Palmyra Cove Nature Park (PCNP) is a 250-acre urban oasis along a highly developed area on the Delaware River. Habitats include wetlands, woodlands, meadows, wild creek and river shoreline, and a freshwater Tidal Cove after which the park is named.
The Institute for Earth Observations at Palmyra Cove is a STEM educational initiative for students and teachers that studies Planet Earth. This is a unique and engaging facility where experiences can be shared…and innovative collaboration begins!

VIEW ALL (K-12) PROGRAMS

NATURE PARK PROGRAMS

Grades: K-2

2-Hour Program:

Students will take a guided hike and observe the seasonal changes around the park. The students will learn about the ecology of the park by identifying various fauna and flora, exploring various habitats, and making cloud observations. Students will participate in a predator-prey demonstration. Students will also participate in a seining activity where they will learn about the history of the Delaware River, its importance to humans and wildlife, and what species live in it.

Fee: $10/student

Main Activities Include: Observation Hike (including GLOBE Cloud Fun), Seining in the Delaware

Choice of: Eaters and Eaten, Bat and Moth

Grades: 3-8

2-Hour Program

Students will take a guided hike and observe the seasonal change around the park. The students will learn about the park’s ecosystems by identifying various fauna and flora, exploring forests and wetlands, and making cloud observations. Students will also participate in a seining activity where they will learn about the history of the Delaware River, its importance to humans and wildlife and what species live in it.

Fee: $10/student

Main Activities Include: Observation Hike (Including GLOBE Cloud Fun), Seining in the Delaware

Choice of: How Many Bears?, Map Game, Make Your Own Watershed or GLOBE Water Wonders

4-Hour Program

Students will take an extended guided hike and observe the seasonal changes around the park. The students will learn about the park’s ecosystems by identifying various fauna and flora, exploring forests and wetlands, and making cloud observations. Students will participate in a seining activity where they will learn about the history of the Delaware River, its importance to humans and wildlife, and what species live in it. Students will also have the opportunity to make discoveries using microscopes and pond water.

Fee: $12/student

Main Activities Include: Observation Hike (including GLOBE Cloud Fun), Seining in the Delaware, GLOBE Water Wonders

Choice of (pick 2): Map Game, How Many Bears?, Make Your Own Watershed


NATURE PARK AND EARTH SySTEM PROGRAMS

Grades: 2-3

2-Hour Program

Students will take a guided hike and observe the seasonal changes around the park. The students will learn about the park’s ecosystems by identifying various fauna and flora, exploring forests and wetlands, and making cloud observations. Inside a STARLAB planetarium, students will learn about some popular constellations and stars, the reason for the seasons, and climate and the local environment. Students could either build a rocket or investigate satellites and how they are used to monitor our planet’s health.

Fee: $12/student

Main Activities Include: Observation Hike (including GLOBE Cloud Fun), STARLAB presentation

Choice of: Build Your Own Rocket, GOES-POES

Grades: 4-8

2-Hour Program

Students will take a guided hike and observe the seasonal changes around the park. The students will learn about the  park’s ecosystems by identifying various fauna and flora, exploring forests and wetlands, and making cloud observations. Inside a STARLAB planetarium, students will learn about some popular constellations and stars, the reason for the seasons, and climate and the local environment. Students could either: be introduced to environmental satellite sensors and then challenged to design a sensor for a particular earth observing mission, investigate satellites and how they are used to monitor our planet’s health, or build a rocket.

Fee: $12/student

Main Activities Include: Observation Hike (including GLOBE Cloud Fun), STARLAB Presentation

Choice of: Build Your Own Satellite Sensor, GOES-POES, Build Your Own Rocket

4-Hour Program

Students will take an extended guided hike and observe the seasonal changes around the park. The students will learn about the park’s ecosystems by identifying various fauna and flora, exploring forests and wetlands, and making cloud observations. Students will learn about the Delaware River watershed and create a topographic model. Inside a STARLAB planetarium, students will learn about some popular constellations and stars, the reason for the seasons, and climate and the local environment. Students will explore Earth from an orbiting virtual space station. Students could either investigate satellites and how they are used to monitor our planet’s health, be introduced to environmental satellite sensors and then challenged to design a sensor for a particular earth observing mission, or build a rocket.

Fee: $14/student

Main Activities Include: Observation Hike (including GLOBE Cloud Fun), Make Your Own Watershed, STARLAB Presentation, Exploring Earth in Virtual Reality

Choice of: GOES-POES, Build Your Own Satellite Sensor, Build Your Own Rocket


EARTH SySTEM PROGRAM WITH DATA VISUALIZATION LABS

Grades: 6-8

2-Hour Program

Students will investigate Earth’s system and earth orbiting satellites through various activities. Inside an inflatable planetarium, students will learn navigation, satellite orbits, seasons and how they relate to weather and climate. Students will investigate satellite data using the remote sensing laboratory and through an immersive virtual reality experience, view the Earth from an orbiting space station. Students will also investigate the science and engineering of satellite missions.

Fee: $12/student

Main Activities Include: STARLAB Presentation, Exploring Earth in Virtual Reality, Landsat Image Analysis

Choice of: GOES-POES, Build Your Own Satellite Sensor

4-Hour Program

Students will take a hike and be introduced to in situ measurements. Students will investigate Earth’s system and earth orbiting satellites through various activities. Inside an inflatable planetarium, students will learn navigation, satellite orbits, seasons and how they relate ti weather and climate. Students will investigate satellite data using the remote sensing laboratory and through immersive virtual reality experience, view the Earth from an orbiting space station. Students will also investigate the science and engineering of satellite missions. Strong connections are made between local and global environments through ground observations and satellite data. Students will work with infrared thermometers, rain gauges, and GPS. Opportunity to infuse GLOBE protocols.

Fee: $14/student

Main Activities Include: Observation Hike with in-situ measurements, STARLAB Presentation, Exploring Earth in Virtual Reality, Landsat Image Analysis

Choice of: Build Your Own Satellite Sensor, GOES-POES

Grades: 9-12

2-Hour Program

Students will investigate Earth’s system though both field observations and earth orbiting satellites. Students will be introduced to in-situ measurements by collecting field data which may include rain fall, ground and air temperature. Students will investigate satellite data using the remote sensing laboratory and through an immersive virtual reality experience, view the Earth from an orbiting space station. Strong connections are made between local and global environments through ground observations and satellite data. Students will work with infrared thermometers, rain gauges, and GPS. Opportunity to infuse GLOBE protocols.

Fee: $12/student

Main Activities Include: In-situ Data Collection, Mapping Data through GIS, Exploring Earth in Virtual Reality, Landsat Image Analysis

4-Hour Program

Students will investigate Earth’s system though both field observations and earth orbiting satellites. Students will take a guided hike to explore seasonal change in the park and be introduced to in-situ measurements by collecting field data which may include rain fall, ground and air temperature. Students will investigate satellite data using the remote sensing laboratory and through an immersive virtual reality experience, view the Earth from an orbiting space station. Strong connections are made between local and global environments through ground observations and satellite data. Students will work with infrared thermometers, rain gauges, and GPS. Opportunity to infuse GLOBE protocols.

Fee: $14/student

Main Activities Include: Observation Hike with In-situ measurements, Exploring Earth in Virtual Reality, Landsat Image Analysis

Choice of: Mapping Data through GIS, GOES-POES