ISLAND FARM school field trip + GROUP VISITS
Bring Your School or Large Group for Guided Tours in
Island Farm hosts school groups, nonprofit groups, and professionally guided tours. To qualify for our group rate, your party must have 15 or more guests and make arrangements at least 3 weeks in advance. *Group rates apply only to professional, non-profit, or student groups.
Prior to arriving, we ask that each person in the group sign a liability statement. Don’t worry, we never share your information. To save time, the waiver may be sent to the tour coordinator and must be turned in to staff upon arrival.
How to plan your group trip
We recommend making arrangements for groups using our online form. We accept only cash or check for large groups.
For school groups, we recommend one chaperone for every 10 students. Because of the nature of the Farm, chaperones are required to stay with their group at all times and are responsible for the conduct and safety of students.
We encourage our groups to enjoy the Island Farm environment – picnic lunches are welcomed! There is a grassy lawn available for picnicking, adjacent to the Visitor’s Center. Island Farm has ample space for bus parking and maneuvering, too.
Not part of the public school system? No problem. Each year, Island Farm hosts a Homeschool Day! Check out our calendar for all of the details.
Educational Program Catalog
Island Farm’s staff is proud to offer programming that is cohesive with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. A basic outline of our programs can be found below. If you have questions, feel free to contact us! Our activities vary seasonally. They are always different, exciting, and memorable! Field trips are offered Tuesday through Friday during our open season — beginning on April 8th, 2025.
Reserve Your SpotCulture – 2.C.1.1 | History – 2.H.1.1, 3.H.1.1, 4.H.1.1, 4.H.1.2, 5.H.1.1, 5.H.1.2
An 1860 census record shows that the Etheredges owned 12 sheep and sheared 75 pounds of wool that year. Students connect weaving to daily labor on an 1847 North Carolina farm and learn how settlers met basic needs without modern technology. This hands-on program provides opportunities to interact with the sheep.
Math – K.G.1, Science – K.P.1.1, Social Studies – K.H.1.1, K.H.1.3, 1.G.1, 1.B.1.1, 1.G.2.1 2.H.1, EX.K.E.1, 3.H.1.3, 4.B.1, 5.H.1 Writing – W.2.2, W.3.2, W4.2
Students will explore the main house of the Etheridge family. The students will use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast how the items viewed in this house might be similar to and different than those we use today.
Social Studies – K.H.1.1, K.H.1.3, 1.B.1.1, 1.G.2.1, 2.H.1.2, 2.H.1.1, 3.G.1, 4.B.1, 4.G.1, Science – 3.E.1
Students will be introduced to the “kitchen” of Island Farm, known as the cookhouse. A comparison of cooking “now and then” will be demonstrated for children as the interpreter cooks over the hearth. Comparisons will be made between modern cooking and kitchens and how they differ from those in the 1850’s.
Science – 3.E.1, Math – 3.G.1, 4.G.1, Social Studies – 4.B.1
In 19th century America, a blacksmith was an essential member of any community. The smith was the person who made the tools, equipment, utensils, and parts that folks needed for their work and life. Students will learn from the blacksmith about using heat to mold metal into useful tools. The blacksmith will invite student participation if time allows.
Social Studies 4.B.1.1
Students will get active and play a variety of 19th century toys and games near the historic Etheridge homeplace
K.G.2, K.H.1, 1.B.1, 2.H.1, 3.G.1, 4.H.1
Students will learn the multi-step process of doing laundry in the 19th century. This hands-on educational station invite students to compare the practice and ease of laundry today, compared to laundry in 1847. Students will learn about mending, washing, scrubbing, drying, and ironing, and will be invited to help soak, clean and hang laundry.
Interpreters will gather students in the barnyard and expose them to the various roles that livestock played in the lives of farmers and people on Roanoke Island. Students will learn how oxen, mules, horses, chickens, and sheep filled key roles on a subsistence farm. This program is hands-on, and involves the opportunity for students to interact with the Farm’s livestock.
Math K.CC.3., K.CC.7, 1.MD.4, 1.OA.6, 2.MD.10, Social Studies, K.H.1.1, 1.H.1.1, 2.H.1
Students will organize, represent, and interpret data collected after playing games from the 1800s. Lessons for kindergarten and first grade concentrate on whole numbers and counting. Lessons for second grade concentrate on simple graph making.
Math K.MD.1, 2.MD.1, Social Studies, K.H.1, 2.H.1
Students will compare the lengths of plants using various measurement techniques and will discuss the importance of having a large harvest in the 1800’s.
Culture – 2.C.1.1 | History – 2.H.1.1, 3.H.1.1, 4.H.1.1, 4.H.1.2, 5.H.1.1, 5.H.1.2
An 1860 census record shows that the Etheredges owned 12 sheep and sheared 75 pounds of wool that year. Students connect weaving to daily labor on an 1847 North Carolina farm and learn how settlers met basic needs without modern technology. This hands-on program provides opportunities to interact with the sheep.
Math – K.G.1, Science – K.P.1.1, Social Studies – K.H.1.1, K.H.1.3, 1.G.1, 1.B.1.1, 1.G.2.1 2.H.1, EX.K.E.1, 3.H.1.3, 4.B.1, 5.H.1 Writing – W.2.2, W.3.2, W4.2
Students will explore the main house of the Etheridge family. The students will use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast how the items viewed in this house might be similar to and different than those we use today.
Social Studies – K.H.1.1, K.H.1.3, 1.B.1.1, 1.G.2.1, 2.H.1.2, 2.H.1.1, 3.G.1, 4.B.1, 4.G.1, Science – 3.E.1
Students will be introduced to the “kitchen” of Island Farm, known as the cookhouse. A comparison of cooking “now and then” will be demonstrated for children as the interpreter cooks over the hearth. Comparisons will be made between modern cooking and kitchens and how they differ from those in the 1850’s.
Science – 3.E.1, Math – 3.G.1, 4.G.1, Social Studies – 4.B.1
In 19th century America, a blacksmith was an essential member of any community. The smith was the person who made the tools, equipment, utensils, and parts that folks needed for their work and life. Students will learn from the blacksmith about using heat to mold metal into useful tools. The blacksmith will invite student participation if time allows.
Social Studies 4.B.1.1
Students will get active and play a variety of 19th century toys and games near the historic Etheridge homeplace
K.G.2, K.H.1, 1.B.1, 2.H.1, 3.G.1, 4.H.1
Students will learn the multi-step process of doing laundry in the 19th century. This hands-on educational station invite students to compare the practice and ease of laundry today, compared to laundry in 1847. Students will learn about mending, washing, scrubbing, drying, and ironing, and will be invited to help soak, clean and hang laundry.
Science – K.L.1.2, K.P.1.2, 1.L.1.2, 3.E.1 Social Studies – K.H.1.1, 1.H.1.1, 2.G.1.2, 2.H.1.1, 3.G.1, 4.B.1, 4.G.1
Interpreters will gather students in the barnyard and expose them to the various roles that livestock played in the lives of farmers and people on Roanoke Island. Students will learn how oxen, mules, horses, chickens, and sheep filled key roles on a subsistence farm. This program is hands-on, and involves the opportunity for students to interact with the Farm’s livestock.
Social Studies – 4.B.1
Students will see how the ideas and practices of medicine have changed greatly since the 1850s. But no matter how different the method of treatment, the intention was still the same; to cure the sick, heal the wounded and comfort those in pain. A medicine box with various medicinal roots and remedies and other materials will be shown and explained to students.
Science – 3.E.1.2, Science – 4.E.1, Social Studies – 4.G.1.2, 5.G.1, 6.C & G.1, 8.E.1, 8.G.1
Students will become familiar with the materials and methods used by families to survive and the types of work islanders engaged in to live in coastal regions; farming was not all that families did to prosper. Farming, fishing, and hunting/waterfowling will be discussed.
Math – 3.MD.3, 4.MD.4, Social Studies – 3.H.1.3, 4.B.1.1
Students will organize, represent, and interpret data collected after playing games from the 1800s using simple graph making techniques.
Writing – W.4.3, Social Studies – 4.H.1.5, English – RF.5.2
Students will write a journal entry from the point of view of someone living on the farm in the 1850s.
Science 3.P.2, Social Studies 3.H.1.3
Students will hand dip candles as family members may have done in the 1850s. Students will discuss the importance of having candles in the 1800’s.
Math 4.NBT.4, Social Studies 4.H.1.5
Students will subtract years on the headstones in the historic Etheridge graveyard to determine length of life. The students will use dates to order headstones from oldest to newest.
Math – 3.MD.2, 4.NF.2, Social Studies – 3.H.1.3, 3.E.1.2, 4.B.1, 4.E.1.3
Students will discuss the importance of farming for the Etheridge family and will go through a garden planning process. Grades 3-4 will learn measuring techniques using plants and will discuss the importance of having a large harvest. Grades 5 and up will use critical thinking skills to create a crop plan for one full year.
Writing – W.3.3, Social Studies – 3.H.1.3
Students will write a friendly letter to a loved one, from the point of view of a child living on the farm in the 1850’s.
Culture – 2.C.1.1 | History – 2.H.1.1, 3.H.1.1, 4.H.1.1, 4.H.1.2, 5.H.1.1, 5.H.1.2
An 1860 census record shows that the Etheredges owned 12 sheep and sheared 75 pounds of wool that year. Students connect weaving to daily labor on an 1847 North Carolina farm and learn how settlers met basic needs without modern technology. This hands-on program provides opportunities to interact with the sheep.
Math – K.G.1, Science – K.P.1.1, Social Studies – K.H.1.1, K.H.1.3, 1.G.1, 1.B.1.1, 1.G.2.1 2.H.1, EX.K.E.1, 3.H.1.3, 4.B.1, 5.H.1 Writing – W.2.2, W.3.2, W4.2
Students will explore the main house of the Etheridge family. The students will use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast how the items viewed in this house might be similar to and different than those we use today.
Social Studies – K.H.1.1, K.H.1.3, 1.B.1.1, 1.G.2.1, 2.H.1.2, 2.H.1.1, 3.G.1, 4.B.1, 4.G.1, Science – 3.E.1
Students will be introduced to the “kitchen” of Island Farm, known as the cookhouse. A comparison of cooking “now and then” will be demonstrated for children as the interpreter cooks over the hearth. Comparisons will be made between modern cooking and kitchens and how they differ from those in the 1850’s.
Science – 3.E.1, Math – 3.G.1, 4.G.1, Social Studies – 4.B.1
In 19th century America, a blacksmith was an essential member of any community. The smith was the person who made the tools, equipment, utensils, and parts that folks needed for their work and life. Students will learn from the blacksmith about using heat to mold metal into useful tools. The blacksmith will invite student participation if time allows.
Social Studies 4.B.1.1
Students will get active and play a variety of 19th century toys and games near the historic Etheridge homeplace
K.G.2, K.H.1, 1.B.1, 2.H.1, 3.G.1, 4.H.1
Students will learn the multi-step process of doing laundry in the 19th century. This hands-on educational station invite students to compare the practice and ease of laundry today, compared to laundry in 1847. Students will learn about mending, washing, scrubbing, drying, and ironing, and will be invited to help soak, clean and hang laundry.
Science – K.L.1.2, K.P.1.2, 1.L.1.2, 3.E.1 Social Studies – K.H.1.1, 1.H.1.1, 2.G.1.2, 2.H.1.1, 3.G.1, 4.B.1, 4.G.1
Interpreters will gather students in the barnyard and expose them to the various roles that livestock played in the lives of farmers and people on Roanoke Island. Students will learn how oxen, mules, horses, chickens, and sheep filled key roles on a subsistence farm. This program is hands-on, and involves the opportunity for students to interact with the Farm’s livestock.
Social Studies – 4.B.1
Students will see how the ideas and practices of medicine have changed greatly since the 1850s. But no matter how different the method of treatment, the intention was still the same; to cure the sick, heal the wounded and comfort those in pain. A medicine box with various medicinal roots and remedies and other materials will be shown and explained to students.
Science – 3.E.1.2, Science – 4.E.1, Social Studies – 4.G.1.2, 5.G.1, 6.C & G.1, 8.E.1, 8.G.1
Students will become familiar with the materials and methods used by families to survive and the types of work islanders engaged in to live in coastal regions; farming was not all that families did to prosper. Farming, fishing, and hunting/waterfowling will be discussed.
Science 3.P.2, Social Studies 3.H.1.3
Students will hand dip candles as family members may have done in the 1850s. Students will discuss the importance of having candles in the 1800’s.
Students will explore the life of Crissy Bowser, an African- American women who lived on the Etheridge farm for most of her life. Through learning more about Ms. Bowser’s life, students will explore the subjects of enslavement and freedom.
Math – 3.MD.2, 4.NF.2, Social Studies – 3.H.1.3, 3.E.1.2, 4.B.1, 4.E.1.3
Students will discuss the importance of farming for the Etheridge family and will go through a garden planning process. Grades 3-4 will learn measuring techniques using plants and will discuss the importance of having a large harvest. Grades 5 and up will use critical thinking skills to create a crop plan for one full year.
Students will understand the American Civil War in the context of Roanoke Island. The significance of the largest colony of freed people (who were formally enslaved) on Roanoke Island will be explored as well.
The believed son of John B. Etheridge, and the first African-American keeper of the lifesaving station, Captain Etheridge was taught to read and write in his early life, and worked alongside the Etheridge family.
The last will and testament of Adam Dough Etheridge (signed in 1867), the patriarch of Island Farm will be used to demonstrate to students the mid-19th century customs of ownership, estate division, property, and familial relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions About School Field Trips at Island Farm
The student and group rate is $8 per person. Teachers, teaching assistants, and bus drivers are provided with complimentary admission.
One supervisory adult is required per 10 students. If fewer teachers are in attendance than required, one complimentary admission is provided per 10 students.
Complementary admissions are provided to the Group Organizer to distribute at their discretion.
*Group rates apply only to professional, non-profit, or student groups.
The group rate is for professional, non-profit, or student groups only. Accompanying parents and adults are admitted as regular visitors and are charged a regular admission cost of $11, unless otherwise noted by their Group Organizer.
*Group rates apply only to professional, non-profit, or student groups.
Unless there is a case of severe weather, programming for field trips and tours will always continue, rain or shine.
Programs that are severely impacted by the weather will be exchanged with indoor programming at the discretion of Island Farm staff.
Island Farm incurs additional fees for debit and credit card transactions. To continue providing discounts for professional groups and students, we ask that groups and field trips pay via cash or check.
In the event of severe weather, you will be contacted for a rain date, and field trips will be rescheduled. Island Farm does not issue refunds in the event of illness or absence for professional or student groups that are provided a group discount.
