Learning Comes Alive at Chewonki’s Center for Environmental Education
Explore, discover, and grow through immersive, hands-on experiences in the natural world. Whether you’re joining us for a day or overnight, our programs inspire curiosity, confidence, and connection with nature. We have a wide range of options suitable for every budget and schedule that will bring hands-on learning to your students and ignite a passion for the natural world!
Select your program type:
Day Programs
Grades K–6 | One-Day Program
A day of discovery and wonder in nature!
Bring your students to Chewonki for a day of discovery and exploration! Take a hike on our trails and explore the ecosystems on Chewonki Neck. Visit our educational farm, and interact with our natural history exhibits. A team initiative rounds out the day and equips students with team building and leadership skills. This program is customizable to match your curriculum and spark your students’ curiosity through science, ecology, and adventure.
Grades 9–12 | One-Day Intensive
An In-Depth Ecology Investigation for High School Students
The Natural History Field Lab is an intensive, hands-on field experience that encourages students to explore local ecosystems firsthand, developing critical scientific observation and analytical skills through direct engagement with nature that supports both classroom learning and environmental literacy.
Overnight Programs
Grades 4–8 | 3 Days, 2 Nights
A multi-day nature immersion program, for grades 4-8 where students and chaperones stay in our newly-renovated cabins and yurts
Chewonki Ecology Expedition is a 3-day, 2-night program that allows students to immerse themselves in the natural world. Field-based activities focus on key ecological concepts such as ecosystems, food webs, biodiversity, and conservation. Students apply observational skills, data collection, and inquiry-based thinking through hands-on investigations of local habitats including forests, ponds, and the rocky intertidal zone. This residential experience incorporates team-building exercises that strengthen both collaboration and personal growth for students and teachers alike.
Grades 5–9 | 4 Days, 3 Nights
A multi-day experience for students in grades 5-9, looking to enhance their camping and outdoor living skills with a tent-based experience
Each 4-day, 3-night basecamp takes place on our saltwater peninsular at one of several carefully prepared group campsites. Participants learn to set up their camp, sleep in tents, cook over an open fire, and enjoy the fun of outdoor adventures. With the forest and coast as their classroom, participants work with our team of educators to explore local ecology, engage in team-building challenges, and connect with sustainable living practices during a visit to our working farm. Our team tailors individual life science lessons to enhance the curriculum your students are learning at their home school.
Backcountry Trips
Grades 5–12 & Adults | Multi-Day Trip
Explore the majestic coastal ecology of Maine.
Join us for a multi-day adventure along the coast of Maine as we explore the distinct tidal waterways of Maine. Using our fleet of canoes, we depart from Chewonki Neck in Wiscasset and set out to claim one of several locations in our extensive network of private island campsites.
Grades 5–12 & Adults | Custom Multi-Day Trip
Ride the rivers, hike the trails, learn the land, history, and ecology
We provide custom wilderness trips for school groups seeking a more advanced challenge, or a specific program that can match the curriculum back at school. For returning Outdoor Classroom participants, a custom trip provides more technical outdoor skills instruction, a chance to visit the more remote areas of Maine, and provide an orientation/bonding experience the students will never forget. Many schools use our custom wilderness trips as a capstone adventure to finish the school year.
Natural History Programs
One Hour | All Ages
Featuring our live animal ambassadors, make a visit to our environmental education center for a fascinating 1-hour program, or our traveling team of educators can visit your classroom, community group, or special event with an unforgettable experience that explores key concepts in biology, ecology, and life science. Available year-round. Inquire for availability.