Visit Blue Hill Observatory’s national historic landmark at 635 feet, atop Great Blue Hill for your next field trip.
Programs are aligned with NGSS and Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering (MA STE) standards where applicable, with relevant standards listed for each program. Programs offer hands-on learning at the Observatory. As you plan your visit, choose from one of our programs below based on your age group.
Our Programs
Weather Watching at Great Blue Hill
1-ESS1-2
3-ESS2-1
8.MS-ESS2-5
2.B.01.10
2.C.02.01
2.C.02.04
Weather Watching at Great Blue Hill
Students engage in some of the same activities as Weather Observers, such as reading temperature, calculating hours of sunshine, determining cloud cover, and more. Students explore some of the many instruments, both modern and historic, that are active today at Blue Hill Observatory.
Guided Hike through Blue Hills
K-ESS2-4
3-LS4-4
5-ESS2-1
5-PS2-1
7.MS-LS2-1
7.MS-ESS2-4
8.MS-LS1-5
Guided Hike through Blue Hills
In this program, students take a 1-mile hike up to or down from the Blue Hill Weather Observatory along the Red Dot trail. Students connect what they’ve learned in their classroom to what they see in nature. Stops along the hike anchor students in the deep interconnectedness of nature as students are asked to use their observation skills to find evidence for how the forest may have looked in the past and what it might look like in the future.
Cloud Observation
Cloud Observation
Students will learn about 3 main cloud types, their appearance and how weather changes as they form. They will create a cloud frame with the cloud types and then identify clouds from atop the observatory.
Kite Making
5-PS1-3
6.MS-ETS2-1
Kite Making
In this program, students will construct a Frustrationless Flyer kite kit. As students build the kit, they will explore and learn why certain observable materials are used for certain parts of the kite. Students will also understand the importance of kites in collecting weather data throughout the Blue Hill Observatory’s history.
Hilltop Temperature Investigation
8.MS-ESS2-5
Hilltop Temperature Investigation
Students collect their own temperature data in a variety of ways and places outside the Observatory. Then they will examine graphs of the average monthly temperatures from 2015–2024 to assess trends in monthly averages that are above or below the long term average and compare those to photos of a deciduous tree over those same years. Students connect the importance of accurate data readings to our long-term temperature record.
Weather Observation 101
Weather Observation 101
In this program, participants carry out many of the same duties as a Weather Observer, such as measuring accurate precipitation, collecting the maximum and minimum temperature from a mercury thermometer, reading barometric pressure and more. They explore some of the many instruments, both modern and historic, that are active today at Blue Hill Observatory, and collect the current weather observations during their visit.
Partner with us to create a custom program
Custom Program Development
Partner with us to create a program that aligns to your coursework. Our team will work with you to develop a unique educational experience tailored to your students’ specific learning objectives and curriculum needs.
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