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1.
School programs
Fifth
grade classes can participate in two Discover Carolina programs:
Aquatic Ecology and Forest
Ecology.
These programs are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A pre-visit kit will
be delivered to the school two weeks before coming to the park.
Aquatic
Ecology – As ‘Aquatic Ecologists,’
students will conduct field investigations at both a stream and a
lake at Paris Mountain State Park. Students get in Mountain
Creek with rubber boots, and later collect from Lake Placid, and
they love it! Students collect organisms, measure
temperature and pH, then take their findings to the park lab where
they view their finds under the microscope, and assess the water
quality at the park. Program length: 2 hours.
Forest
Ecology – As ‘Forest Ecologists,’ students
will conduct field investigations to explore the biotic and
abiotic factors that make up the forest ecosystem of Paris
Mountain State Park. At stations in the woods around Lake
Placid, they will identify populations, food web roles, and the
role of forests in protecting water quality. The final
investigation will be an up-close, hands-on survey of one square
meter of the forest where students collect organisms, measure
temperature and pH, and interpret what they find. Forests
are fantastic! Program length: 1 ½ hours.
The
Details:
One
class can come and do Aquatic Ecology from 9:30 –
11:30, then Forest Ecology from 12:00 – 1:30. Or, 2
classes can come and do one or the other program, plus a Nature
Hike around the lake. These programs are designed
according to 5th grade science standards. There
is a $20. fee for every 20 students. For example, a group of
33 students would be in the 21 to 40 range, and would be charged
$40. A group of 53 students would be charged $60. They
are not charged for park admission.
Typical program schedule when 2 classes come
(let’s call them Classes A
& B)
8:45-9:00
Volunteers and staff meet at bathhouse/Park Center
9:15
Group arrives at park picnic area
Class A to Aquatic Ecology
Class B to Nature Hike
11:00
Class B has lunch at picnic flats
11:30
Class A has lunch at picnic flats
Class B to Aquatic Ecology
12:00
Class A to Nature Hike
1:30
Group departs
2.
Scout
programs
Boy
Scouts and Girl Scouts can attend programs by arrangement with the
Park Interpreter, usually on Tuesday afternoons or evenings.
The
fee is $20. for groups of up to 30 people.
Boy
Scout programs:
Tiger Cub
Nature Hike
Bear Cub Geology achievement
Bear Cub ‘Sharing Your World With Wildlife
Webelos Forester Activity badge
Webelos
Naturalist Activity badge
Girl
Scout programs:
Brownie Animals Try-It
Brownie Earth & Sky Try-It
Brownie Water, Water Everywhere Try-It
Junior
Earth Connections Badge
Junior Wildlife Badge
Cadette Wildlife Interest Project
3.
4th Saturdays
10
a.m.:
Friends of Paris Mountain program
These programs are led by regional experts on a variety of topics,
such as tree identification, nature art, geology, and cooperative-games.
They are free, except for park admission.
1 p.m.:
Nature hike led by the Park Interpreter
This hike is usually a 1-mile
walk around Lake Placid, with a
specified theme. Two or
three times a year, a longer hike is
offered instead.
4.
Summer Programs
Aquatic Habitat Hikes are
offered to groups on specified days in the summer by reservation
for a fee of $20. for up to 30 people. It is also offered to
individuals and families at no charge one day a week. Groups
can request other types of programs as well.
This
program includes collecting in Mountain Creek and observing finds
under the microscope.
5.
Annual Events
Friends Day – held every
Spring with programs, booths, music,
food, and scavenger hunts, courtesy of Friends of
Paris Mountain
State Park.
Arbor Day – Tree planting day on the
1st Saturday in December.
Kayak/Canoe Day – outfitters bring
kayaks and canoes to Lake
Placid for public use.
6.
Self-Directed
Educational Activities available.
1.
The Lake
Placid Self-Guided Nature Trail Brochure
is
available at the fee booth and the office. The brochure
directs people to stop at each of 8 station posts for activities
and observations, beginning at the bridge below the bathhouse/Park
Center.
2.
The Lake
Placid Self-Guided Math Trail Brochure will soon
be available at the fee booth and the office. The brochure
directs people to stop at each of 8 station posts for math
activities, beginning at the bridge below the bathhouse/Park
Center.
7.
Family
fun at Paris Mountain SP.
You
can go hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, dog walking, and
fishing (ages 16 and above need a S.C. fishing license). The
park is a great place for nature study.
Camping is available
in the park’s 40 site campground for $14.30 a
night per site.
From
Memorial Day to Labor Day, swimming and boat rental is available
at the swimming area from 11:00
till 5:30 Tuesday through Sunday.
Who
are the School Program Volunteers?
Well,
one could be YOU! Most
of our School
Program Volunteers are
friends of Paris Mountain State Park who volunteer their talents
and time to the park’s interpretive programs. They are
adults of all ages who want to share their enthusiasm for our
natural world, and appreciation for the treasure we have in Paris
Mountain State Park.
School
Program Volunteers with a
Naturalist background lead 5th grade students around
Lake Placid on a Nature Hike designed according to state science
standards.
Some
School Program Volunteers assist
with Aquatic and Forest Ecology programs, helping students take
measurements to evaluate the soil and water quality within the
park.
Some
prepare pre-visit kits and deliver them
to schools, or prepare on-site kits.
How
Often Do School Program Volunteers Need To Be At the Park?
School
Programs are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Sept. 15th
till November 15th, and from March 15th
through May. Plan on being at the park from
8:45 till 1:45 or 2:30.
Volunteers
sign up for days when groups are scheduled, as often or as little
as they like, and based on how
much other volunteers sign up
(in
other words, we hope to always have at least a
Naturalist Volunteer to lead the Nature Hike, and another
Volunteer to assist the Ecology class).
Contact
the Park Interpreter, Cathy
Taylor for more information:
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