Student Field Trips to the Erie Canal at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site

Schoharie Crossing would like to offer you information on the educational programs available from our State Historic Site in Fort Hunter, Montgomery County, NY.  

We understand that an in-person site visit may not be possible this school year due to transportation and distance restrictions, but we hope you keep us in mind. Please also consider an outreach or remote option as they may be available.

Please read below for more information about our resources. 

Our NYS Parks website is: https://www.parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/schohariecrossing 

We are a well-known Erie Canal historic site, with National Landmark Registered canal features situated in the beautiful Mohawk Valley at the confluence of the Schoharie Creek and Mohawk River.  Our canal features span the entire 200 year history of the canal system of New York State.  We are also fortunate enough to be located at the former location of Tiononderoge, a Haudenosaunee Mohawk village site that the British colonial Fort Hunter was constructed alongside in 1712. This historic site also has several park-like features, so our programs also invoke environmental education and/or recreational opportunities whenever possible.

Included on this blog is some information about our offerings for outreach and online programs as well as site visits.  Please take a few moments to review this information and also the set of links provided. We have additional outreach programs that could be offered that didn’t quite make the list this year. Schoharie Crossing also has a curated list of videos on our YouTube Channel to help teach the history of the Erie Canal. One highlight is the use of music and art to teach the history of this impressive engineering marvel that transformed NYS and early America.

Our Outreach Program Flyer: CLICK HERE for pdf.

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SchoharieCrossing1825/

We have the ability to provide remote programming via your Zoom or Google account and our WebEx account.  Staff at the site are also available to travel to your school for in-classroom programs, adhering to your district protocols. For spring site visits, there are two great options to help cover the cost of student transportation and programming: The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor’s Ticket to Ride program and the NYS Parks Connect Kids fund.*  

We are available to discuss programming as well as any costs associated with outreach or site visits. 

We want to be sure that Schoharie Crossing is a valued resource to districts, educators, and each student.  Even if you may not wish to have an outreach program, nor be able to visit us this year, the site is available to offer resources to help teach about the Erie Canal and Mohawk Valley history.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

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Field-Trips!

Most visits to Schoharie Crossing involve two or more of the following programs.  We encourage educators to identify which programs they would prefer when making the reservation.

Programs Offered: 

Guided Tour of the Overlook Trail (Approx. 30 minutes, less than .5 miles)
This tour covers information about the Erie Canal and allows students to stand in the footsteps of history.  They will be exposed to remnants of the historic canal dating back to the 1820’s, the 1840’s and to the modern era.  Students will also see how the canal passed through the landscape, how the enlargement differed from the original and how ingenuity, hard work and engineering put the canal over the Schoharie Creek!   *There is an extended tour option: 60 minutes Approx. 1mile

Exhibit Exploration (Approx. 30-45 minutes) -
Our new “Pathway to Empire” FastFive exhibit exploration program asks students to discover the history by exploring the exhibit panels and artifacts.  There are also questions that rely on students to connect their current lives to those of people in local history.  This is a great foundational program that covers information from pre-canal transportation up to the modern canal.  Students may work alone, in pairs or in small groups per the wishes of the teacher and number of students/chaperones.

Erie Canal Game (Approx. 30-45 minutes) –
This large format game gets students active in learning how the canal operated and what might have been encountered along the way.

Winnie Brown – Story writing (Approx. 30 minutes)
This tried-and-true story starter allows students to take what they know about the canal and life along it to complete the tale of Winnie Brown and her family.  The story starts with the Brown family afloat in 1856 when something surprising happens.  Students finish the story and are then encouraged to share their version of what may have happened with their peers.

Be Wild – (Approx. 30 minutes)
The Be Wild program focuses on the natural world around us.  Using some historical context, students will also discover ways human actions impact the environment, from the animals to the plants and the water.  Hands on experiences are coupled with inquiry to complete the series of tasks in this session. “Fill the Bill” explores bird adaptations.

Food for the Brood – (Approx. 30 minutes)
Independent chaperone/teacher lead or volunteer facilitated relay race game that demonstrates the difficult task of bird parents providing for their fledglings.  This team-based competition to see who can feed their baby birds the quickest also gets students moving and engaged.
 
Approximate time for each of these programs is per group of students in rotation –
Typically, 15-25 students per group for rotation. Larger student groups may be otherwise adjusted.
 

There are TWO Great Ways to fund your visit!

1. NYS Parks – Connect Kids to Parks

This program will provide reimbursement to any district that includes a Title I School for program expenses as well as transportation.  These are awarded to teachers – so it can be utilized as an option for more than one trip if coordinated by different educators.  A simple application and reservation date are all that you will need to get started.  Program fee is due from the school to Schoharie Crossing at time of visit – however, after visit follow up reporting is required for the school to directly receive reimbursement for programming as well as transportation. 

More information can be found at:

https://parks.ny.gov/environment/connect-kids/grant-program.aspx

2. Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor – The Ticket to Ride program will cover programming fees and provide a reimbursement for travel expenses.  A simple application and set reservation date are required to start.  A reporting form and follow up with the ECNHC are simple and many teachers/districts enjoy the ease of this program. Program billing is directly between Schoharie Crossing and the ECNHC. Transportation is between the district and ECNHC.

For more information visit:

https://eriecanalway.org/learn/teachers/registration-form

 

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New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site

P.O. Box 140

129 Schoharie Street

Fort Hunter, NY 12069

Office Phone: (518) 829-7516

Cell: (518) 646-2931

Fax: (518) 829-7491

www.nysparks.com

Schoharie Crossing Official Facebook Page