Outdoor Education Program
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What is Highroad's Outdoor Education Program?
Why Choose Camp Highroad?
Lower 2012 Outdoor Education Prices
Outdoor School Packages
Challenge Course
Outdoor Education Classes
Customization and Assistance
What Is Highroad's Outdoor Education Program?
Camp Highroad's Outdoor Education Program or "Outdoor School" is an opportunity for students to take concepts learned in the classroom and to experience and understand them first hand! It allows students an opportunity to be removed from a formal educational setting, placed in a fun, instructive environment, and immersed in the beauty, complexity and diversity of our woods, streams, and fields. Our goals are to give students a better understanding of their environment, an appreciation for their place in that environment and its history, the challenge of working together and heightened self-confidence. Our staff strive to engage the students in such a way that they don't "feel" like they're learning. One sixth grader recently remarked, "For us, this is like vacation!" That's exactly how we want the Outdoor School experience to feel, because enthusiastic students are teachable students.
Why Choose Camp Highroad?
1) Our Instructors - Our instructors are young, fun, and informative. When hiring, we stress the importance of learning students names, building rapport, and communicating concepts in an enjoyable way.
2) Our Hospitality – Our staff will meet your busses at the front of camp and guide them to your program area. We'll help you plan your visit, and we will get your students back on the busses on time.
3) Our Instruction - Our Outdoor School classes meet VA SOLs. We focus on teaching the SOLs at and above the grade level of your students to help build a foundation for discussion in the classroom or to reinforce concepts with concrete experiences. Want an example of an Outdoor School class? Take a look at our "Totally Trees" lesson plan.
4) Our Flexibility - Our classes can be adjusted to meet your needs. Just let us know what concepts you would like us to focus on, and we can adjust the material that we present and the area of camp that we use.
5) Our Prices – This year, 2012, in addition to our existing School Group Packages, we have significantly lowered the prices of our à la carte outdoor education programming.
6) Our Site – Camp Highroad covers 620 beautiful acres at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We have a pond, pine and decidious forests, fields and pasture, streams, a bamboo grove, rock outcroppings, a quarry, and multiple historic structures.
7) Our Experience – Camp Highroad was founded in 1949 and our Outdoor Education Program has been serving schools in Northern Virginia for over thirty years!
Our New, Lower 2012 Outdoor Education Prices:
Because we know that many schools are struggling with budget shortages and bus schedules, we have significantly reduced the prices of our weekday outdoor education classes. Weekday nature programs are now $6.00 per child for an hour and a half program ($4.00 per hour), $10.00 per child for two, hour and a half programs ($3.33 per hour), and $12.50 per child for two, two hour programs ($3.12 per hour). There is a twenty-five person minimum for nature classes and hikes. (Prices do not apply to the challenge course or any other programming outside of Outdoor Education classes and hikes).
Outdoor School Packages:
For those schools who would like to do more than our nature programs, there are three school group packages that incorporate the challenge course, meals, and lodging in addition to nature classes. There is a twenty-five person minimum for Outdoor School Packages. (As part of these packages, nature classes can be substituted for archery and canoes).
One Day Package:
One, Two-Hour Class with Highroad Staff, and Challenge Course with Zip Wire. The cost for the one day package is $30.00 per student. There is no cost for chaperones unless your school adds a meal to this package.
Two Day Package:
Lodging, Two, Two-Hour Classes with Highroad Staff, Three Meals, and Challenge Course with Zip Wire, Firewood. The cost for the two day package is $80.00 per student if staying in the cabins and $85.00 per student if staying in the lodges. The cost for chaperones is $26.50 per person to cover food costs.
Three Day Package:
Lodging, Two, Two-Hour Classes with Highroad Staff, Six Meals, Challenge Course with Zip Wire, Hayride, Firewood. The cost for the three day package is $105.00 per student if staying in the cabins and $110.00 per student if staying in the lodges. The cost for chaperones is $52.50 per person to cover food costs.
Challenge Course:
Your students can build communication, cooperation and trust through facing our challenge course elements as a team. If you would like a specific issue to be addressed during the course, please let us know beforehand and we will adjust our focus accordingly. Without a package, a two hour challenge course costs $13.00 per student and a four hour course with zip wire costs $25.00 per student. Their is a ten person minimum for the challenge course. Students younger than 5th grade cannot participate in the zip wire.
Outdoor Education Classes:
There are a range of programs offered as part of Highroad's Outdoor School. A list of our nature classes, their descriptions, and their guiding SOLs is below. We will focus on the SOLs at, or just above, the grade level of your students. For more information on our other programs, take a look at our Programs page.
- Animal Signs:
Students will explore Highroad's trails and forests in search of animal signs and the animals that left them. We will discuss the concepts of habitat, niche, needs, and competition. SOLs: SCI 1.5, 1.7, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.8, 3.10, 4.5, 5.5; LS 4, 7, 8, 9, 11
- Compass/Scavenger Hunt:
Students 5th grade and older will learn how to use a map and compass through compass games, a mini-orienteering course, and orienting a map with a compass. Students in 4th grade and younger will learn to orient a map using landmarks and will participate in a map scavenger hunt. SOLs: ES .3
-Ever-Changing Ecosystems:
Students will hike through some of camp's many ecosystems (forest, field, bamboo grove, pond), looking at their differences and talking about how people have influenced them over time. We will discuss local history, succession and change in ecosystems, food webs, populations, communities, and native, invasive and introduced species. SCI 1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 4.4, 4.5, 4.8, 5.5; LS .4, .6, .7, .8, .9, .10, .11, .12
- Native American:
Students will get to practice Native American skills, such as food gathering, fire building, cooking, tea brewing, and story telling. We will discuss the complexity and diversity of Native American communities across North America, the relationship between Native American tribes and their environments, and the role of food aquisition in shaping tribal practice and identity. SOLs: HIS 2.2; VS .2, .3, .4; US 1.3, 1.4; WHII .4; VUS .2,.6
- Stream Study:
Students will explore one of camp's beautiful streams in search of aquatic invertebrates and amphibians. We will discuss indicator species, water as a valuable resource, and metamorphosis. SOLs: SCI 1.5, 1.7, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.9, 3.10, 4.8, 5.5, 6.5, 6.7; LS .4, .7, .8, .9, .11
- Survival Skills:
Students will learn about our physical survival needs, lost-proofing themselves, shelter building, and finding water. We will discuss our reliance on many systems to meet our physical needs, the use of limited resources to fuel those systems, and the importance of preparation and responsibility. Components of both Native American and Compass classes can be worked into Survival Skills, if those classes are not done concurrently. SOLs: SCI 3.11, 6.2
-Totally Trees:
Students will learn how trees are used, how they grow, and how we can tell the difference between different species using a dichotomous key. We will discuss competition between trees, their role in the environment and as a resource, and photosynthesis. SOLs: SCI 1.4, 1.7, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 3.8, 3.10, 4.4, 4.5, 5.5; Ls .4, .6, .7, .11
Customization and Assistance:
Our staff are here to provide support and assistance, regardless of whether you are a returning school or brand-new to Highroad. Let us know how we can help you!
Tell us what programs or classes we can create or modify to reinforce subject matter that your students have learned or need an introduction to.
Tell us what behavioral issues your school is dealing with that you would like us to address during a challenge course.
Call us and let us know your concerns and questions about bringing your students to Highroad.
No matter what you need, we're happy to help!
Office: 540-687-6262
Programs E-Mail: programs@camphighroad.org