Lessons and Curriculum
Our lessons emphasize hands-on exploration of the national park and are generally three hours or longer.
A Tremont Teacher/Naturalist will teach cooperatively with your school’s staff as well as assist teachers with materials, trails, and questions.
Contact our school program coordinator at (865) 448-6709 to learn more. Download an overview of all Tremont classes.
Day Classes
Expedition: Tremont
Elementary/Middle SchoolMaking observations, asking questions, doing initial explorations of the national park. This is every group’s first class at Tremont.
River & Reflections
Elementary/Middle SchoolWrapping up their time at Tremont through reflection, discussion, and sharing. This is every group’s last class at Tremont.
Air Quality
Elementary/Middle SchoolMonitoring air quality in the Smoky Mountains through citizen science projects and investigations.
All Day Trip to Cades Cove
Elementary/Middle SchoolExploring home-sites, church yards, fields, and forest to relive life in the late 1800’s in the Cades Cove community. School arranges transportation to and from Cades Cove. 60 students max.
Creative Expressions
Elementary/Middle SchoolWriting poetry, creating art, and using drama to investigate the natural world.
EarthQuest
Elementary/Middle SchoolHearing, smelling, tasting, moving… using their physical senses to become more aware of the natural world and their own place in it.
Explorations
Elementary/Middle SchoolBuilding shelters, packing for expeditions, discovering the unknown.
Geology Hike to the Falls
Elementary/Middle SchoolHiking to a scenic waterfall. Piecing together the geologic story of the Smokies through evidence found on the Falls Trail.
Life in the Forest
Elementary/Middle SchoolExploring the vast, diverse hardwood forests of the national park…
Salamander Investigations
Elementary/Middle SchoolUncovering questions, following curiosity, and designing student-driven investigations to learn more about salamanders.
Stream Ecology
Elementary/Middle SchoolInvestigating water quality through collection of bio-indicators (aquatic macro-invertebrates) and abiotic water quality testing. Stream class– students will get wet!
Stream Life
Elementary/Middle SchoolCatching aquatic organisms and finding out how their structures and behaviors help them live. Stream class– students will get wet!
Stream Physics
Elementary/Middle SchoolMeasuring the flow rate of the Middle Prong without a stream flow meter. Exploring the power of water in shaping the landscape. Stream class– students will get wet!
Walker Valley Living History
Elementary/Middle SchoolInterviewing inhabitants of Walker Valley in 1926 to see how their lives would be affected by the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Wilderness Navigation
Elementary/Middle SchoolUsing a map and compass to navigate through an orienteering course both on Tremont campus and off trail in the wilderness.
All Day Hike
Elementary/Middle SchoolSetting off on an all-day adventure on the trails. Choose either a 4 or 8 mile hike.
All Day Hike High Country Exploration
Elementary/Middle SchoolHeading up to the high peaks of the Smokies to explore and understand the unique ecology of the ridge line forests. School provides transportation. 60 students max.
All Day Forest Investigations
Elementary/Middle SchoolEmbarking on an all day investigation of the most biodiverse forest in US. Students may discover food webs, life cycles, and other patterns of forest ecology.
All Day Stream Investigations
Elementary/Middle SchoolEmbarking on an all day investigation of the streams that fill Walker Valley. Students may investigate watersheds, stream dynamics, water quality, aquatic life, and more.
All Day Landscape Investigations
Elementary/Middle SchoolEmbarking on an all day investigation of how the interactions of water and land gave shape to the Smoky Mountains. Stream class– students will get wet!
Aquatic Salamander Monitoring
High SchoolParticipating in a long-term salamander population study by catching salamanders, collecting data and discussing results. Stream class– students will get wet!
Geology Hike to the Falls
High SchoolObserving the geologic history of the Smoky Mountains through observations of outcrops, faulting, and deformation of rock.
Biodiversity Blitz
High SchoolCounting and cataloguing every living thing in a small plot of Smokies forest. Cultivating an understanding of biodiversity.
Ethnobotany
High SchoolIdentifying plants to use them for medicine, food, and crafts.
Stream Ecology
High SchoolInvestigating water quality through collection of bio-indicators (aquatic macro-invertebrates) and abiotic water quality testing. Getting in the stream. Stream class– students will get wet!
Salamander Investigations
High SchoolUncovering questions, following curiosity, and designing investigations to learn more about salamanders.
Air Quality
High SchoolMonitoring air quality in the Smoky Mountains through citizen science projects and investigations.
Stream Physics
High SchoolMeasuring the flow rate of the Middle Prong without a stream flow meter. Exploring the power of water in shaping the landscape. Stream class– students will get wet!
Wilderness Navigation
High SchoolUsing a map and compass to navigate through an orienteering course both on Tremont campus and off trail in the wilderness.
Evening Classes
Night Walk/Crepuscular Crawl
Searching for nocturnal animals, testing the limits of our senses, exploring the wilderness of the dark. Tremont staff leads class.
Campfire
Gathering in a campfire circle to sing, play games, laugh, listen to stories, and watch the flames burn to coals. Tremont staff leads class.
Astronomy
Search the night sky for constellations and hear the stories connected with them. Investigate the phases of the moon and other celestial phenomena. Tremont staff leads class.
Cooperation Course
Navigating a series of team-building challenges to work on communication and leadership. Led by school staff. Can be two hours upon request.
Freddie the Fungus
Acting out a courtroom trial of a fungus accused in the death of an oak tree. Led by school staff.
Eco Jeopardy
Testing nature knowledge through a game show format! Led by school staff.
Values Auction
Playing an auction game as a way to discuss values and conservation. Led by school staff.
Nature Quiz Show
Playing a natural knowledge quiz show that incorporates a series of challenges. Led by school staff.
Egg Drop
Taking on a classic engineering challenge of protecting a falling egg using only given or natural materials. Led by school staff.
Smoky Mountain Bingo Night
Playing a combination trivia/bingo game! Led by school staff.
Special Presentations
Bob Grimac
Folk Dance PartyFolk Dance Party
International Folk Dance Dance and Sing (1.5 hr program)
$120 for one hour
$140 for two hours
60 people max
Steve Kopman
Square Dancing$175/ $225 1.5hr / $300 2 hrs higher charge for weekends
Sheri Liles
Fiber Fun Demo, Bees to Candles, Storytelling$125 / $240 for 2hrs $75(may change due to cost of beeswax and group size)
$100 s
Lost Mill String Band
Old Timey Music$125 for one hour or $175 for two hours
Sean McCollough
Music & Stories$200
Elizabeth Rose
Stories$175
($137.50 each if two schools sharing)
Appalachian Bear Rescue
Black bear ecology and rescue$75
Black Bear presentation with NPS researcher
Bears or Bats Research from a former NPS scientist
$75
Faye Wooden
Storyteller$150 per hour
Anna Uptain
Old Timey Music$200/$300 for group larger than 65