Ecosystem
Dive into an aquatic adventure and explore marine ecosystems, fresh water ecosystems, and everything in between. Get hands-on with water testing experiments and discover the interconnectedness between water quality and aquatic life.
Characteristics of the Sonoran Desert
Make it a desert discovery day and learn the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. Explorers will identify plants and animals to determine how they connect with one another and understand their adaptations.
Engineering
Enjoy mind-blowing hands-on STEM concepts and explore the world of engineering. Gear up to identify problems, imagine solutions, construct designs, and celebrate successes.
Matter and Energy
Students will explore energy and matter conversions, electrochemical reactions, and investigate the properties of elements and molecules through hands-on activities.
Plants, Pollen, and Pollinizers
Budding Botanists will learn the basic structure and functions of plants, what a pollinator and pollinizer are, and how important they are to our daily lives.
Rock Cycle
Through hands-on activities, students will understand how rocks are formed and how they change over time. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the rock cycle through an interactive game and be able to identify various rocks and minerals.
Water Cycle
Students will journey through the water cycle as a molecule of water, learn about watersheds, and understand the importance of water conservation.
Weather
Future meteorologists will cast their own weather predictions using weather measuring instruments, perform hands-on weather experiments, and understand the difference between weather and climate.
Coding
Without the use of computers, learn basic coding concepts, sequences, logic, and variable loops through a gamified experience, making coding your student’s second language.
Hydrology
Students will create and study their own watershed to assess potential pollution sources, test water, and discuss current water conservation habits.
Natural Phenomenon
Students will investigate the natural phenomena of electricity, magnetism, gravity, and electromagnetism through hands-on activities and experiments.
Photosynthesis
Shine light on how plants make food. Take a journey inside a leaf, learning all about photosynthesis and how it is essential for all life on Earth.
Renewable Resources
Through demonstrations, students will learn what energy is and its different forms consider the impact of human energy use, and innovate ways to conserve and use resources sustainably.
Weather Phenomenon
Students will conduct experiments that demonstrate how weather is driven and how temperatures differ from polar to tropical regions of the earth.
Program times range from one hour to two hours in length depending on the size of the group.
| Number of Students | Time Requirement | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1-30 | 1 hour | Resident: $65 Non-resident: $88 |
| 31-60 | 1 1/2 hours | Resident: $169 Non-resident: $229 |
| 61-90 | 2 hours | Resident: $283 Non-resident: $383 |
- Teachers and chaperones are free.
- Field Trip Fees are paid to the “City of Chandler.”
- All payments must be paid 48 hours prior to event.
- Refunds will be provided if cancellations are made 48 hours before the event. Less than 48 hours notice will result in a 50% refund.
- To learn more or to request a reservation for your school or group, please contact Cadia Hernandez at 480-782-2894.
Exploration Crate
A “science lab in a box” Exploration Crate combines science and art to make STEAM-based learning fun and accessible for K-8 students. Unbox a world of discovery as you explore a wide range of new topics such as geology, astronomy, chemistry, physics, and more. Each crate includes three inspiring safety-tested and kid-approved experiments that spark creativity and cultivate respect for the environment. All materials plus easy step-by-step instructions are included. Hands-on and fun, Exploration Crate is a great way to introduce kids to a variety of scientific topics that connect to the world around them.
Crates are suitable for classroom and homeschool learning. Each kit includes one teacher box; containing three experiments and one grand finale experiment; and ten student boxes; containing three experiments each. Available for pick-up at the Chandler Nature Center or delivery upon request.
Select one theme:
- Aquatic Ecosystems
- Light and Sound
- Matter and Engery
- Recyclec Rock Cycle
- Solar System
- Weather
Resident kit fee: $38 | Non-resident kit fee: $52
- For large orders please allow five business days to process.
- Individual themed boxes are available for sale in the Owl's Nest Nature Store at the Chandler Nature Center.