NYS Standards Included: K.1, K.4b, K.7, K.8 and 1.2, 1.3, 1.6, 1.7c, 1.9c Available: September/October and late April through mid-June Program Length: 90 minutes Program Times: 10 am and 12:30pm Group Size: Up to 100 Additional Program Notes:
For 3 or more classes, please divide the whole group into three small groups. Each small group will rotate between each of the activities.
Explore a child’s life at Fort Stanwix with your students, and learn why children were at a military post far from home and what they did here! Throughout this 1.5 hour program, students will help pack for a 3-year adventure with the Continental Army, help a fort family with their daily chores, and play with some of the popular toys of the 1700s as they discover how much they have in common with the children of long ago.
National Park Service
2nd & 3rd Grades
The Fort Community
NYS Standards Included: 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.9 and 3.3, 3.6 Available: September/October and late April through mid-June Program Length: 90 minutes Program Times: 10 am and 12:30 pm Group Size: Up to 100 Additional Program Notes:
For 3 or more classes, please divide the whole group into three small groups. Each small group will rotate between each of the activities.
Far from the communities they were accustomed to, the Continental Army had to transform their permanent fortifications into communities of their own. During this program, your students will become the firefighters and police officers of the early American army with hands-on activities demonstrating how intense – and necessary – both of these jobs were. They will also have the opportunity to compare and contrast a visit to the doctor between the 1700s and today as they explore the idea of this unique military community.
Holiday Treasures 3rd Grade Only
NYS Standards Included: 3.4, 3.5b, 3.6 In-Class Supplement: Holiday Treasures Pre-visit Lesson Plans Available: Early November through Winter Break Times: 10 am Program Length: 90 minutes Group Size: Up to 100 Additional Program Notes:
Like the other onsite programs offered at the park, Holiday Treasures is outdoor-based for most of the visit, so please dress accordingly (in fact, it’s about 10 degrees colder in the fort than outside). In the event of a school or park closure, a limited number of rescheduling dates will be available prior to the December Winter Break.
Reservations for this program begin in early November and run through break week in December, so you are encouraged to book as early as possible to ensure you are able to visit.
Works best with travel groups of 10 students and 1 adult, but can work with whole class groups with 1-2 adults
National Park Service
4th & 5th Grade
Wilderness Fort
NYS Standards Included: 4.3d and 5.6b Available: September/October and late April through mid-June Program Times: 10 am and 12:30 pm Program Length: 90 minutes Group Size: Up to 150 Additional Program Notes:
For 3 or more classes, please divide the whole group into three small groups. Each small group will rotate between each of the activities.
Often hundreds of miles from their homes, soldiers in the Continental Army at Fort Stanwix were responsible for defending an area they considered to be the wilderness. This program gives students a “soldier’s eye view” of life at the fort as they practice (drill) with training muskets, make an in-depth investigation of the fort’s defensive structures, and discover how rules keep soldiers – and students – safe.
History Detectives: 1777
NYS Standards Included: 4.1, 4.3d and 5.6b Available: September/October and late April through mid-June Program Times: 10 am and 12:30 pm Program Length: 90 minutes Group Size: Works best with groups up to 60 Additional Program Notes:
Students should be divided into work groups of 4-5 prior to arrival
One adult for every student work group is recommended
What does the 1777 siege of Fort Stanwix have to do with the American victory at Saratoga? In this puzzle-solving exploration of the fort, your students will use teamwork and problem-solving skills to answer that very question. The experience begins with a whole group game, then the student detective groups will travel throughout the fort gathering clues before regrouping to link the clues and solve the mystery.
National Park Service/Ranger Dan U.
6th Grade
Archeology at Fort Stanwix
NYS Standards Included: 6.2d Available: September/October and late April through mid-June Program Time: 10 am Program Length: 2 hours Group Size: Works best with groups up to 60 Additional Program Notes:
Students should be divided into work groups of 4-5 prior to arrival
One adult for every student work group is recommended
How does archeology help us tell the story of the past? Just like those of ancient cultures, the objects left behind by people living in and around Fort Stanwix help us understand what life was like at the fort in the 1700s. Your students will investigate and catalog reproduction objects as they do archeological field work, explore original objects on display in the park museum, then head to the fort to discover how park rangers use the information provided by archeologists to keep the stories of the past alive today.
National Park Service
7th Grade
21 Days
NYS Standards Included: 7.3d Available: September/October and late April through mid-June Program Times: 10 am and 12:30 pm Program Length: 90 minutes Group Size: Up to 150 Additional Program Notes:
For 3 or more classes, please divide the whole group into three small groups. Each small group will rotate between each of the activities.
If you have not yet covered the 1777 British Campaign on New York (“3-Pronged Attack”), please let us know; this will help us know how to focus the program (introduction vs. review)
How did twenty one days in August of 1777 helped to change the course of American history? Throughout this interactive program, your students will examine the fort’s defensive structures from an enemy perspective, learn the importance of teamwork during the siege by participating in an artillery drill (practice), and discuss how the elements and outcome of the 1777 siege of Fort Stanwix played a part in the American victory at Saratoga.
National Park Service/Ranger D U.
High School
Survive the Siege: Fort Stanwix – Created by our 2022 Teacher-Ranger-Teacher
NYS Standards Included: 11.1, 11.2 C3 Framework Standards: D2.His.1.6-8, D2.His.1.9-12, D2.His.2.9-12, D2.His.4.6-8, D2.His.4.9-12, D2.His.16.9-12, D4.2.3-5 Available: September/October and late April through mid-June Program Time: 10 am Program Length: 90 minutes Group Size: Works best with groups up to 60, but can go up to 100 Additional Program Notes:
Students should be divided into work groups of 4-5 prior to arrival
Student/adult ratio of 1:20 is recommended
A pre-visit activity
A program orientation slideshow
Do your students have what it takes to survive the 1777 siege of Fort Stanwix? As they head off in teams, they will complete several game-based activities to discover how the American defenders of the fort secured a victory against the British, and why their survival was crucial to the outcome of the Saratoga Campaign.
National Park Service/Ranger Dan U.
Supported Learning (Special Education) Classes
Please choose from one of the above programs based on your needs. In order for us to give your students the best experience possible, please note on the reservation form any specific accessibility/learning needs your students have so we can adjust the program accordingly prior to your arrival. (For example, if your students have mobility concerns we can shift activities to accessible spaces in the fort, or if some students have an aversion to loud noises we can create an atmosphere within the program where there are no sudden loud noises.)
Multi-age Level Classes
These Include small schools where grades are combined either in classes or specifically for the field trip. Please choose from one of the above programs based on your needs. If you need us to modify the presentation slightly based on what material has been covered in the classroom (i.e. introduction vs. review), please note that in the accommodations section of the reservation form.
National Park Service
Homeschool Groups
Don’t forget! Homeschool Day is always the 3rd Wednesday in September. Please register for the event via this form: Homeschool Day 2024 Registration
If you are unable to make it for Homeschool Day, please choose from the following options based on the following student group sizes:
For groups of 15 or fewer age/grade appropriate students, these are the best programs:
My New Home (This program is excellent for a wide age range)
History Detectives: 1777 (Participants strongly encouraged to have prior knowledge of Battles of Saratoga.)
Archeology at Fort Stanwix
For groups of 16 or more age/grade appropriate students, any of our programs will work.
National Park Service
Scout Groups
For groups of 15 or fewer age/grade appropriate students, these are the best programs:
My New Home (This program is excellent for a wide age range)
History Detectives: 1777 (Participants strongly encouraged to have prior knowledge of Battles of Saratoga.)
Archeology at Fort Stanwix
For groups of 16 or more age/grade appropriate students, any of our programs will work.
Self-Guided Experiences
Would you like to come on your own? Would you like to extend your visit before or after the program? Were all the program slots booked for your available dates? Why not come on a self-guided visit? What follows are materials and guidelines to ensure you have a wonderful time at Fort Stanwix National Monument.
Before Your Visit
Please contact the park and let us know you’re coming. Even though you are self-guiding, we like to know how many groups to expect each day. This will also help you plan for anything out of the ordinary happening at the park the day of your visit.
Make a basic plan for what you would like to do while you’re visiting. Along with the options below, the Things to Do link is very helpful and will ensure you don’t miss anything!
Please review the “During Your Visit" section below with your students and any adults who will be with your group. These helpful hints and guidelines will make everyone’s visit awesome!
The Day of Your Visit Parking
There is a bus/accessible curb cut adjacent to the visitor center on N. James St. This can be used for loading/unloading your group, but we ask that the buses be moved elsewhere for the duration of your visit to the park.
There is a free, open city parking lot across the street from the fort on N. James St. This lot has spots for both buses and cars and does not have a time limit.
There is a limited amount of street parking along N. James and W. Dominick Streets.
Lunches
Feel free to bring lunches with you. Although there are only a few picnic tables, you are more than welcome to use the lawn to eat your food. You may put your lunches inside the visitor center vestibule or carry them with you.
PLEASE NOTE:
Staff are unable to store any food in staff-only spaces within the park or to closely monitor it while you are touring the site.
The park is a pack-in, pack-out site. Any trash generated from lunch or snacks must be taken with you when you leave.
Water and Restrooms
Water fountains/bottle fillers and public restrooms can be found both in the visitor center and the fort. There is space in each restroom for three people at a time to use.
Things to Do
Onsite – Visitor Center
Click on the links to print to download materials in this section.
Watch any or all of the four movies in the exhibit space. They range in length from 4-8 minutes. The final one is recommended for grades 4+ due to some violent content.
Discover the story of the site through the many hands-on and static exhibits through the building.
Become a Jr. Ranger! Ask for information at the front desk or ahead of time when you call to let us know you are coming. (For groups up to 20, each student will get materials; group sizes 21 and over will get materials for every 10 students to share.)
Be a British spy during the Siege of 1777 with the “Spies Like Us” activity.
Choose the perfect memory of your visit (or get some wonderful teaching aides!) in the gift shop. Please let us know before your visit if you’d like the students to shop so we can be prepared. This is especially necessary if your group size is over 40.
Onsite – Lawn and Trails
Discover more of the fort’s natural and historical stories with the wayside signs. The signs line the trails around the entire fort and highlight a topic specific to their locations.
Please walk on the lawn! Unless the lawn is being mowed, this is a great way to see the fort from a different angle and get some energy out. The soldiers used the lawn for recreation, too!
Take a park cell phone tour or NPS App tour. You’ll see signs along the path and inside the fort to help you dial in and discover more interesting tales of the 18th Century.
Onsite – In the Fort
Watch the 17-minute film inside the Gregg Barracks. Recommended for grades 4+ due to some violent content.
See an almost 300-year-old artifact right where it has been since 1758!
Explore soldiers’ barracks, officers’ quarters, and other spaces in the fort important to life at a wilderness outpost.
Climb the stairs to one of the corners (bastions) of the fort to see where the soldiers defended it during an attack.
Offsite – Within Walking Distance
Rome Historical Society – Rome’s history is immense! From the start of the Erie Canal to modern air defense, the impressive museum exhibits illustrate all the incredible things Rome has given us. (5 min. walk from visitor center)
Gansevoort Park – Get a group photo with the “hero of Fort Stanwix”! There is also a stone marker in the park showing how close the British siege trenches got to the fort in 1777. (5 min. walk from visitor center, in front of Rome Historical Society)
Veteran’s Park – This beautiful site pays respect to all Rome, NY veterans. (5 min. walk from visitor center, across the street from Rome Historical Society)
Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers Revolution – Created as a final resting place for the remains of Continental soldiers who served at Fort Stanwix. (4 min. walk from visitor center, across from St. Peter’s Church)
Oneida Carry Bronze Sculpture – This artwork is a tribute to the original inhabitants of the area and the important transportation route through NY Fort Stanwix was built to guard. (15-min. walk from visitor center, on W. Dominick St.)
During Your Visit
There should be 1 adult for every 10 students.
The adults with the group should stay with the group (or their assigned smaller group if applicable).
Be respectful of the objects in the rooms.
Ropes and gates are up for your safety and the safety of the objects in the rooms.
Be respectful of other groups/visitors at the park. Give them stories to share of how awesome your group was! How can you do this?
Walk while you’re inside the visitor center and fort.
Keep your feet are on the ground at all times.
Keep your voices low so others can hear.
Wait for other groups to finish in or near a room before you go in.
Put things back where you found them so the story of that space doesn’t change.
Pre-Visit Materials
Use these materials to orient your group to the site and its history.
Virtual Visit Video This 40-minute video is a great introduction to the fort’s history! Created for the upper elementary grades, each segment ends with a discussion question, making it easier to use over multiple days, if necessary.
360 Tour
Tour the park before your visit! Whether it is a “scouting mission” for the adults to help in planning, or an exploration with the students to help them understand what they’re going to see, this tour covers everything in the visitor center and the fort.
History & Cutlure of Fort Stanwix
If you or your students would like to learn more of the stories before your visit, this is a great area of the website to explore.
National Park Service
Summer Recreation Groups
Because of our very robust summer program schedule, we do not reserve specific education programs during Summer Break, but we would still love to have you and your day campers spend some time with us. We ask that you still let us know you’re coming so we can expect you, and we’ll let you know what park programs are available during your visit.
National Park Service/Ranger Dan U.
Rangers in the Classroom
&Virtual Field Trips
Program Lengths: Offsite: up to 90 minutes Virtual: up to 60 minutes
Group Size: No limit Age/Grade Range: No limit Offsite Travel Radius: 30 miles
Bring the history of Fort Stanwix to you! Whether you are a mile down the road or on the other side of the country, you can have an education program in the comfort of your own space. If you are interested in an offsite or virtual experience, please contact the education coordinator to schedule your program. If you are interested in a topic not listed here, there is a potential of creating a program based on your group’s interests, so please contact us to discuss what options are available.
Current offsite/virtual offerings include:
A Soldier’s Life
Women and Children in the American Revolution
Music of the Continental Army/18th Century Holiday Music
The History of Fort Stanwix
From Memory to Monument: The Story of the Creation of Fort Stanwix National Monument
Virtual options requiring no reservations can be found below
Join park volunteer Louisa for a special virtual field trip through the park! Meet soldiers and ladies and learn a bit more about the fort community contributed to the victory of the American Revolution.
