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Students on the Floating Classroom

Fall High School Field Trips

Lake Hopatcong as a Classroom

The Lake Hopatcong Foundation offers environmental field trips each fall for students in grades nine through twelve. Through interactive lessons aboard the Floating Classroom and in the Musconetcong River at Hopatcong State Park, students explore the history of Lake Hopatcong and engage in in-depth discussions on water quality, climate change, and watershed protection.

Read about our 2025 fall season HERE!

Field Trip Activities

Students will be guided by Lake Hopatcong Foundation volunteers and staff throughout Hopatcong State Park to the following stations.

  • Outdoor Classroom: Students will begin with an interactive outdoor lesson, exploring the history and significance of Lake Hopatcong, water quality basics and eutrophication, native vs. invasive species, and the experiments they'll conduct throughout the day.
    • Fulfills: (2.1.12.CHSS.8) (HS-ESS3-1)

After this session, students will split into two groups and rotate through the following stations for the rest of the day

  • Musconetcong River: Wearing our provided knee-high boots, students will wade into the Musconetcong River to learn about aquatic macroinvertebrates, their life cycles, and how they’ve evolved to survive in a changing environment. They will also learn how these organisms can help us determine water quality and conduct their own River Quality Assessment.
    • Fulfills: (HS-ESS2-2) (HS-ESS3-5)
       
  • Floating Classroom: Students will board our 40-foot floating classroom for an immersive, hands-on learning experience in lake ecology and water quality. They will sample and test water for variables like clarity, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate levels, and temperature. Students will also explore microinvertebrates (plankton) by conducting water sampling and examining their findings through digital microscopes. To wrap up, they will complete a Lake Quality Assessment and participate in scenario-based planning to apply their knowledge to real-world situations.
    • Fulfills: (HS-ESS2-4) (HS-ESS3-5) (HS-ETS1-2)
2025 Field Trips 

Field trips are held rain or shine from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm from September to October at Hopatcong State Park in Landing, NJ. Groups of up to 70 (including teachers, chaperones, and aides) can be accommodated in one day. Schools with more than 70 participants are welcome to apply for multiple days of field trips.

Pricing for 2025 is $20 per person.  

Field Trip Inquiry 

If you're interested in participating in our 2025 fall high school field trip program, please complete the form below in its entirety and read all instructions carefully. Students should only be within grades 9, 10, 11, or 12, but schools are welcome to bring multiple grade levels from within their high school.  A staff member will contact you by email to coordinate details.

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