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Field trip programs:

• The Great Green Adventure (1-hour program)
• The Great Green Adventure & Sustainability Stations (2-hour program)
• Scoring in Sustainability (1 ½ - hour program)
• Green Career Modules (new!)

Field trips target students in grades 4-12. Younger groups can be accommodated upon request. All educational aspects of the field trip were created to comply with State of Michigan Benchmarks and Grade Level Content Expectations. Download a complete list of Benchmarks and GLCEs addressed in this program.*

Community and Business Tours:

• Guided tours by trained U-M Docents highlight sustainable features of the Dana Building, such as infill design, salvaged and recycled building materials, and innovative technology to improve energy efficiency and conserve water.
• Specific interests can be accommodated; classroom space available for additional discussions upon request.

TIES provides individuals, school groups, businesses, and other organizations with the opportunity to learn about sustainability and green buildings. TIES can accommodate any interested audience - from leading a 45-minute tour for a small business to running a two-hour field trip for middle and high school students.

Schedule a Tour!

Contact the TIES Program Coordinator, at snre-ties@umich.edu

The Great Green Adventure (1-hour program)

Take your students on a docent-led tour of the Gold LEED-rated Samuel T. Dana Building!

While on tour, students will identify sustainable features of green building design; compare conventional and sustainable materials found in buildings; and identify alternatives to new construction and traditional outward expansion. The tour is organized around interactive displays throughout the building that encourage students to identify, interpret and analyze green building features while experiencing sustainability in practice. Tour highlights include the composting toilets, radiant cooling system, native plant landscape, and much more!

Best for: All ages

The Great Green Adventure & Sustainability Stations (2-hour program)

Combine your docent-led tour of the Gold LEED-rated Samuel T. Dana Building with a series of hands-on activities that explore the environmental impacts of the choices your students face every day! Students will explore environmentally responsible behaviors, identify the environmental impacts of consumer products, and discover ways to reduce their own ecological footprint. Students will be encouraged to evaluate their preconceived knowledge of everyday lifestyle choices and behaviors. The 2-hour program also includes a “Green Futures” presentation which identifies educational pathways for students interested in pursuing an environmental career.

Best for: All ages

Scoring in Sustainability (1 ½-hour program)

How does a building become a “Leader in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)?” What do all green buildings have in common? On this guided tour, students act as green building inspectors as they explore and score the Dana Building using real-world LEED criteria. Discover how energy efficiency, water conservation, air quality and site preparation contribute to a building’s green score. Explore common elements of sustainable development and identify green features unique to the Dana Building.

Best for: 10-12th grades. Recommended for AP Environmental students or return visitors.

New! Green Career Modules (1 ½ -hour program)

Explore green career pathways with sample labs organized around School of Natural Resources and Environment fields of study. Add modules to a Scoring in Sustainability or Great Green Adventure tour, or combine modules for a career-focused visit! Because of the hands-on nature of this program, modules are capped at 30 students each.

Best for: 10-12th grades. Recommended for AP Environmental or advanced high school students.

Module 1: Geographic Information Systems & Environmental Justice

How are communities shaped by industries with hazardous byproducts? Are some groups disproportionally affected by harmful air and water pollution? In this lab, students will discover the origins of the Environmental Justice (EJ) movement; identify patterns in the landscape using Geographic Information Systems (GIS); and explore different points of view in a real-world,
regional EJ case. Discover educational pathways relating to Environmental Spatial Analysis and Environmental Justice fields of study.

Program Fees

There is a per-student fee for the TIES program, which can be paid in advance or upon arrival at the Samuel T. Dana Building. Teachers and chaperones attend the program at no cost. Program fees are used to offset printing costs and to support TIES docents.

TIES is seeking additional funding to support scholarships and bus subsidies. Please contact snre-ties@umich.edu to learn more about scholarship opportunities, or if you would like to make a donation to support this program.

*NOTE: A committee of University of Michigan alumna who are specially trained in environmental education determined Michigan Benchmarks and GLCEs being met by the TIES program.