Friends of Hempstead Plains

A Prairie Classroom Right on Long Island

Field science education for K–12 students in one of the rarest ecosystems in the eastern United States — guided by expert FHP instructors.

OUR APPROACH

Inquiry-based science in a living laboratory

The Education Committee of the Friends of Hempstead Plains offers field science programs for Long Island K–12 schools, bringing students directly onto the Hempstead Plains Preserve for hands-on environmental learning.

Our curriculum is built around the New York State Science Learning Standards, with activities tailored to each grade's Performance Expectations. FHP instructors work closely with teachers ahead of each visit — designing a program that fits your curriculum, your students, and your time on the Plains.

Students don't observe the Plains — they investigate it. Through authentic data collection, modeling, and first-hand sense-making, they work as scientists in a place that cannot be replicated in a classroom.

PROGRAM DETAILS

What to expect

    Duration
    Approximately four hours, typically beginning at 8:00–8:30 am
  
    Group size
    Programs serve classes of approximately 20–25 students. We can run two classes simultaneously with two FHP instructors — many schools bring multiple classes over several days.
  
    Cost
    $480 per class for the four-hour program BOCES Eligible
  
    Best time to visit
    September through early November and Spring — when the Plains are at their finest. 
  
    State Aid
    These programs are eligible for State Aid reimbursement through Nassau and Suffolk BOCES. Contact your district coordinator for details.
  
    Standards
    Curriculum strongly supports the New York State Science Learning Standards and grade-level Performance Expectations, K–12.

iIN THE FIELD

Students at work on the Plains

THE PROGRAM

Designed around your class

Day Two

Set Intentions & Reflect

Together, we pause to consider our goals, hopes, and direction. This is about aligning with ourselves and with the journey ahead. This is a chance to reconnect with what brought you here—your questions, your hopes, your turning points—and consider how they’ve shifted or deepened.

Check-In

9:00 – 9:30am

Group Activity

11:00am

Lunch Break

12:30pm

Creative Workshop

2:00pm

Dinner

6:30pm

Day Three

Look Forward & Wrap Up

We explore the possibilities beyond this moment, making space for growth, action, and forward momentum. As we end our time together, we honor the experience, the growth, and the connections made along the way.

Check-In