Young students aboard the E/V Discovery for an educational boat cruise

K-12 Field Trips

We offer FREE on-site field trips that showcase current marine science research. Students get hands on experiences aboard the Educational Vessel Discovery, exploring the salt marsh, learning about sea turtles and more!

We use a lottery system to select schools for field trips.

Join our teacher email list to be informed of all lottery application periods and receive our monthly coastal events and volunteer newsletter.

Field trips include two programs and last approximately 2.5 hours. Programs take place outdoors and in our screened-in outdoor classroom. Be sure to dress for the weather. Groups are welcome to eat lunch on site afterwards.

Field trip program options may be limited by grade, location and weather.

Programs include:

  • SCDNR Biologist for a Day
  • Animals of the Estuary
  • Discovery Vessel Program (ages 10+)
  • Sea Turtle Ecology
  • Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds
  • Squid Dissection
  • Marine Debris
  • Oyster Reef Community
  • Salt Marsh Field Study
  • Fisheries Management
  • Fish Dissection
  • Edisto Nature Trail Program
  • Botany Bay Experience

Homeschool Programs

We host homeschool programs throughout the school year for families to book individually, we do not host individual homeschool groups/co-ops.

Click here to see what homeschool programs are currently available. If no events are listed, please check back later. Join our homeschool email list to receive notifications about upcoming programs and receive our monthly coastal events and volunteer newsletter.

Field Trip Locations

Aerial view of Fort Johnson on the point of James Island, SC

Fort Johnson
217 Ft. Johnson Rd.
Charleston, SC 29412

An aerial view of the field station, pavillion, and dock at Bennett's Point

McKenzie Field Station
15717 Bennett's Point Rd.
Green Pond, SC 29446

The front of the Edisto Learning Center

Edisto Environmental Learning Center
Oyster Row Ln.
Edisto Island, SC 29438

People walking a sandy path through the marsh out to the beach at Botany Bay

Botany Bay Plantation
Botany Bay Rd.
Edisto Island, SC 29438

Group Job Shadow Opportunities

We cannot accept individual job shadow requests, but we offer multiple group job shadow days for middle and high schoolers at the Marine Resources Division Campus. The day will include facility tours and hands-on activities to showcase an array of jobs within SCDNR.

Click here to see our current Career Field Day programs. If no events are listed, please check back later. Join our marine education career email list to receive notifications about upcoming programs and receive our monthly coastal events and volunteer newsletter. For more information and resources, check out our Conservation Career Toolkit.

Marsh Madness

In February and March, we host a virtual competition for students to complete a Marsh Madness bracket pitting estuarine species against each other. Students choose which animal is most likely to survive in their own habitat based on their adaptations and defense mechanisms. There are eight weeks of competition, and the winner is sent a prize at the end. Check out the website to learn about the new competitors and see last year's battles.

Send any questions to marineeducation@dnr.sc.gov