Sandy Hook Education Programs

National Park Service Ranger-Led Programs
North Beach Discovery Walk, Grades 4-6, 32 students max, 90 minutes, No Fee
Based on National Science Standards, students will learn about Sandy Hook’s relationship to natural and introduced plant species. Using scientific data gathering techniques, the program includes the plotting of vegetation species. Program concepts include adaptation and change over time. Call the Sandy Hook Visitor Center to reserve a program.

Sandy Hook Visitor Center, K-adult, No Fee
Classes from Kindergarten through College may reserve a time to visit the Sandy Hook Visitor Center.  30 minute visits are available from 10 a.m. until early afternoon. Large groups will be asked to split into groups of 35 students and teachers per 30 minute visit. The building is a United States Life-Saving Service Station and includes exhibits and a video about this pre-U.S. Coast Guard agency whose mission was to rescue victims of shipwrecks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The building also contains exhibits about the habitats of Sandy Hook, from Salt Marsh to Oceanside beaches. Call the Sandy Hook Visitor Center to reserve a day and time to visit.

National Park Service Self-Led Explorations
Hooked on Math Lesson Plans
Grades 3-8, No Fee
Six self-guided Lesson Plans for grades 3-8 that integrate New Jersey Core Curriculum Social Studies and Marine Science Curriculums with Mathematics. Lessons use Sandy Hook cultural and natural resources; Mortar Battery, Sandy Hook Lighthouse, Nine-Gun Battery Field and North Beach. On-site equipment used with the lessons include metric and English trundle wheels and measuring tapes, hand-held GPS units, calipers, hand lenses and beach profiling poles. Lessons include pre-visit and post-visit activities. Contact the Sandy Hook Visitor Center to reserve use of the equipment to conduct the activity the day of your on-site visit. 

Teaching With Historic Places Lesson Plan-Fort Hancock: A Bastion of America’s Eastern Seaboard     
High School, No Fee  
An off-site Lesson Plan for classroom use, developed by the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Explores the development of the U.S. Coastal Defense System in the late 19th century and its connection to the country’s foreign policy.

Shell Identification Kit, Grades 3-6, No Fee
A box with examples of shell specimens that can be found on Sandy Hook’s beaches which teachers may borrow for an onsite visit. Includes background information about the shells.  Contact the Sandy Hook Visitor Center to reserve the kit for a daytime visit to Sandy Hook. 

Exploring Sandy Hook’s Beach and Salt Marsh, Grades 4-8, No Fee
This self-guided school kit includes maps, information about natural features on Sandy Hook and on-site activities for classes. The kit also includes pre-visit and post-visit activities.  Available by mail. Contact the Sandy Hook Visitor Center.

Fort Hancock: A Small Town Traveling Discovery Kit, Grades 4-6, No Fee
This traveling kit contains reproduction artifacts of items used by soldiers and residents of Fort Hancock. The kit includes a narrative and activities using the artifacts, and is designed for classroom use. It can be used alone, or as a pre-visit activity along with the companion folder, “A Day at Fort Hancock.” Available by mail. Contact the Sandy Hook Visitor Center to borrow the kit.

A Day at Fort Hancock Self-Guided Tour, Grades 4-6, No Fee
This self-guided folder gives classes an opportunity to explore Fort Hancock by foot on their own, and is a companion to the traveling activity kit, “Fort Hancock: A Small Town.” The folder contains a map of the historic fort district, along with questions to be answered while you explore the fort. Available by mail. Contact the Sandy Hook Visitor Center.

Discovery: An Overnight Experience, Elementary through High School
50 people max (1 adult per 10 students)
The Sandy Hook Education Center is available to classes for overnight visits. The Center includes dormitory facilities for 50 people, a kitchen and classroom space. Groups must provide food, linens, and transportation. Park Rangers provide a 90 minute session on a Sandy Hook historic preservation or beach erosion topic. No fee for school visits during the spring and fall.  Contact the Sandy Hook Visitor Center for more information. 

Sandy Hook Education Cooperator Education Programs
The National Park Service makes buildings at historic Fort Hancock available to research, educational and environmental organizations.  The following park cooperators offer programs to groups visiting Sandy Hook.  Contact them directly for information about their fee based programs.

American Littoral Society
Contact: Education Coordinator, Sandy Hook, Building 18, Highlands, NJ 07732, 732-291-0055
The American Littoral Society (littoral means region along the shore) is dedicated to the conservation and protection of coastal and marine habitats and ecosystems. Educational programs are offered to groups of adults and children in schools or out on Sandy Hook.

Ocean Institute, Brookdale Community College
Contact: Dave Grant, Director, Building 53, P.O. Box 533, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732, 732-224-2435    Programs in oceanography and geology are offered to elementary, high school and college classes, as well as scout groups and families.  The institute also conducts boat trips and teacher workshops.

New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium
Contact: Director of Education, NJMSC, Sandy Hook Field Station, Building #22, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732, 732-872-1300 x22 
The NJMSC offers educational programming in marine and coastal sciences year-round to K-12 groups, teachers, college students, scout and other informal groups, families and the general public. Summer and vacation-time camp, after-school and in-school programs are also offered. Through its association with NJ Sea Grant, a college-level internship program is made available each year.

Sandy Hook Bird Observatory
Contact: Scott Barnes, Education Director, Sandy Hook Bird Observatory, Building 20, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732, 732-872-2500
The Sandy Hook Bird Observatory is home to the New Jersey Audubon Society.  Their field center offer educational programming to adult and children’s groups and school groups, K-12.

Clean Ocean Action
Contact: Education Coordinator, Clean Ocean Action, P.O. Box 505, Building 18, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732, 732-872-0111
Clean Ocean Action is an organization dedicated to educating the public about non-point source pollution and other ocean pollution issues.  They conduct annual beach sweeps along the NJ shore.

Clean Ocean Action 18th Annual Spring Student Summit, Sandy Hook
Parking Lot Area E
Tuesday, May 16th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesday, May 17th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A free seaside symposium sponsored by Clean Ocean Action for middle school students in northern and central New Jersey. Application and acceptance to program required. Call 732-872-0111 or email Education@cleanoceanaction.org.

Teacher Workshops on Sandy Hook

National Park Service Self-Guided Programming Workshop
Wednesday, March 29, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. NO FEE
An introduction to natural and historic areas on Sandy Hook for teachers and group leaders planning to bring their group to Sandy Hook for a self-guided visit. Reservations required: call 732-872-5970.

New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium
No workshops are currently scheduled. Please call 732-872-1300 x19 for updates and more information.

Brookdale CC Ocean Institute
Reservations required for the following teacher workshops: 732-224-2435.

Day at the Beach - Sandy Hook
Friday, April 25 at 9:30 FEE

Day at the Bay - Estuaries
Friday, May 5 at 9:30 FEE