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Located on Sylvan Lake, the site highlights the life and work of Indiana author, naturalist and conservationist Gene Stratton-Porter. Students can explore her 1914 limestone cabin, original furnishings and gardens, and engage with nature in over three miles of trails, ponds and prairies. Interactive exhibits in the visitor center support Indiana Academic Standards, making it an inspiring destination for literature, science and environmental studies.
Call 260.854.3790 to schedule your field trip to Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site.
Free Admission
Free for preregistered, accredited Indiana schools of 10+ K-12 students, teachers, bus drivers and one additional adult per five students. Additional chaperones pay the group admission rate of $8/person.
Free Admission
Free for preregistered groups of 10+ students, including one free adult per five students. Additional adults pay the group rate.
Pre-Registration
All field trips must be booked at least two weeks in advance. This ensures a personalized, engaging experience for your students.
Group Size
A minimum of 10 students is required for field trips.
Lunch
Picnic areas are available, and there are nearby restaurants for students and chaperones.
Contact
Call 260.854.3790 or email [email protected] to schedule your field trip to Gene Stratton-Porter.
Take a look at our collected educator resources from across the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
Whether it’s at the site or outreach, we offer hands-on, exploratory and interactive programs on a variety of topics that provide your students a fun way to learn about Indiana’s people, places and things. All programs fulfill select Indiana Academic Standards for multiple grade levels. At site and outreach programs cost $2/student with a maximum number of 25 students. Travel fees are 30-60 miles: $20; 60-90 miles: $40; 90+ miles: $60. Program length is 45-60 minutes. See programs below:
This school group tour includes a guided tour of Gene’s cabin and exploration of her gardens and grounds. Students will learn how this author and naturalist infused her personality into her home during its construction and see many of the region’s beautiful wildflowers Gene transplanted to her garden.
Available: At site
Indiana Academic Standards: K-2: K.H.1; K.H.3; 1.H.1; 1.H.3; 2.H.3, VA:Pr6.1.1; Grades 3-5: 3.H.4; 3.H.7; 3.G.5, 4.H.7, 4.H.8, 4.H.9, 4.H.11,4.H.13, 4.H.15, 4.E.1, 5.H.18; VA:Pr4.1.4, VA:Pr4.1.5; Grades 6-8: 6.H.15; VA: Pr6.1.6; VA: Pr6.1.4; VA: Pr6.1.5; VA: Pr6.1.7, VA: Pr6.1.8; Grades 9-12: IS.1.15, IS.1.38, IS.5.8, IS.5.11, IS.5.11, VA: Pr6.1.I, Re7.II
Students will explore Indiana’s natural heritage and see what plants and flowers are currently in bloom.
Available: On-site
Indiana Academic Standards: Grades 3-5: 3.G.8, 4.G.5, 4.G.6 Science: 3-LS2-1, 4-ESS2-1, 5-PS3-1, 5-LS2-1; Grades 6-8: MS-LS1-6, MS-LS2-1, MS- LS2-2, MS-ESS3-3; Grades 9-12: HS-LS2-7, HS-ENV2-7
Gene Stratton-Porter wrote, drew, explored and photographed her natural surroundings. Create a similar experience for your students.
Available: At site and outreach
Indiana Academic Standards to be discussed at time of reservation.
Students will learn to identify the different trees that grow in Wildflower Woods and discover the different things that affect a tree’s growth. They’ll also discover how to age a tree through hands-on activities, and discuss how to differentiate significant weather events just by the tree’s growth.
Available: At site and outreach
Indiana Academic Standards: K-grade 2: K.LS.1; K.LS.2; K.LS.3; 1.LS.3; 2.LS.2; Grades 3-5: 3.LS.2; 4.LS.1; 4.LS.2; 5.LS.1; 5.LS.2; Grades 6-8: 6.LS.2; 6.LS.5; 8.LS.9; Grades 9-12: Env.1.1; s Env.1.2; Env.5.1; Env.5.5, K-LS1-1; 1-LS3-1; 2-LS2- 1; 4-LS1-1; 5-LS1-1; MS-LS1-6; HS-LS1-5
Engage in a discussion of what a wetland is, what it does and how it works to keep our water healthy. Then, utilize our wetland exploration backpacks to dip for macroinvertebrates. Beware – students will get muddy!
Available: At site
Indiana Academic Standards: Science: K-PS3-1; K-ESS2-2; 2-LS4-1; MS-LS4-3; MS-ESS2-4; HS-LS2-6; HS-ENVI-5, K-PS3-1; K-ESS2-2; 2-LS4-1; MS-LS4-3; MS-ESS2-4; HS-LS2-6; HS-ENVI-5
Educators may request a specialty program or activity for an additional fee. Programs include art, history, nature, science, engineering and multidisciplinary learning. Call 260.854.3790 for details.
Students will investigate plant identification methods by examining the plants that grow in Wildflower Woods, and get an up-close look at the various parts of a plant. This program can be adjusted for younger students.
Available: At site and outreach
Indiana Academic Standards: Science: B.2.1, ENV.1.1, ENV.1.3, ENV.1.6, ENV.5.2, ENV.5.5, ENV.5.6, ENV.7.3, ENV.8.2, K-LS1-1; 1-LS3-1; 2-LS2-1; 4-LS1- 1; 5-LS1-1; MS-LS1-6; HS-LS1-5
Visit the cabin designed by Gene Stratton-Porter and completed in 1914. Furnishings in the home are arranged and maintained to reflect Stratton-Porter’s lifestyle, and much of the furniture and personal collections, including her library, are preserved at the home.
Explore the Carriage House Visitor Center to learn about moths, wildflowers, woodpeckers, carnivorous plants and other nature topics. Pull the drawers out from a large cabinet to see different types of rocks and wildlife found throughout Indiana.
Admire the 35-bed formal garden, accented with a 120-foot-long wisteria-covered arbor. The site also has over three miles of grass and mulched trails in the woods and along the fields as well as a paved trail on the west portion of the site behind the historic Sower farmhouse and barn.
In her lifetime, Stratton-Porter authored 12 novels, seven nature studies, three poetry books, children’s books and numerous magazine articles. With an estimated 50 million readers, her works have been translated into several foreign languages as well as Braille. Eight of her novels were produced as motion pictures.
We look forward to welcoming your students to the Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site. Call us at 260.854.3790 to book your trip or send us an email at the link below.
