Wildlife Photograph

GO! Hikes

Students in preschool through eighth grade can Get Outside and explore the natural world at Ijams Nature Center on GO! (Getting Outside) Hikes. GO! Hikes are grade specific and curriculum based. Students see the pages of their science textbooks come to life while they participate in activities specifically designed for their grade level. Kindergarten classes explore nature using their senses, third graders take on the roles of native animals, and fifth graders collect living organisms from natural habitats. Visiting Ijams helps teachers fulfill teaching objectives for science units. State Performance Indicators* are listed for Kindergarten through fourth grade GO! Hikes.

While visiting Ijams, teachers and students can enjoy a picnic before or after their GO! Hike. Students may also shop in the Gift Shop for an educational and fun souvenir.

Rain does not mean that your GO! Hike must be cancelled or rescheduled. We offer indoor alternatives for each grade level that reinforce the same skills and concepts as the outside activities.

Scheduling is easy. Simply call or email Kimberly at 865-577-4717 ext. 23 or kdmytro@ijams.org with the following information:

  • Contact teacher's name
  • School name, address, and phone
  • Grade/age level
  • Number of students
  • Preferred dates and times

GO! Hikes are 2 hours in length. Each program includes an introduction to Ijams, presentations of Ijams' non-releasable wild animals, hiking, games and more. Upon scheduling a GO! Hike, a confirmation letter will be sent to you. You will also receive pre and post activities for the classroom designed to enhance the program you select. Knox county teachers also receive a risk assessment document that may be submitted for administration approval.

All GO! Hikes are $5 per student. Scholarships are available to qualified students. Payment of program fees is due upon arrival. A minimum fee of $60 (12 students) is required.

* State Performance Indictors

Kindergarten: The Nose Knows
Students realize that organisms use their senses to interact with their environment through educational games, exploring and live animals.
*(3.2.2, 3.3.1)
1st Grade: NSI: Nature Scene Investigation
Students recognize differences among plants and animals and how those differences help them survive in different habitats through investigation of evidence left by plants and animals.
*(3.1.2, 3.2.1, 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.5.2, 3.5.3)
2nd Grade: Come Together Now
Students examine interrelationships among plants, animals, and their environment through comparing habitats, investigating connections and putting it all together.
*(3.1.1, 3.2.1, 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.3, 3.5.3, 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.3.1, 4.3.3, 4.5.3, 5.3.1, 5.5.1, 5.5.2, 5.5.3, 5.5.4)
3rd Grade: What Is Your Job
Students recognize and experience how organisms and the environments in which they live can be affected by factors such as availability of food, water, predation, and pollution.
*(3.2.2, 3.2.4, 3.3.1, 3.5.1, 3.5.3, 4.2.2, 4.2.3, 4.3.2, 4.5.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.5.3)
4th Grade: My What Big Ears You Have
Students investigate animal classifications, adaptations and interactions through collecting specimens, exploring habitats and playing games.
*(4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.3.2, 4.3.3, 4.4.1, 4.4.2, 4.5.2, 4.6.3, 5.2.2, 5.4.2, 5.5.1)
5th- 8th Grade: Customized GO! Hikes
Teachers are invited to communicate what their student’s interests are. Ijams will design a program that enhances what is being taught in the classroom.