Go Outside!
Education Programs at Pinecrest
Learn Like a GEEC
The Gale Environmental Education Center at Pinecrest: Cultivating stewards of the earth to be rooted in inquiry, growing through adventure, and branching out as leaders.
At Pinecrest, our educational programs invite students of all ages to rediscover the wonder of the natural world. Through hands-on learning, immersive field trips, and seasonal programs for both public and homeschool students, we foster curiosity, connection, and a deeper appreciation for the environment. By engaging with nature, we unlock new ways to balance our time, explore our gifts, and celebrate our shared world.
Field Trips and Student Retreats
Meet Doodle the Noodle!
We offer single-day programs for your school group, and two or three-day retreats filled with fun outdoor education. Check out our available programs by browsing our Field Trip Guide
For overnight retreats, check out our Adventure Planning Packet
to prepare for your visit.
Seasonal Education Events
Science, history, team-building, personal reflection, and more help educate and emphasize our mission of cultivating stewards of the earth to be rooted in inquiry, growing through adventure, and branching out as leaders. We offer experiential programming that involves opportunities to support and engage all 7 learning styles.
Spring Celebration 2025 - TBD - 9:45-Noon
Students in grades K-3 will enjoy a day-out at Pinecrest that combines learning and fun! Learn about plant parts by making a silly soup, meet forest babies, enjoy a s’more and play a campfire game, learn the names of beautiful spring flowers, and cuddle the baby goats!
$10/student, $5 chaperones, teachers free.
Bring a picnic lunch to stay and play.
Reservations required, limited space available.
Register here: https://forms.gle/QrMiYHFJ5a2AYLpMA
Email Charity@camppinecrest.org with questions.
Natural Resources Career Exploration Day - TBD 9:30-12:30
Students in grades 8-12 can experience STEAM-based careers in the outdoors. Each station will be led by a professional in forestry, hydrologic systems, stewardship ecology, environmental education, and wildlife biology and includes an activity for students to sample some of the exciting ways we protect and manage our important resources.
$15/student, $5/chaperones, teachers free.
Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy after the program.
Register here: https://forms.gle/QrMiYHFJ5a2AYLpMA
Email Charity@camppinecrest.org with questions.
Fall Fun Field Trip 2025 - TBD 9:45-Noon
Ready for something new? Don’t miss out on this experience only at Pinecrest! Seasonal science and fun includes happy trees, decomposer dudes, silly science soup, trail wonders, baby goats, wagon rides, and more. Recommended grades K-3.
$10/student, $5 chaperones, teachers free.
Bring a picnic lunch to stay and play.
Register here: https://forms.gle/QrMiYHFJ5a2AYLpMA
Email Charity@camppinecrest.org with questions.
Public and homeschool events
Students make connections between the classroom and the real world. Our adventures support 3-D learning, Expeditionary Learning, STEM and STEAM curriculum, experiential learning, the Montessori approach, homeschool groups, forest-school, and more in an outdoor classroom setting. To create stewards of the earth, we know we need to provide ample time to explore, connect, and love the diverse facets of nature and natural processes which roots them in inquiry.
Little Explorers
Select Tuesdays, 10-11:30 am
Mini-adventures for you and your little one. Recommended ages 4-7, sibs welcome.
Stay after to play and picnic.
Call 901-878-1247 or email Charity@camppinecrest.org to RSVP
tiyak field school for homeschool
Join us in the forests, fields, and creeks for environmental education classes with our Program Director. Each session will include a lesson, exploration, activities in the field, and field journaling for learning reinforcement.
BYO field journal! Recommended grades 3-5. Siblings welcome
stargazers u-night
Select Seasonal Dates and Times
All ages and levels are welcome to join us in the Dark Sky fields for stargazing. We’ll start indoors with a presentation to brush up on our astronomy basics, then head out to our dark sky fields to view deep space objects through the incredible telescopes of the Memphis Astronomical Society. BYO binoculars for added fun.
hike with a biologist
Various Dates and Times
Educational hikes, led by the Pinecrest biologist Richard Rucker range from one to five miles and offer glimpses into the wild world of wildlife, history, and ecology.
You’ll always be amazed and our intriguing mild hills and bluffs showcase the geologic and habitat wonders of our preserve.
One of the most important outcomes of experiential learning is emotional growth, whether or not it’s intentionally built into the program structure. Outdoor programs are found to help students improve:
– Self-concept
– Social skills
– Academic and personal achievement
Thus students are confident to branch out as leaders.
Pinecrest is a proud Organizational Member of the
Tennessee Environmental Education Association
Learn more at eeintennessee.org