Please complete the request form below. Your completion of this form does not guarantee your program requested date/time. Our programs are free except for those offered by our partner Sea Turtle Conservancy, for which the price is noted.
We can generally accommodate 2 classes at a time on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and 1 class at a time on Fridays. Study trips are typically 2.5 -3 hours and run from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (arrival and departure time can be flexible to accommodate transportation needs). Note: Our study trip program days are Tuesday through Fridays only. We are closed Mondays.
**Daycares are self-guided only**
**Homeschools are generally scheduled on Fridays. Maximum of 25 students per class and a minimum of 10 students** For groups of less than 10 students, please feel free to come enjoy the center self-guided and check out our events to see the fun and educational public programs, eco art, and workshops we host monthly!**
***Transportation Scholarships 2025-2026:
***Thanks to the Sea Turtle Grants Program, we are able to offer a limited amount of bus cost
reimbursement to eligible Title 1 schools in Brevard and Indian River Counties so students may
attend a sea turtle educational program at the Barrier Island Center. The Sea Turtle Grants
Program is funded from proceeds of the sale of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate. Learn
more at www.helpingseaturtles.org
***Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Jasmine Circle of
the Garden Club of Indian River County, we are able to offer additional scholarships to cover the
bussing costs for eligible Title 1 schools in Indian River County for the 2025-2026 school year!
**Transportation Scholarship Applicants Note: Programs requested or a transportation scholarship must be a Sea Turtle educational program. All programs listed below apply to the scholarships except the following: Habitat Detectives and Dune to Lagoon Soil and Water Analysis are excluded**
HATCHLING SCHOOL
Explore the lives of sea turtles by learning about their life cycle, anatomy, threats, and how to protect them through interpretive, hands-on activities. Program includes anatomy lesson, interpretive beach walk and clean-up, scavenger hunt, exhibit exploration, ocean-view picnic, and more!
Age Group: grade pre-kindergarten
Cost: free
Attendance Options: online or in-person
Available an as online program: yes
In-Person Program Capacity: one or two groups of 25 (dependent on staff availability)
SEA TURTLE SCHOOL
Become a sea turtle hero by learning about sea turtle life cycles, anatomy, threats, and how to protect them through interpretive, hands-on activities. Program includes interpretive beach walk and clean-up, scavenger hunt, exhibit exploration, ocean-view picnic, and more!
Age Group: grades kindergarten and grade 1
Cost: free
Attendance Options: online or in-person
Available an as online program: yes
In-Person Program Capacity: one or two groups of 25 (dependent on staff availability)
HABITAT DETECTIVES
Students will become environmental scientists by collecting and analyzing data within the multiple habitats found within the Barrier Island Sanctuary. Program includes: interpretive trail walk, data collection and analysis, exhibit exploration, ocean-view picnic, and more!
Age Group: grades kindergarten and grade 1
Cost: free
Attendance Options: in-person only
Program Capacity: one or two groups of 25 (dependent on staff availability)
SEA TURTLE ACADEMY
Become a sea turtle steward while learning about sea turtle anatomy, life cycle, threats, and how to protect them. Program includes: interpretive beach walk and clean-up, exhibit exploration, sea turtle tag, hands-on skull activity, ocean-view picnic, and more!
Age Group: grades 2-4
Cost: free
Attendance Options: online or in-person
In-Person Program Capacity: one or two groups of 25 (dependent on staff availability)
SEA TURTLE SCIENCE
Increase knowledge with a more in-depth investigation into the world of sea turtle science, including sea turtle anatomy, environmental threats, and conservation efforts. Program includes: interpretive beach walk and clean-up, exhibit exploration, sea turtle tag, sea turtle stranding scenario, ocean-view picnic, and more!
Age Group: grades 5-6
Cost: free
Attendance Options: in-person only
Program Capacity: one or two groups of 25 (dependent on staff availability)
SEA TURTLES DUNE TO LAGOON
Students will investigate sea turtle habitats, dune and lagoon, learning about environmental threats to sea turtles and how to protect them. Program includes: interpretive beach and trail walk, substrate and water analysis, exhibit exploration, sea turtle stranding scenario, ocean-view picnic, and more!
Age Group: grades 7-9
Cost: free
Attendance Options: in-person only
Program Capacity: one or two groups of 25 (dependent on staff availability)
DUNE TO LAGOON SOIL AND WATER ANALYSIS
Students will investigate habitats from dune to lagoon, learning about environmental threats to sea turtles and how to protect them. Program includes: interpretive beach and trail walk, substrate and water analysis, exhibit exploration, ocean-view picnic, and more! Optional Activity: Sein Netting in the Indian River Lagoon can be included upon request during this program.
Age Group: grades 6-12
Cost: free
Attendance Options: in-person only
Program Capacity: one or two groups of 25 (dependent on staff availability)
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**The following programs, below, are offered by The Sea Turtle Conservancy in partnership with Brevard
County’s Environmentally Endangered Lands Program at the Barrier Island Center. Please contact Sarah Rhodes-Ondi via email at sarah@conserveturtles.org for more information and to schedule any of the following programs. Please also submit a study trip request.**
SEA TURTLE STEM WORKSHOP: DESIGN, BUILD, AND FLY REMOTE OPERATED VEHICLES (ROVs)
Design, build, and fly ROVs in collaborative teams like real engineers. Experiment with your ROV in a freshwater pool. ROVs are used to study sea turtle behavior.
Age Group: ages 10 and up
Cost: $30 per student
Attendance Options: in-person only, 4 hours
Program Capacity: minimum of 10 students, maximum of 20 students
SEA TURTLE STEM WORKSHOP: TOUR DE TURTLES SEA TURTLE SATELLITE TRACKING
Learn what Sea Turtle Conservancy is learning about sea turtle migration through an annual sea turtle marathon. Hands-on STEM activity, writing prompt, and iPads provided.
Age Group: ages 10 and up
Cost: $15 per student
Attendance Options: in-person only, Tue/Wed/Thu, 2 hours
Program Capacity: minimum of 10 students, maximum of 20 students
SEA TURTLE STEM WORKSHOP: DUNE TO LAGOON GEOCACHING SCAVENGER HUNT
Learn how Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and satellites are used in conservation science. GPS units and hands-on geocache hunt are set up just for your group.
Age Group: ages 10 and up
Cost: $15 per student
Attendance Options: in-person only, Tue/Wed/Thu, 2 hours
Program Capacity: minimum of 10 students, maximum of 20 students
