Discovery Tours

Dates: Late September through November and April through June

Time: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM, Monday – Friday

Number of Students: 60 per day maximum (two classes)

Group Size: 7-9

Registration/Fees: $4.00 per student. No charge for teachers or accompanying adults. A $25 deposit is required with registration.  Program fees are due two weeks prior to the field trip.

Scholarships: Scholarships are available for all classes from Title 1 schools on a first-come first-serve basis. Funds cover program fees only, not bus fees.

Cancellation Policy: Please notify us at least four weeks prior to your tour for a 100% refund (less the deposit). Cancel 1-2 weeks in advance for a 50% refund (less the deposit). No refunds for classes canceling less than one week prior to the tour.

Weather Policy: Only under extreme weather do we cancel or reschedule a trip. We cannot hold a trip if the air quality reaches above 100 AQI or if there are severe weather alerts.

To schedule a tour, contact Sara Spoden, Education Manager at 541-741-4110 or [email protected].

Would you like to sponsor a school field trip? Click here to donate!

• Kindergarten “Habitat Hunt” Investigate the habitats of the Arboretum and learn who lives in each. (K-LS-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1).
• 1st Grade “Life Cycles” Focus on the life stages that animals and plants pass through and ecological food chains. (1-LS1-2, 1-LS3-1).
• 2nd Grade “Fruits and Flowers” Learn about the process from flower to fruit, seed adaptation, and how various animals interact with plants from seed dispersal to pollination. (2-LS2-2, 2-PS1-2, K-2-ETS1-3).
• 3rd Grade “Water World” Explore riparian areas (river, pond and stream). Learn what creatures live in this watery world and how water shapes the land. (2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1,2-2, & 2-3).
• 4th Grade “Animal (and Plant) Senses” Observe unique animal and plant parts and discover how organisms use their senses to stay aware of their surroundings. (4-LS1-1, 4-LS1-2).
• 5th Grade “Food Webs” Explore the movement of matter from plants, to animals, and decomposers. Why are these processes crucial to a balanced and healthy ecosystem? We will uncover these topics as we tour Arboretum trails together. (5-PS3-1, 5-LS2-1).

Studying a specific topic? Special topics available upon request for any grade level!

“Fall Ecology” (adapted for all age levels!) Students explore the dynamic changes that take place during the autumn season. They will learn why the seasons change, why some leaves turn color and fall, the fascinating processes of photosynthesis and decomposition and how animals prepare for the coming of winter.