The Explorer’s Backpack Program
The Explorer’s Backpack is a science program involving elementary age children and their families in hands-on, discovery-oriented learning in the Native Plant Garden of the New Hanover County Arboretum. Each backpack includes a field journal filled with activities for the children to investigate in the garden. These activities are investigations that botanists would do in their everyday work. All the tools needed for the activities are included in the backpacks. Backpacks are available for checkout weekdays between 10am-3pm at the Plant Clinic located inside the Hutaff Building.
There are nine Explorer’s Backpacks: three “Eye Spy” Backpacks; three Bird Backpacks; and three Native Plants Backpacks. Description and contents of each backpack are given below.
- The “Eye Spy” Explorer’s Backpack
- The family goes on a scavenger hunt observing living things.
Tools include:
Field Journal
Two Magnifying Glasses
Two Clipboards
Colored Pencils
Pencil Sharpener
- The Bird Explorer’s Backpack
The family explores a bird’s habitat and observes birds or signs of birds in the garden.
Tools include:
Field Journal
Two Binoculars
Colored Pencils
Two Clipboards
Bird Guide
Pencil Sharpener
- The Native Plants Explorer’s Backpack
The family reads a book and discovers parts of a plant in the garden.
Tools include:
Field Journal
Two Magnifying Glasses
Two Clipboards
Colored Pencils
Ruler
Pencil Sharpener
Mechanical Pencil
From Seed to Plant Book