1st Grade Life Science In-Class Programs
In-Class Programs for 1st Grade Life Science
Structure, Function, Information Processing
Back to our Grade Level Programs & Websites Page
| Provider Name | Resource Link | Provider Location | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento Region | Classroom Aquarium Education Project (CAEP) | Sacramento | The Classroom Aquarium Education Program (CAEP - also known as Trout-in the Classroom and Steelhead in the Classroom) is a community-based program which allows students to experience first hand the delicate balance needed for animals to survive in aquatic ecosystems. Using eggs provided by a hatchery, classes set-up and maintain an aquarium for the purpose of observing the development of fish from the eyed-egg stage until they become young fry. Students engage in course of study which supports the leaning experience across curriculum area. This program is run cooperatively by local schools, fishing clubs and government agencies. |
| CuriOdyssey | Wildlife Program: Animal Connections | San Mateo | Meet animal ambassadors from CuriOdyssey and make special connections through a variety of learning methods. This program is designed to fit and support a variety of cognitive and developmental needs. Please contact the Programs Animal Keeper for more information on how we can construct this program to fit the needs of your group. |
| CuriOdyssey | Wildlife Program: Thrive and Survive | San Mateo | Did you know that people and animals need the same resources in order to live? What if one or more of those resources were gone? How could this affect animals? People? Students will learn how changes to the environment can affect animals. They will also discover how animals react to pesticides and what can happen if non-native animals take over resources. In this program, we will explore how people can help conserve resources such as food, water and space to help animals survive. What small changes can we make in our daily lives to help conserve and protect the natural resources we all share? |
| CuriOdyssey | Wildlife Program: Sensing Animals | San Mateo | Have you ever touched a lizard, smelled a ferret or looked at the bright colors of a snake? This program teaches young students how to use their senses to learn about and understand the animal world. They will make observations using their eyes, ears, nose, and hands to learn about basic animal characteristics and what makes each Animal Ambassador unique. |
| CuriOdyssey | Fur, Feathers, Scales, or Exoskeletons - In-Class | San Mateo | Explore the basic coverings of mammals, birds, reptiles, and arthropods. Students can touch and talk about similarities, differences, and functions of each type of covering, plus see some wonderful live examples of animals that are covered in fur, feathers, scales, or exoskeletons. Live animals vary and may include: Rabbit, rat, bird, snake, blue-tongued skink, tarantula, cockroach, and millipede. 50 minutes. Also available as a field trip. |
| CuriOdyssey | Animal Eggsploration - In-Class | San Mateo | This interactive class introduces students to egg-laying animals like insects, amphibians, birds, and reptiles. Students will observe and compare live animals and different types of eggs. Animal Ambassadors vary and may include: Cockroach, millipede, snake, toad, and newt. FOSS Links: Animals Two by Two, Plants and Animals, Insects and Plants. Also available as a field trip. |
| CuriOdyssey | Wildlife Program: Catch Me if You Can | San Mateo | Have you ever played tag? How did you stay away from the person who was “it”? Did you hide or run very fast? In nature, animals have to be on the look out for predators – survival is the goal! Learn how animals keep themselves alive and how they defend themselves. |
| CuriOdyssey | Wildlife Program: Here, There, Habitats are Everywhere | San Mateo | Could you live in the desert, tundra or both? Did you know that most animals can live in one or two types of habitats? In this program, we will learn how animals are equipped for different environments such as the heat of the desert, shadows of the forest, underground and in your backyard. Students will make a connection between the type of habitat and the adaptations needed to live there. |
| CuriOdyssey | Wildlife Program: What's on the Menu? | San Mateo | Did you know that animals eat different things? Animals are able to eat certain foods based on where they live and what they look like (their body). Students will learn about tooth structure, habitats and adaptations of herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, decomposers and experience a live animal feeding. |
| CuriOdyssey | Wildlife Program: Animal Super Powers | San Mateo | What if you could breathe under water, run faster, blend into your surroundings or fly? How could these skills help you? There are many animals that have their very own “super power”…..they have adaptations. Students will learn what adaptations are and how animals can use them to survive. |
| Diablo Valley Fly Fishermen | Trout in the Classroom | Trout in the Classroom, now know as the Classroom Aquarium Education Program (CAEP) in California (encompassing Trout in the Classroom, Steelhead in the Classroom, Salmonids in the Classroom, and the Salmon and Trout Education Program) is a relatively simple program and has been a huge success so far. Basically, teachers set up an aquarium and incubate trout eggs in their classroom, under the guidance of a Trout in the Classroom coordinator. Together, they ensure that all of the equipment has been purchased and is assembled by January. The teacher and students are responsible for daily maintenance and observation of the eggs, while the coordinator is responsible for obtaining permits and delivering the eggs. The final result is an aquarium full of trout fry that is released into a pre-approved body of water during a class field trip. Trout in the Classroom is an extremely rewarding program for everybody involved, whether student, teacher, or mentor. | |
| East Bay Regional Park District | Mobile Visitor Center | Oakland | Imagine a “closet on wheels,” filled with materials for teaching any range of nature-related topics. And it even comes with a professional nature educator! Groups of up to 30 students at a time engage in topics including: ~ Watersheds ~ Local Mammals ~ Reptiles and Amphibians |
| Greater Farallones Association | Crab Cab | San Francisco | What is a crab? How do crabs survive? Where do crabs live? The Crab Cab is a 45-minute At Your School program for K-3rd graders on crab diversity and natural history. The program includes hands-on activities and crab artifacts. |
| Happy Hollow Park & Zoo | Nature’s Problem Solvers | San Jose | Who inspired the invention of airplanes, wet suits & LED lights? It is not who you think. Biomimicry-humans copying nature Adaptations to copy Vocabulary: Biomimicry/Adaptations |
| Happy Hollow Park & Zoo | Baby Beasts | San Jose | Ready-to-run or just cracking out of an egg, ready or not, here they come. Baby animals emerge in different ways. Parent and offspring patterns of behavior to help offspring survive Young plants and animals are similar, but not exactly like their parents Vocabulary: Offspring/Predator/Nocturnal |
| Junior Center of Art and Science | Animal Adventures | Oakland | Reptiles and/or invertebrates come to your classroom for a lesson centered on habitats, adaptations, fun facts and more. Meet snakes, geckos, tortoises, millipedes, cockroaches, hermit crabs and spiders! |
| Lindsay Wildlife Experience | Learning from Wildlife | Walnut Creek | Wildlife can teach us a lot about how to survive in the natural world. Let’s explore animal adaptations and how we can learn from them to meet our own human needs. |
| Mad Science - Bay Area | All About Animals | Concord | Feathers, fins, fur and more! Explore the animal kingdom and learn about the habitats, anatomy and life cycles of your favorite creatures. Make your own animal track, and explore the amazing, and sometimes strange, sounds that animals make. |
| Mad Science - Bay Area | Plants Galore | Concord | Without plants we couldn’t breathe or eat! Learn how plants turn sunshine, water and nutrients into food and air. We’ll explain why leaves & grass are green. Start your own garden to bring home! |
| Mad Science - Bay Area | Bugs | Concord | Learn the difference between a bug and an insect. How do insects defend themselves? What is their role in the ecosystem? What does the world look like to a bug? Answer these questions and more. |
| Madeleine Dunphy | Here Is the Coral Reef Assembly | Oakland | Environmental children's book author, Madeleine Dunphy, will guide your classes through the Great Barrier Reef. In the presentation, students will view a slide show where they imagine they are swimming in the Great Barrier Reef seeing animals such as the sea turtle, parrotfish, shark and wrasse. Students will then play a game that teaches them about the ecological relationships between plants, animals and environments. Finally, students will ask Madeleine questions about her travels, habits of coral reef animals, writing Here Is the Coral Reef, and other topics. Teachers are recommended to read the book as background and have their students prepare questions before the class visit. Available as in-class presentation or assembly. |
| Madeleine Dunphy | Here Is the Tropical Rainforest Assembly | Oakland | Environmental children's book author, Madeleine Dunphy, will guide your classes through the rainforest. In the presentation, students will view a slide show where they imagine they are walking in a tropical rainforest seeing animals such as the harpy eagle, three-toed sloth, woolly monkey and jaguar. Students will then play a game that teaches them about the ecological relationships between plants, animals, and environments. Next the students will examine a blow gun, hammock, paddle and other artifacts from the rainforest. Finally, students will ask Madeleine questions about her travels, habits of rainforest animals, writing Here Is the Tropical Rain Forest, and other topics. Teachers are recommended to read the book as background and have their students prepare questions before the class visit. Also available as an assembly. |
| Madeleine Dunphy | Here Is the African Savanna Assembly | Oakland | Environmental children's book author, Madeleine Dunphy, will guide your classes through the African Savanna. In the presentation, students will view a slide show where they imagine they are traveling in East Africa seeing animals such as the giraffe, baboon, leopard and zebra. Students will then play a game that teaches them about the ecological relationships between plants, animals and environments. Next the students will examine a warrior shield, beaded collar, lunch basket and other artifacts from East Africa. Finally, students will ask Madeleine questions about her travels, habits of African animals, writing Here Is the African Savanna, and other topics. Teachers are recommended to read the book as background and have their students prepare questions before the class visit. Also available as an assembly. |
| Marine Science Institute | Inland Voyages-Marine Habitats | Redwood City | Each hands-on program examines different habitats by showcasing the unique adaptations of the marine animals that live in each. Students work with live marine animals and plants, marine artifacts, and identification keys. These habitats are those commonly found in the San Francisco Bay surrounding areas.The following is a description of the different Marine Habitat Inland Voyages that are currently offered: Rocky Intertidal Habitat - how tidepool animals move, eat and protect themselves. Sandy Beach - how Sandy Beach animals are adapted to survive above and below the sand. Marshes & Mudflats - fish and invertebrates commonly found in the local marshes and mudflats. Kelp Forests - the kelp forest food web and human uses of kelp. Open Ocean - the larger, pelagic animals that live away from the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean. |
| Marine Science Institute | Inland Voyages-Bay and Ocean Invertebrates | Redwood City | How do so many creatures survive in rocky tidepools along the coast? What animals actually thrive in the muddy bottom of the Bay? How do the Bay invertebrates differ from their saltier cousins? The answers will be found in a close-up examination of crabs, anemones, clams, sea stars, urchins, and many others. Feeding and reproductive strategies and more advanced concepts can also be included. Program topics can be tailored specifically for your group. An Educator's Guide is provided. |
| Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association | Community Education Programs | Pleasant Hill | Hoping to know honey bees better? The Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association (MDBA) can help you! We offer the public information booths for large events, and presentations for schools and organizations. Our engaging beekeepers use hands-on materials, photographs, observation hives, and can livestream from their honeybee yards! |
| Oakland Zoo | School ZooMobile - “Ooh, That Smells So Good On My Tongue!” - Animal Senses & Bo | Oakland | Did you hear that? What’s that smell? How does that taste? We human find these answers by using our ears, noses, and tongues. But some animals might find out by using their feet, tongues, and even their skin! Together we’ll see how animals use their bodies and various senses to survive in the wild |
| Oakland Zoo | School ZooMobile - “Happy, Healthy Animals” - Animal Care & Needs | Oakland | Let’s see - you’ve got your water, you’ve got your food, you’ve got your air, a little space – all the requirements for survival. But what about being happy? Or, having fun? Did you know that, just like us humans, playing and having something fun or interesting to do can be just as important to an animal as getting food and water? We’ll help you discover how our zoo animals’ survival depends on getting the basics and so much more! |
| San Francisco Zoo | ZooMobile: The Wild City | San Francisco | The children will be taken on an imaginary walk through a local park to find a native amphibian, reptile, bird, and mammal. They will learn what all animals need to survive. |
| San Francisco Zoo | ZooMobile: How Animals Grow | San Francisco | This lesson will explore the unique and amazing ways that different types of animals grow from young to adult. Some hatch from eggs while others are born live. Some change form completely while others become larger versions of their baby selves. |
| San Francisco Zoo | ZooMobile: Habitats | San Francisco | Children will be able to compare life in the desert, the rain forest, and the Bay Area. They will get a first-hand look at some of the animals of these regions and their adaptations for survival. |
| SaveNature.org | Insect Discovery Lab | San Francisco | Each presentation includes hands-on experience with live animals and observation time with live and preserved materials. Children will learn how to identify insects and their arthropod relatives, touch amazing arthropod ambassadors, see how insects defend themselves, and discovery their incredible diversity. Students explore the fantastic lives of beetles, millipedes, grasshoppers, walking sticks, whip scorpions, and more. The Insect Discovery Lab immerses students in the extraordinarily diverse world of insects and other arthropods and teaches about their key role in the web of life. Scientific observation, insect identification, and the natural history of bugs' lives are just some of the areas of focus of this program. Classes will receive pre and post visit materials including fact sheets, activity sheets, resource sheets and conservation action guides. Programs are 45-50 minutes long. |
| SaveNature.org | Squid Science Dissection | San Francisco | Explore what makes a squid so amazing! How they swim, navigate, defend themselves and hunt. Learn about their anatomy and how an animal’s body is designed for success in the ocean. |
| SaveNature.org | Owl Pellet Discovery | San Francisco | Learn how to be a bone detective while examining how a barn owl digests their prey, or don’t digest their prey. Discover what’s for dinner. |
| The Gardens at Heather Farms | Seed Secrets | Walnut Creek | Learn about the parts of seeds and flowering plants, the functions of each part, and the importance of seeds in the life cycle of a plant. Students develop their observation and record keeping skills by conduction a scientific investigation. Special program available upon request. |
| The Gardens at Heather Farms | The Power of Pollination | Walnut Creek | Butterflies, bees, and more! Learn about the animals that move pollen from plant to plant to generate seeds and create fruit. Students will discover how pollinators are crucial to a plants' life cycle through a hands-on pollination activity to see how important these tiny animals really are. Find out how pollinators and plants communicate with each other to help our gardens grow and give us the delicious food we enjoy. Students will end class searching for pollinators in our own garden. |
| The Gardens at Heather Farms | Bug Buddies In-Class | Walnut Creek | Peek into the amazing world of insects, the most successful life form on the planet. Young entomologists will observe and handle live mini-beasts to experience a bug's life, learn about creature features, and test their bug IQ. (Also available as a field-trip) 1 hour |
| The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project | Salmon and Trout Education Program (STEP) | Davenport | In early February each year the STEP team trains new teachers to present the curriculum to their students. The two-day weekend workshop has one day in the field and in the creek studying the salmon habitat. After taking the training the teachers are qualified to apply to MBSTP for eggs to incubate. The incubation experience has had a very high success rate over the 35-year history. Not only are the kids inspired, but greater than 95% of the eggs hatch and the resulting fry are successfully released into their native habitat. |
| Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park | Naturalist visit to your classroom! | Berkeley | Can’t make it to the park? We’ll come to you! Program topics include: reptiles, spiders, Native American Lifestyles and more! |
| Wildcare | Nature Van-Mammals | San Rafael | Nature Van programs bring the field trip to the classroom. Guided by professional science educators, the Nature Van teaches students about animal characteristics, adaptations, and food webs — all without leaving school. Presentations are designed for a single classroom; this is not a multi-class assembly program. Pre-K and Kindergarten programs last 45 minutes. Programs for 1st through 5th grades last sixty minutes, although shorter presentations are available upon request. Delve into the world of marsupials, mustelids, felines, canines, and rodents. Discover what makes a mammal a mammal and why humans are included in this amazing group. |
| Wildcare | Nature Van- Birds | San Rafael | Nature Van programs bring the field trip to the classroom. Guided by professional science educators, the Nature Van teaches students about animal characteristics, adaptations, and food webs — all without leaving school. Presentations are designed for a single classroom; this is not a multi-class assembly program. Pre-K and Kindergarten programs last 45 minutes. Programs for 1st through 5th grades last sixty minutes, although shorter presentations are available upon request. Strap on your wings and soar into the world of hummingbirds and eagles. Explore the vast array of bird adaptations, from feathers to beaks to feet |
| Wildcare | Nature Van: Going Green | San Rafael | Let local wildlife teach you simple ways to help preserve our planet. Investigate the issues affecting wildlife and learn simple ways that you can make a difference. It’s easy being green! |
| Wildcare | Nature Van - California Wildlife | San Rafael | In "California Wildlife," uncover the diversity of California’s wildlife and the way our native animals have adapted to their habitat as we examine predator-prey relationships, defense strategies and the natural history of mammal, birds, and reptiles that are our wild neighbors. Nature Van programs bring the field trip to the classroom. Guided by professional science educators, the Nature Van teaches students about animal characteristics, adaptations, and food webs — all without leaving school. Presentations are designed for a single classroom; this is not a multi-class assembly program. Pre-K and Kindergarten programs last 45 minutes. Programs for 1st through 5th grades last sixty minutes, although shorter presentations are available upon request. |