Middle School 6-8

Dawn of Freedom

Learn about the role of the Freedman’s Bureau immediately following the Civil War and gain an understanding of what life was like for newly freed people during early reconstruction in Charleston, SC.

• Program Length: 90 minutes
• Grade Levels: 8
• Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
• Locations: McLeod Plantation Historic Site

Native Americans of Coastal South Carolina 

Explore Native American culture of coastal South Carolina at the time of European settlement. Handle and use reproduction artifacts, like bows and traps, to learn how local tribes successfully used natural resources available to meet their needs.

• Program Length: 90 minutes
• Grade Levels: 6-8
• Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
• Locations: James Island County Park, Wannamaker County Park, Palmetto Islands County Park, Caw Caw Interpretive Center

Seining the Sea

Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission staff will pull a net through the surf to catch fish, crabs, jellies, and other sea life. Students will have the opportunity to observe these creatures before they are released.

• Program Length: 60 minutes
• Grade Levels: 1-8
• Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
• Locations: Folly Beach County Park, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Isle of Palms County Park

Ecosystems at Caw Caw

Observe the complex communities of organisms found at the Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Students learn about food webs, limiting factors and human influences on the land as they walk the Park’s trails. An investigation of a water sample in the lab completes the program and connects the students to their park. 

• Program Length: 90 minutes
• Grade Levels: 6-8
• Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
• Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center

Barrier Island Ecology

Students of ecology study the relationship between organisms and their environment. In this program, we will do just that on a barrier island. Participants will build barrier islands out of sand, collect animals in the swash zone, and use a seine net to collect fish in the ocean. Through these activities, students will gain an understanding of the ties that link living things with their environment.

• Program Length: 90 minutes
• Grade Levels: 3-8
• Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
• Locations: Folly Beach County Park, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Isle of Palms County Park

Salt Marsh Ecology

The salt marsh is a dynamic and fascinating habitat. Students will become familiar with common plants and resident animals, sample phytoplankton, and gain an appreciation of this unique environment through hands-on exploration.

• Program Length: 90 minutes
• Grade Levels: 3-8
• Fee: $130 per group of up to 25 students
• Locations: James Island County Park, Palmetto Islands County Park

Carolina Indigo 

Experimented with by Eliza Lucas Pinckney, an enslaved man named Quash, and others, Indigo was an important but short lived cash crop in South Carolina. Investigate the science behind this “magic” dye, learn how enslaved men and women cultivated and processed it, and try your hand at dyeing your own t-shirt. Participants should bring a cotton t-shirt to dye.

• Program Length: 60 minutes
• Grade Levels: 6-8
• Fee: $100 per group of up to 25 students
• Location: Caw Caw Interpretive Center or McLeod Plantation Historic Site

Custom Programs 

Charleston County Park educators will customize programs to meet specific learning objectives. Call 843-762-8015 to arrange a custom tour or program.