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The Park’s Educational staff offers a series of curriculum-based, ranger-led educational programs for kindergarten through eighth grade students. These programs are free and available Monday through Friday throughout the school year. They address the West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives.
In-School Programs
On-Site Programs
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IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMS
K-5th Grade Environmental Education Curriculum
This curriculum helps students understand the importance of caring for and protecting the natural history and cultural heritage of New River Gorge National River and the National Park System as a whole.
Available in: Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: K – 5th (offered as a school wide program with all grades participating)
Water We Can Live With (Water Resource Education Curriculum)
This curriculum is a six-unit program focusing on current and critical issues related to water quality within the New River Watershed with pre- and post-visit activities for each unit.
Available in: Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 6th – 8th (offered as an entire grade level program with all students participating)
Introduction to National Park
Students learn to recognize the National Park Service arrowhead and to understand the park ranger to be a person who cares about parks and who cares about them.
Available in: Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: K
Explore Your National Park
Students use their senses to explore and learn about things that are found in their National Park.
Available in: Greenbrier, Monroe, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: K
Habitats
Students learn that the area where a living thing finds food, water, and shelter is its habitat.
Available in: Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 1st
Adaptation, Tools for Survival
Students participate in several hands-on activities that help them to understand the special features that different animals have that helps each to survive.
Available in: Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 2nd
Natural Communities
Students explore what human and natural communities are, who lives in each and how they depend on each other.
Available in: Greenbrier, Monroe, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 2nd
Ecosystems
Students role play the parts of an ecosystem and how the living things interact with each other and with the non-living parts of the ecosystem.
Available in: Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 3rd
People Are Part of the Ecosystem
Students learn how people depend on the parts of an ecosystem to survive and how the ecosystem depends on people to protect it.
Available in: Greenbrier, Monroe, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 3rd
West Virginia Heritage
Students role play members of a family that once lived in the New River Gorge to learn past life ways.
Available in: Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 4th
Native Americans in the New River Gorge Region
Students learn some of the life ways of native peoples that lived in West Virginia.
Available in: Greenbrier, Monroe, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 4th
Early Settlers in the New River Gorge Region
Students become a pioneer family to learn how to survive as new settlers in the New River Gorge region.
Available in: Greenbrier, Monroe, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 4th
Responsible Action
Students discuss ways that they can take care of the world around them and learn that an individual can make a difference.
Available in: Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 5th
West Virginia Industrial Heritage
Students look at the early railroad, lumber, and coal mining industries of West Virginia to learn their importance to the New River Gorge area and development of the United States.
Available in: Greenbrier, Monroe, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 5th
National Parks
Students get involved in small group research to learn about a national park site and what is being protected at that site.
Available in: Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 5th
Geology - Rocks and Rivers
Students explore the types of rocks found in the New River Gorge and the rivers role in carving the landscape of today.
Available in: Fayette, Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 5th – 8th
Endangered Species in West Virginia
Students play a game and watch a video to help them see and understand the ways that species become endangered.
Available in: Greenbrier, Monroe, Raleigh & Summers counties
Grade Level: 4th – 6th
ON_SITE PROGRAMS
Habitats
Students join a park ranger in an exploration of animal habitats and learn that all plants and animals depend on their habitat for survival.
Available at: Burnwood, Canyon Rim, Glade Creek, Grandview, Sandstone Falls, and Thurmond
Grade Level: K – 3rd
Water Safety
Students learn that the New River is very powerful with many potential hazards and ways that they can enjoy the river is with safety and respect.
Available at: Burnwood, Canyon Rim, Glade Creek, Sandstone Falls, and Thurmond
Grade Level: 1st – 8th
Water Quality
Students acquire a basic understanding of water resources and learn about issues that threaten our water resources.
Available at: Burnwood, Canyon Rim, Glade Creek, Grandview, Sandstone Falls, and Thurmond
Grade Level: 2nd – 5th
Railroading
Students focus on the importance of the railroad to the New River Gorge and to the United States as a whole and that it brought changes... people, jobs, mines, and lumber camps to West Virginia.
Available at: Burnwood, Canyon Rim, Glade Creek, Grandview, and Thurmond
Grade Level: 4th – 6th
Logging
Students focus on the historic lumber industry of the New River Gorge and learn the impact of the logging industry on the local and national economy.
Available at: Glade Creek, and Grandview
Grade Level: 4th – 6th
Coal Mining
Students learn their connection to coal, what is coal, how coal is mined, and the uses of coal through hands-on activities with equipment, role playing, and discussion.
Available at: Burnwood, Canyon Rim, and Grandview
Grade Level: 4th – 6th
Geology - Rocks and Rivers
Students explore the types of rocks found in the New River Gorge and the rivers role in carving the landscape of today.
Available at: Burnwood, Canyon Rim, Grandview, Sandstone Falls, and Thurmond
Grade Level: 5th – 8th
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