Education Opportunities & Resources

Manatee County Government offers guided tours at several of our facilities, school presentations, and various educational programs through our libraries, parks and preserves and more. It’s a fantastic way to engage your classroom and get kids excited about learning. 

Teacher resources include classroom presentations, facility tours, and downloadable activities, games and videos.

  Educational Resources


  Classroom & In-Person Presentations

Disasters: Neighbors Helping Neighbors Presentation

Availability: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; limited evening and weekend availability

Duration: 30 – 60 minutes

Description: Learn how to get your neighborhood involved to prepare for hurricanes and severe weather

Requirements:

  • Inside room (classroom, meeting room, dining or recreation hall, etc) with audiovisual technology

Contact: [email protected]

History Fair Presentation / Tour

Availability: Monday - Friday

Duration: 1 hour

Description: Presentation to high school students on how to do historical research with Manatee County Public Library collections and other resources. May be held in classroom or at library with tour included.

Requirements: Projector with PC

Contact:
Ericka Dow, Information Services Supervisor
[email protected]
(941) 748-5555 Ext. 6311

Hurricane Preparedness Presentation

Availability: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; limited evening and weekend availability

Duration: 30 – 60 minutes

Description: Learn about hurricanes & severe weather hazards and how to get ready & recover from storms

Requirements:

  • Inside room (classroom, meeting room, dining or recreation hall, etc) with audiovisual technology

Contact: [email protected]

Recycling Education Classroom Visit

Our Utilities department offers classroom presentations about recycling. Presentations are tailored to the students' age group.

For more information, contact:

Test Preparation Classroom Visit

Availability: Monday - Friday

Duration: 1 hour

Description: Demonstration of Learning Express, an online resource free with library card, that offers tutorials and practice testing for GED, SAT, ACT, CLEP, ASVAB, nursing, and numerous other college and occupational entrance exams as well as other skill building areas. May also include demonstration of Mango Languages for ESL students. High school and adult level.

Requirements: Projector with PC

Contact:
Ericka Dow, Information Services Supervisor
[email protected]
(941) 748-5555 Ext. 6311

Water Conservation Program Classroom Visit

Our Water Conservation presenters will work with your classroom to provide the program that best fits your current curriculum. Presentations include educational videos, hands-on activities and take home materials suitable for all grade levels.

Grade appropriate activity books, study guides and educational items are available for the students to use in the classroom and to take home and share water conservation lessons with their families. EnviroScape model helps students understand the watershed and prevention of water pollution through visual, hands-on interaction.

Contact:
(941) 792-8811 Ext. 5327
[email protected]

 

  Facility Tours

9-1-1 Center Tour

Availability: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tours are not offered on county holidays.

Duration: Approx. 30 minutes

Description: Students will get to tour Manatee County’s 9-1-1 Center and learn what to do during a 9-1-1 call.

Requirements:

  • Please book your tour at least three weeks in advance.
  • Minimum age: 7 years old.
  • We cannot predict when we will be faced with major emergencies, so in the unlikely event that a major emergency happens somewhere in the county during the tour, we may need to abruptly cancel or postpone the tour.

Contact:
Josh Ingle
[email protected]
(941) 749-3500 Ext. 7811

9-1-1 Center

Area 52 Makerspace Tours (Central Library)

Availability: Monday - Friday, 3 p.m. - close; Saturday, noon - close

Duration: Varies

Description: Tour of the Area 52 creative lab at Central Library, featuring specialized equipment and hands-on workshops. The space offers tools to build creative projects, explore new interests, and create something original, including coding, robotics, 3D printing, music and video recording, sewing, t-shirt design and more.

Requirements: Waiver from parents may be required

Contact:
Chris O'Hara, Youth Services Supervisor
[email protected]
(941) 748-5555 Ext. 6319

Lena Road Landfill Tour

Availability: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Duration: Approx. 1 hour

Description: During this ride-around tour, groups will learn some of the history of the Lena Road Landfill along with how the landfill operates.

Requirements: 

  • Group must fit in their own provided vehicle, with room for a tour guide. No more than one bus at a time.
  • Tours should be booked as far in advance as possible.

Contact:
Bob Bennett
(941) 748-5543 Ext. 8015

Lena Road Landfill

Water Treatment Plant Tour

Availability: Tuesday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Tours are not offered during weeks in which Manatee County Government observes holidays. We reserve the right to restrict tours in the future if necessary. 

Duration: Approx. 1.5 hours

Requirements:

  • Public tours are booked on a first request basis and require a minimum of three weeks advanced notice.
  • All tours are limited to 10 people.
  • Minimum age is eight years old.

Download and complete the tour request form.

Contact:
Mayanne Eggers
(941) 745-3020 Ext. 5032
[email protected]

Manatee County Water Treatment Plant

 

  Additional Programs

Environmental Education Classes

Manatee County's Parks & Natural Resources Department offers an array of environmental education programs to help the public clean more about Florida's plants, animals and habitats while enjoying our beautiful conservation lands.

Each month, a wide variety of public events are held for all ages in the preserves. Private programs, including field trips and group trips, can also be arranged.

For more information on private programming, contact division manager Aedan Stockdale at [email protected].

GeoMentors Program (Digital & Interactive Mapping)

The GeoMentors Program connects Geographic Information Systems (GIS) users in the community with teachers to bring digital and interactive mapping into the classroom.

Resources