Field Trips To The REACH
A visit to the REACH brings the history and science of the Mid-Columbia region to life for students!
The REACH exhibits the unique landscape and history of the Columbia Basin. The curriculum developed by REACH Educators follows these themes and aligns with current school standards. Teachers can choose a guided or self-guided trip for their K through 12th grade school group.
GUIDED Field Trips
An educator-led field trip to the REACH Museum includes hands-on activities that allow students to engage with the exhibits and collections. Choose one of the topics* below, and the Education Manager will help you pick activities appropriate for your group’s grade level and interests.
Preschool field trips focus on guided interaction with indoor and outdoor exhibits and season-appropriate nature exploration.
Cost: K-12th grade guided field trip is $210 per class (up to 30 students). Plan on one and a half to two hours at the museum. Teachers and adult chaperones (1 to 7 student ratio) are free.
A preschool field trip is $150 per class of up to 20 students. Plan on one to one and a half hours at the museum. Teachers and adult chaperones (1 to 5 student ratio) free.
We can accommodate up to three classes at one time.
Subsidization is available for qualifying groups, thanks to generous donations from our sponsors. Talk to the Education Manager to apply. Paulines@visitthereach.us 509-943-4100 extension 113
Schedule your guided field trip by filling out our online form Guided Field Trip Registration at least two weeks before your preferred date. We will contact you to confirm details.
SELF-GUIDED Field Trips
For older students, smaller groups, or if time is limited, you are welcome to tour the museum on your own. A self-guided visit may be scheduled during regular museum hours (10:00-4:30 Tuesday through Saturday) for a group of 10 to 30 at a group rate of $5 per student. Plan to bring at least one adult chaperone for every seven students. Scavenger hunt worksheets are available to help students engage with the exhibits. Recommended for middle school and up. Contact the Education Manager to schedule: paulines@visitthereach.us 509-943-4100 ext. 113
*Guided Field Trip Topics
Columbia River Resources Grades 2 through 8
Explore ways people and wildlife have thrived using the river throughout history, and how the river has changed since Lewis and Clark’s journey. Students may build a timeline, investigate fish adaptations, match artifacts to journal entries of the explorers, or use a satellite view of the river to reflect on human impacts.
Shrub-Steppe Ecosystem Grades K through 12
Explore how the plants, animals, and people of the Hanford Reach’s shrub-steppe and riparian ecosystems rely on each other and the environment. Students investigate animal pelts and skulls, find native and invasive plants on the trail, and discover connections to the wildlife in their own backyard.
Geologic Past Grades K through 8
Explore local landforms, rocks, and fossils to understand the geologic history of the Pacific Northwest. Students compare specimens large and small and model earth processes such as the rock cycle, plate tectonics, and the impact of catastrophic Ice Age flooding.
Hanford – Manhattan Project and Beyond Grades 5 through 12
Explore the science and history of the Manhattan Project at Hanford and how it changed our community and the world. Programs are led by REACH Museum educators and/or Manhattan Project National Historical Park rangers (scheduling dependent.) Museum exhibits give an overview of the entire story, and you may choose one of the following for an educator-led activity:
- Health Physics & Radiation
- Science of the B Reactor
- Debating the Atomic Bombs
- Journey from a Mine to an Atomic Weapon from Africa to Japan
- Hanford’s Cultural Artifacts, WWII & Cold War
- Hanford Clean-Up
The River Mile Crayfish Study Grades 3 through 12, April through October
Students make a difference by participating in a community science project collecting data on invasive species. REACH Educators facilitate students identifying and measuring crayfish at the river. Grade-level appropriate activities may include scientific drawing, researching freshwater organisms in our exhibits, dissecting crayfish, analyzing water quality, and modeling population dynamics.
Participation in the study may include a classroom visit, museum field trip, and a visit to the river to collect data for the study. Talk to the Education Manager (paulines@visitthereach.us) for more information and to customize this experience for your class, scout troop, or club.
