The Nature Classroom is a wonderful outdoor learning experience, in an environment that exists nowhere else in Palm Beach County. Our programs are designed to meet the Next Generation Science Standards for kindergarten through grade 12. Each program combines exploration of the area, and age-appropriate hands-on activities and may include a tour of the environmental exhibits. Our goal is to instill an understanding of and appreciation for coastal southeast Florida’s plant and animal communities.
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is the only state park in Palm Beach County, an "island in time" preserving the lush and diverse subtropical coastal habitats that once covered southeast Florida. The Park is nestled on a barrier island, encompasses 438 acres, and includes mangrove fringed estuary, coastal hardwood forests, nearly two miles of beach and shallow near-shore reefs.
Fish Fun (K/1st Grade)
The children will explore the estuary as one of the habitats for fish, visit the nature center to examine the characteristics of fish utilizing our aquariums and participate in fun, hands-on activities about fish and fishing.
Over in the Ocean (2nd Grade)
The children will hike to the beach to explore this ecosystem, visit the nature center to learn how animals meet their needs in the ocean and participate in hands–on activities that involve measuring and observing components of the ocean.
Plants Plus (3rd Grade)
The children will hike our Satin Leaf trail to discover how the plant’s structures help them to survive in our coastal communities. The children will also participate in several activities focusing on plant identification.
Habits and Habitats (4th-5th Grade)
The children will hike through our coastal communities to compare and contrast the ecosystems using a variety of measurement tools.
Bird Basics (4th – 5th Grade)
The children will hike from the Estuary to the Beach to focusing on the diversity of the ecosystems and the adaptations of the birds in order for them to survive in these areas and participate in activities to learn about how birds compete for their resources.
Life in the Estuary (4th – 5th Grade)
The children will dip net in the Estuary and participate in other activities to discover the organisms living in this area and the role they play in the Estuary’s food web.
Turtle Hurdles (4th – 5th Grade)
The students will participate in activities about sea turtles focusing on how they survive in the ocean and explore the beach community that becomes their nesting ground. Beach
Exploration (6th Grade)
The children will explore the beach and dune community focusing on the natural processes of erosion, and deposition and participate in an activity about sudden changes to these communities by hurricanes.
Estuary Exploration (7th Grade)
The children will explore the estuary by seining, soil sifting collection and a mangrove walk to discover the organisms in this area, their role in the food web and the limiting factors that impact their populations.
Dune Dynamics (8th Grade)
The children will participate in a variety of activities to compare and contrast the plant communities in this coastal environment. Design Your Own Program (Middle and High School) Teachers can work directly with one of our rangers or park specialists to design a program specifically to meet the objectives of their science topic utilizing our wet/dry, multimedia lab and outdoor setting.
Design Your Own Program (Middle and High School)
Teachers can work directly with one of our rangers or park specialists to design a program specifically to meet the objectives of their science topic utilizing our wet/dry, multimedia lab and outdoor setting.
