Grand Teton National Park
Turn Grand Teton National Park into your classroom! We offer programs year-round including field trips with hands-on exploration, rangers visiting your classroom with park resources, or even opportunities to connect to rangers digitally. Topics range from “taking a walk on the wild side” with ecology, “rocking the Tetons” with geology, or learning that "every snowflake counts" from rangers sitting at a desk made of snow. If you don't see a program here that meets your needs, please contact park educators to explore options for a customized program.
Megan KohliGRTE_Education@nps.gov
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| Who | Park rangers (GRTE_Education@nps.gov) |
| What | Field trips and classroom visits about ecology, geology, history, ranger careers, and outdoor leadership |
| When | All year |
| Where | In your national park or your classroom |
| Why | Because learning sticks when you experience the real thing! |
Available Programs
Wolf Town Hall Classroom Visit
Students explore contrasting perspectives about wolf and wildlife management through mock town hall meetings. Cross-cutting Concept: Wolves are controversial in the valley of Jackson Hole, and beyond. There are many different stakeholder interests; finding a middle ground is challenging. Vocabulary: Fact vs. Myth, Mediator/Facilitator, stakeholders, controversy
Standards:- MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- MS-LS2-5 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Bison, Tribes, and Symbols Classroom Visit
Learn about the various uses of Bison and their importance to local tribes through hands-on activities. Cross-cutting Concept: Native American tribes have had connections to the Tetons for over 11,000 years and still do today. Tribes are diverse and every tribe has its own traditions, culture, languages, symbols, beliefs, and relationships to the environment. Bison […]
Standards:- 3-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
- 4-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
- 4-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity
- 5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
- MS-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
- MS-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity
- MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity
Eco-Teambuilding Field Trip
Learning about how relationships form ecological communities and connecting them to familiar relationships in human communities. Cross-cutting Concept: For those living with limited access to National Parks and natural areas, thinking of community seldom includes the natural communities intertwined with our human communities. Through learning about how relationships form ecological communities and connecting them to […]
Standards:- 5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
- MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity
- MS-ETS1-1 Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
- MS-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- MS-LS2-2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Surviving & Thriving Field Trip
Explore human history and technologies by discovering how different communities survived in Grand Teton. During this field trip students will either visit Mormon Row or Menor’s Ferry. Cross-cutting Concept: Indigenous people and homesteaders relied on community to survive and thrive here. Indigenous peoples relied on human and non-human community to thrive in this landscape, and […]
Standards:- 2-LS4-1 Biological Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- 5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
Weather Wonders Snow Science Field Trip
Using scientific inquiry and tools to gather data, students learn about how abiotic factors (i.e. snow) influence biotic organisms (i.e. wildlife). Shovels and snowshoes provided! Students will also learn how animals have developed specific adaptations in order to survive the harsh winters of this ecosystem. Cross-cutting Concept: A system can be described in terms of […]
Standards:- 4-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
- 4-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
- 4-LS1-2 From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
- MS-ESS2-2 Earth’s System
- MS-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
- MS-PS1-2 Matter and Its Interactions
- MS-PS1-3 Matter and Its Interactions
Seasons & Wildlife Field Trip
Students use inquiry, outdoor exploration, and observation of scientific resources such as animal furs and antlers to understand animal adaptations. Students will learn about how animals change how they move, what they wear, and what they eat in each season. Depending on the time of year, there can also be the opportunity for a hike […]
Standards:- K-ESS2-1 Earth’s Systems
- K-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
- K-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity
- K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
Rock the Tetons Field Trip
Students explore rocks, landscapes, and maps to find evidence of erosion and uplift that made the Teton range. This field trip is designed for Grade 4 but can be adapted for Grades 2-7. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Things may change slowly or rapidly. Patterns can be used as evidence to support an explanation. Cause and effect […]
Standards:- 2-ESS1-1 Earth’s Place in the Universe
- 4-ESS1-1 Earth’s Place in the Universe
- 4-ESS2-1 Earth’s Systems
- 4-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
Distance Learning: Snow Desk!
The park offers three programs from Snow Desk, each tailored to certain grade levels. All of these programs will be broadcast to you live, via Zoom, Teams or Google Hangout, from a desk made of snow at the base of the Teton Range. No matter the topic, it will be an amazing setting and a […]
Standards:- 2-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
- 2-ESS2-3 Earth’s Systems
- 2-LS4-1 Biological Unity and Diversity
- 3-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
- 3-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- 3-LS4-1 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-2 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-3 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 4-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
- 5-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
- K-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
- K-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
- K-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity
- K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
Earth History Classroom Visit
Students learn about what geologists study, learn about local rocks and rock types in an interactive rock lab, and re-create the Teton mountain range and glaciation process with a hands-on model. This program is offered in two versions, 1st-3rd grade and 4th-6th grade. 1st-3rd Grade Option: By the end of the program students should understand […]
Standards:- 2-ESS1-1 Earth’s Place in the Universe
- 3-LS3-2 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
- 3-LS4-1 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 3-LS4-4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
- 4-ESS1-1 Earth’s Place in the Universe
- 4-ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems
- MS-LS1-5 From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
- MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
- MS-LS4-1 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Winter Challenge Field Trip
Students use their own observations to understand animal behaviors and adaptations while snowshoeing in the footprints of GTNP wildlife. Students will compare and contrast wildlife and human “adaptations” to winter. Students will create their own imaginary winter animal and present it to the class. Snowshoes can be provided. Cross Disciplinary Concepts: The shape and stability […]
Standards:- 1-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
- 2-ESS2-3 Earth’s Systems
- 2-LS4-1 Biological Unity and Diversity
- 2-PS1-3 Matter and Its Interactions
- K-2-ETS1-2 Engineering, Technology, & Applications of Science