Presentations and Walking Tours for Students
Freshkills Park staff provides free programs to schools across New York City that allow 3rd-12th grade students to expand their knowledge on the living evolution of Freshkills from a landfill to a park. These learning opportunities, including ecological implications, community outreach, design and the arts, are not only available in a classroom setting, but in an outdoor environment as well.
In-Class Presentation
A classroom visit is centered on an interactive presentation of the historical transformation of Freshkills Park. The in-class presentation promotes inquiry and dialogue between the student and the instructor. These classroom programs aim to serve as building blocks to environmental stewardship and resiliency.
Walking Tour/Park Planner Program
In spring and fall, walking tours provide students and their teachers with an early inside look at Freshkills Park, which is otherwise inaccessible to the public. During these tours, students learn about the role of a park planner, gaining a firsthand understanding of landfill engineering, ecology and future design plans for Freshkills Park. On site, students can visualize the magnitude and complexity of the landfill closure via the capping process actively taking place on the West Mound. They also encounter different species of plants and animals, and the varied ecological habitats within the 2,200 acres of Freshkills Park. The walking tour Park Planner program combines inquiry-based and experiential learning.
Your school can take part in the discovery of Freshkills Park through these free programs. Presentations can be scheduled Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between October and March, and walking tours are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10am-12pm in April, May, and October.
For more information about our school programs, visit Education + Lesson Plans. To schedule a trip and/or classroom visit for your students, please fill out our scheduling form: http://goo.gl/forms/jG3dTg1HSw.
