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Sunken Meadow State Park provides a year round three-fold ecosystem (marine beach, salt marsh, and wooded upland) of 1,266 acres for Suffolk County (NY) teachers and students to use as a site for outdoor education activities. While teachers can rely on the support of the Outdoor Learning Laboratories' staff for aid in emergencies, for clarifying unforeseeable contingencies, and for providing materials and equipment, teachers are expected to be self-sufficient leaders when bringing students to the Park. Therefore, teachers are required to complete a 30-hour summer inservice instruction program prior to bringing their students to the Park for a day-long class trip during the year. Successful completion of inservice training and implementation of a day-use program qualifies a teacher for participation in week-long residential camp experiences. In addition to detailing the teacher training program, this guide provides teachers with: background information on the formation of the Park and its present day flora and fauna; maps and directions for reaching the Park; safety, first aid, and emergency procedures; conservation practices; and descriptions of available instructional and audio-visual materials, including procedures for their care and storage. (NEC)

The clean and plentiful waters of the Connetquot basin's ponds, streams and marshlands have nurtured an extraordinarily rich ecosystem which has always been prized by both Native Americans and subsequent immigrants to this country. Since 1973, 3,476 acres have been preserved as Connetquot River State Park. To aid elementary and secondary teachers in utilizing facilities and services of the Park and the Outdoor Learning Laboratory, this guide lists some of the flora and fauna seen in the Park during 1978 (over 170 species of wildflowers, more than 200 species of birds, 24 species of reptiles and 16 species of fish); describes the natural history of the area; provides a travel map and directions for reaching the Park, emergency and staff telephone numbers, and safety instructions; outlines conservation practices and conduct guidelines for teachers, students and parents; and details the teacher participation inservice training requirements and opportunities. (NEC)