Group Programs

Harris Lake County Park

Environmental Education

Outreach and On-Site Program Topics

Harris Lake offers a variety of environmental education programs for public and private schools, organized groups and the general public. The following list of programs are designed to accommodate a variety of age groups and curriculum. Programs given on-site are charged at an hourly rate of $25/per program hour and staff required. Outreach programs are charged at an hourly rate of $30/per program hour and additional staff required. Program group size is limited to 30 per group/per staff. Please allow the full amount of time stated with each program to give the students all of the needed information. Adjustments and variation can be created from any of these existing programs, too. Some of the programs work better with small groups. Some programs may only be offered during certain times, months or seasons during a year. If you have questions about a program topic that is not listed, please ask our staff – we may be able to accommodate your group. All programs are based on current scientific knowledge and are specific to the piedmont of North Carolina. We do not teach subjects related to other geographic regions. Please allow at least two weeks in advance to schedule a program for your particular group. Call 919-387-4344 or e-mail acorbally@wakegov.com to schedule a possible date, time and topic that may accommodate your programming needs.

Animal Trackers
3rd grade – 5th grade
Students will learn about animal tracks and other signs easy to identify in the woods. Students will learn about where these critters frequently go, how to find tracks, and how to determine if the animal is a carnivore or herbivore by studying several animal skulls. Finally, they get to make their own animal track out of Plaster of Paris. 1.5 hour to 2 hours.

This program costs $50 and is limited to 20 kids due to the extensive preparation and cleanup. If track making is not preferred, the program lasts 45 minutes and costs $25.

Aquatic Adventure
3rd grade +
(Program offered only at Harris Lake County Park)
Let's get wet!  Learn about life within the water by using a variety of hands-on techniques. This program will focus on aquatic insects, mammals, and plants. Dip nets, viewing cans and buckets will be used to collect specimens to observe and learn about.  1 hour

Birding Buddies
1st grade – 4th grade
Students will learn what makes a bird different from other animals. They will also learn some basic bird-watching techniques that will give kids a chance to discover some of North Carolina's common birds, some of the special treats they like to eat and where they like to sleep.  There will also be ways for them to learn how to make their backyard a bird haven, while making some delicious treats for the birds. 1 hour

Build A Beaver
Kindergarten – 4th grade
Students learn about animal adaptations, namely beavers. A volunteer will be dressed up with imitated parts of a beaver, which provides a visual of these adaptations.  Slides may be included for older grades. 45 minutes

Composting and Recycling
5th grade – 7th grade
Adding your share to the landfill? There are many benefits to composting and recycling. Discover better ways to dispose of "trash."  Kids will also take a closer look at some of nature's little decomposers (earthworms). Students will also get hands-on experience with vermicomposting. 1 hour

Doe-A-Deer
1st – 4th grade
Students learn about deer behavior, habitat, history, etc. They will study a deer skull, antlers and charts/pictures of deer populations. After learning about deer facts, they will play the Oh Deer! game (about deer mortality in North Carolina) from Project WILD. 1 hour

Evening Adventure
Any Age
Learn about some of the nocturnal critters that venture out when the park visitors go home!  Seasonal animals will be discussed – owls, bats, deer and beavers! These critters have special characteristics that help them live, hunt and survive in a world of darkness!  A night hike will be a part of this adventure! 1 hour

Flower Power
3rd grade – 7th grade
Students learn about flower parts, the importance of flowers, pollinators and local flora. A nature walk around the school follows the lesson. 1 hour

Insect Investigation
Kindergarten – 4th grade
Learn what makes an insect an insect. Kids will learn about insect characteristics, like number of body parts, how they communicate, and their survival adaptations. They will also discover how insects play an important role in an ecosystem and have exposure to some common insects they may come in contact with in the piedmont area. 1 hour

5th grade +
These older students will be exposed to the above information written for the Kindergarten – 4th graders, but they will reach further into the world of insects.  Students will be exposed to insect scientific orders, which will cover similarities and differences among insect families. They will also learn about insect metamorphosis and the economic impacts of some of the insects in the piedmont area. 1 hour 

Little Sprout
Kindergarten – 3rd grade
Students will learn about seeds through a role play describing the alikeness of a well-packed traveler to a seed. Students will also dissect a lima bean, then plant a seed to take home. Discover what a seed needs to grow into a healthy mature plant.  45 minutes

Plant Providers
3rd grade +
Learn to propagate plants effectively. Many questions will be answered, such as: How and when do you store seeds, when is the best planting time, and what does each flower need to survive? They will also learn how to plant, transplant and grow plants around their homes. 1 hour

Sniffing Out A Trail
5th grade +
Students will learn that critters highly depend on their sense of smell in order to find food, mates, escape danger, establish territories and find safe breeding grounds. The students are assigned a certain smell in which they will sniff out a trail of clues that describe an animal's habitat, diet, appearance and special features. After they have found all the clues that have their smell, they will try to guess what animal they have. 1 hour

This Bud's for You
3rd grade +
Discover the many uses and facts of trees while learning about their life cycle. Kids will be able to identify some common trees by examining certain tree characteristics, such as leaf shape, bud color and shape, bark texture and type of fruit. (This program is only offered during the winter months – January, February and March – if you want to focus on twig and bud identification.) 1 hour

Tree Identification
5th grade +
Learn to identify some of North Carolina's common trees by their leaves and bark. This program can be offered during the winter, but the students will learn how to identify trees by their twigs and buds.

Students will also learn some interesting tree facts, such as medicinal uses, wildlife foods, human uses and toxicity. 1 hour

What about Watersheds?
3rd grade – 6th grade
Learn about what a watershed is and how it plays an important role in water quality. Students will be able to predict and follow the flow of water as it travels through a watershed and empties into a lake or other water source. If program is at Harris Lake, then students can determine the flow of water on its watershed by discovering the pattern, shape or other forms of direction that divert or allow the free flow of water into its lake. Activities will show the different land uses on a watershed that affect what goes into a lake and ultimately affect the lake's water quality. Erosion factors/issues and river basins will also play a part in this program. 1 hour

Wildflowers of North Carolina
6th grade +
In mid-March to September, take a guided tour of Harris Lake County Park in search of wildflowers.

Learn the differences between native and naturalized while discussing the goods and bads of planting non-natives. Decision-making will play a part for students to decide what they will plant in their backyards. Students will also have exposure to plant families, which will cover some of the similarities and differences between flowers. 1 hour

Wildlife Survival
2nd grade +
Study the different techniques that animals use to avoid being eaten. Learn the limiting factors of wildlife populations through a game about the life of a deer. A large room or playing field is needed.

Learning about specific animal characteristics will help explain how some animals survive in a world of predators, habitat destruction and deforestation. We will discuss and look at such animals as the White- tailed Deer, Beaver, Barred Owl, Five-lined Skink and the American Toad. 1 hour