Field Trips

Bring Your Group to Ijams for a Field Trip!

Ijams Nature Center offers school classes and other groups a truly unique outdoor education experience. Your students will be engaged in inquiry and experiential learning designed to deepen their connections to place and each other while fostering their natural curiosity.

Ijams staff work with you to connect this learning experience to your curricular goals as well as education standards established by the State of Tennessee and Knox County.

Ijams is excited you're interested in bringing your students to Ijams! Complete the Field Trip Request Form if you have specific spring dates you'd like to book.

FIELD TRIPS AT IJAMS

Time: 9:30 am-12:30 pm*
Dates: September-May
Cost: $10/student
NEW! Add the Navitat Knoxville High Ropes Course to your field trip
- Cost: An addition $25/student (total field trip cost - $35/student)
- Time: Field trips including Navitat are 9:30 am-2:30 pm

*If you would like to request a different start/end time, please make note of the change during the request process.

Ijams has new and updated offerings! Most of the pre-designed listings below can be adapted for grades K-8 unless otherwise indicated. Ijams also offers customized experiences to explore a specific standard, topic, or theme not covered elsewhere.

OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Ijams educators also can come to to your school or community. Outreach programs can be tailored to your needs and include a visit from an Ijams animal ambassador! Learn More About Outreach Programs

Request a Field Trip

BASIC FIELD TRIP STRUCTURE

Most field trips follow the same program schedule:

9:30-9:50 am (20 min) - Arrive, Bathroom, Check-in
9:50 am-12:10 pm (140 min) - Field-Based Activity (varies by topic)
12:10-12:30 pm (20 min) - Live Animal Presentation

Occasionally time limitations, group size, and/or weather conditions may require altering this schedule.

SCHEDULING A FIELD TRIP*

Ijams currently is scheduling field trip requests by phone and email on a first-come, first-served basis. Book Your Field Trip

Field Trips are offered:

Monday for groups of up to 60
Tuesday for groups of up to 30
Wednesday for groups of 15 or fewer
Thursday for groups of up to 30
Friday for groups of up to 75

* A group must have a minimum of eight students to register for a field trip program.

If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Whitaker at lwhitaker@ijams.org or +1865-577-4717, ext. 1012.

FIELD TRIP AND OUTREACH SCHOLARSHIPS

Ijams has funding available for scholarships and transportation for schools that qualify. There also are other ways for educators to request funding for field trips, transportation, and outreach programs. The following document offers suggestions and includes a sample letter.

Ijams Nature Center School Funding Request Information and Sample Letter