🌿 The Environmental Studies Center Experience🌿

Since 1972, the Environmental Studies Center (ESC) has inspired students with hands-on science learning. Our field-based program takes students from Kindergarten through 7th grade into the heart of Florida’s ecosystems—exploring the Indian River Lagoon, local beaches, mangrove forests, and state parks.

Each trip is paired with classroom lessons that prepare students for their adventure, making science real, relevant, and unforgettable.

ESC Curriculum

🐢 Kindergarten – Turtle Trekkers

Students discover the world of sea turtles, freshwater turtles, and gopher tortoises. Their adventure includes a Center tour and a visit to a marked sea turtle nest on a local beach.

🐋 Grade 1 – Manatee Marvels & Beach Explorers

Students meet the gentle manatee while learning about mammals and endangered species. A beach walk gives them the chance to collect shells and drift seeds—connecting land and sea.

🐛 Grade 2 – Adaptations & Food Chains in Action

By exploring the intertidal zones of the Indian River Lagoon, students collect amphipods, worms, and more. They see firsthand how adaptations and food chains keep ecosystems balanced.

🐟 Grade 3 – Grassflat Scientists

With a seine net in the Indian River Lagoon, students explore the grassflat community and conduct real population studies on the organisms they collect.

🌱 Grade 4 – Mangrove Detectives

Students investigate the importance of mangrove forests. Using microscopes, they discover the hidden details of the specimens they gather.

🚤 Grade 5 – Island Investigators on The River Scout

A program highlight! Students board the ESC’s research vessel, “The River Scout,” and travel to a spoil island. There, they map island topography, study tides, erosion, and deposition, and explore mangrove and grassflat habitats like true scientists.

🌾 Grade 6 – Ecosystem Explorers at Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Students venture into scrub, flatland, and wetland communities at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Using dip nets and stereoscopes, they study freshwater pond life and the interconnectedness of ecosystems.

🎓 High School – Advanced Environmental Programs

High school students engage in specialized field studies and leadership opportunities, preparing them for future studies and careers in science, sustainability, and environmental stewardship.

🌎 At every grade level, the ESC brings science to life—creating curious minds, engaged learners, and lifelong stewards of Florida’s environment.