“Days of the Steamboat”
School Program

The “Days of the Steamboat” school program is a combined unit of field trip and pre- and post-visit activities targeting fourth graders, though it is also suitable for children in grades three through five at the discretion of the teacher. It was planned in conjunction with Clermont’s 2007 Steamboat Bicentennial Program. The goal of the “Days of the Steamboat” program is to educate children about the process of creating the first practical steamboat and its importance to the young American nation.

The program consists of two components: a Packet of Lesson Plans and Activities for classroom use, as well as a Steamboat-Oriented Field Trip to Clermont State Historic Site. For teachers who do not wish or are not able to bring their students to Clermont on a field trip, the “Days of the Steamboat” activity packet may be purchased for a price of $10.

To purchase the “Days of the Steamboat” activity packet, Click Here and print the Activity Pack Form. Teachers who schedule a field trip at Clermont, for a price of only $2 per student receive the activity packet free of charge as part of their field trip package.

The “Days of the Steamboat” Activity Packet is a teacher-reviewed series of ten lesson plans, one project and a short list of fun activities. These activities and lesson plans were designed to fill the needs of the Social Studies, English Language Arts, Art, Math, and Science classrooms, enabling it to become a cohesive experience for students. Teacher-friendly guides at the beginning of each lesson plan relate the activity’s goals as well as the New York State Curriculum Standards that it meets. Fun, sturdy worksheets for students can be photocopied again and again for repeated use in the classroom.

Field Trips to Clermont are sculpted to the needs and desires of each attending school. Schools may spend from 90 minutes - 4 hours at Clermont, selecting from seven different educational stations. Groups may range in size from 10-60 students, and schools are encouraged to include unstructured picnic and playtime on Clermont’s sunny grounds overlooking the Hudson River.

To register your school:

Click here, print and fill out the Reservation Sheet or call (518) 537-4240 to schedule a visit

Before your visit:

Use the guidelines below to create your perfect field trip in conjunction with the staff at Clermont
Take advantage of our free pre-visit lesson plans

Each school visit requires a minimum of 90 minutes and entitles students to:

A tour of the mansion house and visit with a costumed character
Time to see the exhibit Bob’s Folly: Building America’s First Practical Steamboat and an introduction to life in the steamboat era

School groups that wish a longer stay may also choose up to three options from the following 30-50 minute stations at no extra charge:

Children’s life and games in 1807
A guided Steamboat Tour of the landscape
Time to sketch the house and grounds—materials provided by the school
Unstructured time for teacher-guided activities—This is an excellent time for a nature walk or brief science experiment
Lunch and play time on the beautiful picnic grounds