3rd Grade Life Science Field Trips
Field Trips for 3rd Grade Life Science
Life Cycles and Traits / Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Back to our Grade Level Programs & Websites Page
| Provider Name | Resource Link | Provider Location | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcatraz Island | Field Trips to Alcatraz | San Francisco | Alcatraz Cruises is the official National Park Concessionaire for Alcatraz. School groups include grades Kindergarten through Grade 12. If you would like to bring a school group of 15 students or more to Alcatraz Island, you must request permission in advance. The link for the request form is https://www.alcatrazcruises.com/groups/grouptrip.aspx |
| Archaeological Research Facility | Lab Tours/ Guides for Field Trips | Berkeley | Archaeology is an interdisciplinary subject that uses history, math, science, art, literature, and cultural studies to investigate the past. Graduate student researchers can provide guided tours of their archaeological laboratory facilities for class groups, or serve as job-shadow mentors for a day. If a teacher is interested in bringing their students on a guided tour of a local archaeological site, the ARF can help arrange that, as well. |
| Audubon Canyon Ranch | Bouverie Preserve | Stinson Beach | The preserve visit is the central experience of the program. The visit consists of a 3-hour guided nature hike, during which volunteer docents engage students in the discovery of the natural environment of ACR’s preserves. Students explore California woodlands, view nesting herons and egrets, discover pond or creek ecology, have hands-on experiences with amphibians, learn Coastal Miwok folklore, and learn to use binoculars, telescopes and field microscopes. The 1:6 docent–to-student ratio in the field enables individual teaching and learning. Prior to student visits to the preserve, a team of volunteer docents spends time in the classroom to provide background information about the natural environment and prepare the students for their visit. ACR also creates lesson plans and materials for teachers that are designed to link environmental concepts with California state science standards. |
| Bay Area Discovery Museum | Discover-It-Yourself Visits | Sausalito | Exhibitions are research-backed and provide STEM-focused, inquiry-driven experiences that help children develop creativity and creative problem solving skills. Bay Hall Mud Kitchen How Things Work Gumnut Grove Try It Studio Art Studios Lookout Cove BADM Beach and a changing exhibit hall |
| Bay Area Discovery Museum | Workshop:: Science Theater | Sausalito | Dive ‘underwater’ to meet Lottie the Otter and her river friends! This one-of-a-kind workshop explores ecosystems and builds creative problem-solving through a playful and interactive shadow puppet performance. This program was created in collaboration with The Train Theater. |
| Bay Area Discovery Museum | Workshop:: Explore the Shore | Sausalito | Student biologists investigate the animals and plants in the intertidal zone of nearby Horseshoe Cove (in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, a short walk from Bay Area Discovery Museum's main campus). |
| Big Break Regional Shoreline | Delta Variety | Oakley | We’ll set up a variety of stations with a variety of opportunities to explore the unending variety of the Delta. Plants, animals, crafts, games, and other activities all guaranteed to make Delta experts out of your large groups. |
| Big Break Regional Shoreline | Creatures of the Wetland | Oakley | Discover why many different animals live at Big Break. From mammals and birds to fish and insects, students will learn how various creatures can survive and thrive in a wetland habitat. |
| Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve | Reptile Rendezvous | Antioch | Join us for an up-close and personal visit with our resident gopher snake and learn how snakes and other reptiles are adapted to the habitats of Black Diamond. Program is one hour long. |
| Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve | Chaparral Nature Trek | Antioch | A nature walk with emphasis on the area's plants and animals and how they are adapted to this unique environment. This program is 2 hours long. |
| Blake Garden | Tours of the Garden | Kensington | The 10.5 acre public garden, with its stunning hill views of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, is located four miles north of the Berkeley campus in the town of Kensington. Blake Garden encourages the development of the understanding and appreciation of nature in the garden environment. Our mission is to expand and sustain a well designed outdoor environment that supports teaching and research in landscape architecture and environmental planning. Tours are available for groups of 10 and more Please contact: Kendra Hauser Email: khauser@berkeley.edu Phone: 510.524.2449 |
| Conservatory of Flowers | Self-Guided Tour | San Francisco | The Conservatory of flowers is a living museum of rare and beautiful tropical plants including palms, orchids, bromeliads, carnivorous plants and much more. The Conservatory offers Bay Area students free guided tours for 3rd-5th grade classes and free self-guided visits for TK-12th grade school groups, preschools, and college classes. |
| Conservatory of Flowers | Adaptation: Plant Survivors! | San Francisco | This experience introduces kids to the amazing survival techniques plants have developed. From the lowland jungle, to the tropical mountains, to the Amazon River Basin, we'll explore the unique characteristics that enable plants to thrive in these environments. |
| Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium | Nature Walks in the Regional Parks | Alameda | Use the parklands as your classroom! Programs are available at the following East Bay Regional Parks: Redwood, Roberts, Lake Chabot, Anthony Chabot, Huckleberry Botanic Preserve, Sibley Volcanic Preserve, Temescal, Arrowhead Marsh at MLK Jr. Shoreline, and Oyster Bay. Lake Chabot boat tours aboard the “Chabot Queen” may be available; separate fee applies for boat rental. |
| Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium | Reptile Rendezvous | Alameda | An up-close and personal visit with our resident gopher snake. Learn how snakes and other reptiles are adapted to their habitats. |
| Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium | San Francisco Bay Nurseries | Alameda | Students explore life cycles while discovering how a few of Crab Cove’s residents ensure their young’s survival. |
| 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 | Self-Guided Tours | San Mateo | Self-guided Tour of the museum. |
| 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 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: 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: 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 | Fur, Feathers, Scales, or Exoskeletons - Field Trip | 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. Animal Ambassadors vary and may include: Rabbit, rat, bird, snake, blue-tongued skink, tarantula, cockroach, and millipede. FOSS Links: Animals Two by Two, Plants and Animals, Insects and Plants. Also available as an in-class program. |
| 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. |
| Environmental Discovery Center of Sonoma County | Habitat & Home | Santa Rosa | Students will learn about ecosystem diversity, endangered species and the importance of wetland management through interactive displays and activities. Emphasis of activities reinforce grade-specific science standards that include habitats, animal life cycles, and adaptations for survival. Held at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa. |
| Exploratorium | Gallery 4: Living Systems | San Francisco | Investigate the living world. Sometimes life is hard to observe, because it’s too tiny or fast or is hidden underground or in the ocean. Discover what you’ve been missing: use scientific tools to investigate living things of different sizes, the ecosystems they inhabit, and the processes they share. |
| Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden | Tours by Arrangement | Berkeley | School classes and other groups may schedule free private tours of the garden by special arrangement. Tours can be tailored to suit the group's specific needs or interests. Group tours must be arranged at least three weeks in advance and are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to schedule a tour, call (510) 544-3169. |
| Happy Hollow Park & Zoo | Field Trips | San Jose | From animals to conservation, Happy Hollow offers a variety of immersion experiences. For more enhanced learning programs Happy Hollow’s Education department offers many opportunities designed to meet your standards based learning requirements |
| Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center | Saltmarsh Wonders | Hayward | This program introduces students to what a saltmarsh is-- the diversity and abundance of plants and animals in saltwater wetlands. Characteristics of and interrelationships among saltmarsh inhabitants will be included. Students will: * discover plant adaptations to salt water; * observe signs of animal life in the marsh; * explore channel water to discover aquatic plants and animals; * search for invertebrate animals who live in the marsh; * observe saltmarsh wildlife School programs begin with a brief introduction on wetlands and the salt marsh habitat followed by a one, two or three hours hike. We can work with you to design a program that fits your classroom curriculum. 2 hours |
| Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center | Shoreline Discovery | Hayward | This program introduces students to the natural history of a saltmarsh and the characterisistics which make plants, animals, and invertebrates of the shoreline unique. We develop the idea of how a salt marsh works, including adaptations, habitats, and plant/animal interrelationships. Students will: * classify marsh birds by feeding strategy; * identify marsh fish and invertebrates; * collect mud samples to observe and identify shoreline invertebrates; identify two important salt marsh plants; * discuss some of the salt marsh / estuarine plant / animal interactions; record evidence of animal life along the trail. School programs begin with a brief introduction on wetlands and the salt marsh habitat followed by a one, two or three hours hike. We can work with you to design a program that fits your classroom curriculum. 3 hours |
| Hidden Villa | Farm and Wilderness Exploration | Los Altos Hills | This program provides both a wilderness adventure and a chance to learn more about farming. The wilderness is a place to discover the interdependence of plants, animals, and humans. Organic practices on the farm support a healthy wilderness by avoiding dangerous pesticides and focusing on natural processes for developing and maintaining healthy soil. And, connecting with farm animals helps students appreciate how important farms are in their everyday lives. |
| Joan's Farm & Pumpkin Patch | School Field Trips | Livermore | Visit a working farm to get a real feel about country life. You drive through the farm and see cattle grazing, visit the pumpkin patch which has a corn maze, an old western town, a museum of a lot of old farm equipment, visit the "old west" town which is facaded with buggies and mannequins, horses, etc. There is a chuck wagon area - a lot of picnicing facilities under the old sycamore trees -- a snack shack ( hot dogs, nachos, drinks, shave ice, etc. - Our tours for schools and groups are scheduled on a first-come first-serve basis. Tour 2 is $8.00 per student and includes a visit through the museum then a talk about farming and the old equipment, they can go through the corn maze, get a larger pumpkin, and everyone attending can visit the Old West town and meander around. A lesson on "How Corn Grows" and "All the Buzz on the Honeybee" |
| Life Lab Science Program | Life Cycles in the Garden | Santa Cruz | Come investigate life cycles in the garden, where we can find plants and animals in all ages & stages! From seed to sunflower, egg to butterfly and back again, we’ll look into how life cycles work. |
| Lindsay Wildlife Experience | Exploring Biological Adaptation | Walnut Creek | This program investigates ways in which animals’ inheritable physical structures or behaviors may improve their chance for survival and reproduction when environmental and habitat changes occur. Activities include testing different bird beaks for a variety of food items and “hunting” toy mice that are hiding in our outdoor habitat. |
| Loma Vista Farm & Garden | Loma Vista Farm Visit | Vallejo | Students go to the farm and learn about life on the farm through lessons that correspond with California State Education Standards. The children are encouraged to observe similarities and differences in the animals and use their senses such as touch and hearing. The Farm offers a great variety of plant and animal life that creates a dynamic learning environment. The educational goal of Loma Vista Farm is for students to learn about animals and plants in ways that meet the California State Standards. The Farm provides the opportunity to fulfill the educational goals of Life Science Standards and enhances math and language arts standards.Please come prepared to do hands-on lessons that your students will find meaningful and memorable. The Farm is your tool to bring learning to life. Doing a short activity in the morning and going to the farm in the afternoon is encouraged. Special program suggestions for VCUSD schools. |
| Marina Education Programs - City of Berkeley | Animal Programs - Birds | Berkeley | Identification of local species, adaptations, sounds, feathers, nesting, conservation and weather permitting, walking w/ binoculars. Includes a 40-50 minute interactive slide and video presentation and 2 hrs of hands-on stations. Each program requires a mandatory teacher's IN-SERVICE training workshop during which teachers preview the site, update staff for their current science program, and naturalists add to it with a packet of informational lesson plans for pre- and post-trip lessons geared to their class' grade level. These lessons were written by our staff, and correlate with the California State Science Framework and include 47 large animal identification cards and pictures. The fee for the packet is $25.00 with out the program. Available only on specific days. |
| Marina Education Programs - City of Berkeley | Animals Programs - Fish | Berkeley | Fish anatomy, Gyotaku (Japanese fish printing), aquarium bingo, touch table, close up look at scales and gills. Includes a 40-50 minute interactive slide and video presentation and 2 hrs of hands-on stations. Each program requires a mandatory teacher's IN-SERVICE training workshop during which teachers preview the site, update staff for their current science program, and naturalists add to it with a packet of informational lesson plans for pre- and post-trip lessons geared to their class' grade level. These lessons were written by our staff, and correlate with the California State Science Framework and include 47 large animal identification cards and pictures. The fee for the packet is $25.00 with out the program. Wrkshp. Oct. 25. Class dates Nov.9,10, 16, 17, 18. |
| Marina Education Programs - City of Berkeley | Animal Programs - Marine Mammals | Berkeley | Stations: sound, conservation, feeding and blubber. Includes a 40-50 minute interactive slide and video presentation and 2 hrs of hands-on stations. Each program requires a mandatory teacher's IN-SERVICE training workshop during which teachers preview the site, update staff for their current science program, and naturalists add to it with a packet of informational lesson plans for pre- and post-trip lessons geared to their class' grade level. These lessons were written by our staff, and correlate with the California State Science Framework and include 47 large animal identification cards and pictures. The fee for the packet is $25.00 with out the program. Wksp Dec 16, class dates Jan 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23. |
| Marine Science Institute | Tidepool Expedition | Redwood City | Meet at Pillar Point in Princeton, North of Half Moon Bay, for a guided tidepool exploration to find and identify an amazing array of tidepool creatures. An Educator's Guide is provided. |
| Math Science Nucleus | Self-Guided Tour of Children's Natural History Museum | Fremont | Explore a world of fossils from long ago including those from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. Walk to more modern times with fossils of mammoths, sabertooth cats, sloths, camels, and other large mammals. Discover modern day animals through their bones. Visit the Boy Paleontologist room to see how they discovered the fossils in Fremont in the 1940’s. View the Minerals and Rocks, Hall of Small Wonders and Tools of Early Humans. Hands-on activities for small groups are located throughout the museum. |
| Math Science Nucleus | Ocean Life - Present and Past | Fremont | Students look at animals without backbones (invertebrates). They learn how we sort and classify shells produced by invertebrates. They will learn the the key characteristics that identify the invertebrates by looking at the different phylums. Then they will look at fossil shells, many from the San Francisco bay area, and learn what it means to find them in rocks. A tour of museum included. |
| Math Science Nucleus | Carnivores and Herbivores | Fremont | Students compare the different teeth of different animals. They compare them with fossil herbivores and carnivores to compare and contrast. |
| Math Science Nucleus | Dino Magic | Fremont | Students enter a land of dinosaurs , as they observe skin prints, tracks, and bones. Hands on activities include real dinosaur bones and how we determine they are dinosaurs K-2 classes emphasis dinosaurs and 3-6 emphasize general fossils and fossils of Fremont. Lesson can be customized depending on needs of teachers. Snack and gift are included in price. |
| Math Science Nucleus | Fossils | Fremont | Students learn the different animals that lived in the Fremont area during the Pleistocene including mammoths and sabertooth cats. They will go on a scavenger hunt in the Museum. They will compare the present with the past. Learn about fossil excavations by sorting through fossils and receive a fossil shark tooth. |
| Math Science Nucleus | Tule Ponds - Wetland Ecosystem and Life of Ohlones | Fremont | Students investigate the animals and plants that live in different habitats within the wetland. They learn how the Ohlone's used the area for food and shelter. Students create a bookmark with leaves of native plants or make a Tule doll. (note this also is part of History Standards) |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium | Discovery Lab Workshop | Monterey | In an interactive classroom setting, your students will get a fun, hands-on introduction to some of Monterey Bay's most precious habitats and the animals that live there. All programs include time for self-guided exploration of the Aquarium. |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium | Self-Guided Tour | Monterey | You determine the focus and set the pace. The average visit time is two to three hours, but you are welcome to stay as long as you like and investigate all the habitats found in the Aquarium. Weekend and summer reservations are available. Teacher guides provided. |
| Monterey Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center | Guided Tours | Santa Cruz | Experience the Exploration Center with your own personal tour guide. Your group will be split into smaller groups of 8-12 to explore our exhibits with a trained docent who will provide an orientation, focused discussions and observations. 75 minutes Group Size: Maximum of 35 participants *Not including Chaperones *Chaperones are free |
| Monterey Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center | Self-Guided Tours | Santa Cruz | You determine the focus and set the pace. Docents will welcome your group to the Center and be available to assist while you explore the exhibits and answer any questions you may have. |
| Monterey Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center | Kelp Forest Investigators | Santa Cruz | Just off our coast, rich kelp forests span from the sea floor to the surface, creating a habitat for many animals just offshore. We can see clues that there is a kelp forest from land, by looking at kelp wrack left on the beach by waves. Students will participate in a scavenger hunt for as many different types of seaweed as possible and discuss how it serves as a habitat and helps keep our bay healthy. |
| Oakland Zoo | Wildlife Assembly at the Zoo | Oakland | our 45-minute interactive program hosted by an Oakland Zoo Education Specialist in our Clorox Wildlife Theater in the Valley Children's Zoo, will provide an opportunity to explore animal adaptations through games, songs and a live animal presentation. After your program ends, your class, using their honed observational skills, can explore the Zoo at your own pace. Younger Grades (Kindergarten - 2nd) - Happy, Healthy Families; Ooh, That Smells So Good On My Tongue!; Baby Talk Older Grades (3rd - 5th) - Home is Where the Habitat Is; Chew On This, Poop - the Best Gift EverFREE or DISCOUNTED for East Bay Title 1 schools, Apply to the Zoo to Community Program at http://www.oaklandzoo.org/Zoo_to_Community.php |
| Oakland Zoo | ZooSchool | Oakland | Bring your class to the Zoo and experience a day full of adventure! Upon arrival each class will be greeted by an Education Specialist, who will bring you to a classroom and introduce your theme. Then you will venture in to the Zoo to explore and observe the plants and animals on a guided tour. After your tour, you will return to your classroom to wrap up and review the day's activities. After your program has ended you can head back into the Zoo to eat a picnic lunch, or back to visit the animals until your departure time. FREE or DISCOUNTED for East Bay Title 1 schools, Apply to the Zoo to Community Program at http://www.oaklandzoo.org/Zoo_to_Community.php |
| Oakland Zoo | Self Guided Tours | Oakland | Are you interested in bringing your group to the Oakland Zoo? Whether it's for a school, family, church, or organization, making a reservation insures your group admittance at a discounted rate. Plan ahead by visiting our website for upcoming events, maps, animal feedings and scavenger hunts. Once inside, you can explore the Zoo at your own pace. |
| Pacific Grove Museum Monarch Sanctuary | Monarch Butterflies Field Trip | Pacific Grove | Visit the Pacific Grove Butterfly Sanctuary (south of Monterey). During the entire Monarch over wintering season (October through February), trained docents stand under the Butterfly Trees explaining the phenomenon to visitors coming to Pacific Grove's sanctuary. You may want to combine this visit with the butterfly exhibit at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, 12 blocks away, or visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, 2 miles away. Visitors may combine a tour of the habitat with a visit to the Museum of Natural History where they are welcome to view a large Monarch butterfly display on the main and second floors. A video allows a close-up view of the Monarch's magical metamorphosis from egg, to caterpillar, to chrysalis, to butterfly. Let the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History supplement and enrich your Science or History/Social Studies curriculum. We offer fieldtrip programs and outreach kits that address state and national standards. For the most engaging experience, we suggest that you have your students participate in a topic-specific, hands-on program in the Education Room. These programs last approximately half an hour and can accommodate up to 20 students at a time. Possible topics include fossils, life cycles, animal adaptations, rocks and minerals, California Indian artifacts, local animals and their habitats, or special requests. |
| Palo Alto Baylands | Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center | Palo Alto | Capture bird life on the move in the salt marsh with binoculars, get up close and intimate with tactile activities, and pull it all together with a power point presentation. |
| Point Blue Conservation Science | Bird Science in Action | Stinson Beach | Point Blue offers educational field trips to our Palomarin Field Station to observe science-in-action and connect with our field biologists as they safely band and release songbirds. Every year, approximately 1,500 students and community members learn how decades of data on bird populations uncovers evidence of climate change in our backyard, and beyond. |
| Point Bonita YMCA | Introduction to the Marin Headlands | Sausalito | Explore the natural and cultural history of the Marin Headlands on an engaging hike along the trails and batteries near Point Bonita YMCA's campus. Learn about the plants, animals, minerals and people that have inhabited this national park. Depending on Park availability, a tour of the historic Point Bonita Lighthouse can be requested as part of this program. |
| Point Bonita YMCA | Habitats and Ecosystems | Sausalito | Students will explore the Coastal Scrub ecosystem of the Marin Headlands through interactive games and investigations of the local plants and animals. They will explore different habitats and learn about the interdependent relationships and interactions between the living and non-living elements in the ecosystem. |
| Randall Museum | Animal Presentations: Super Senses | San Francisco | Learn about the special ways animals sense with different body parts and how these are different from how we do it! |
| Randall Museum | Animal Presentations: The Food Web - Predator and Prey | San Francisco | Learn about this connection through our different animal ambassadors and their place in the food chain. |
| Randall Museum | Animal Presentations: Oceans: Intertidal Ecosystem | San Francisco | In the ocean exhibit, students will see some of native intertidal species. Learn about the bizarre sea urchin, see the tube feet of the sea star, and maybe even see the pipefish eat! |
| Randall Museum | Animal Presentations: Amazing Invertebrates | San Francisco | Learn about the differences between insects and arachnids and why they are so important for the ecosystem. |
| Randall Museum | Animal Presentations: Reptiles and Amphibians | San Francisco | Through interactions with our Animal Ambassadors, students will learn about what makes reptiles different from amphibians. |
| San Francisco Zoo | Close Encounters: The Evolving Reptiles | San Francisco | Reptiles have been on the earth for hundreds of millions of years. Two hundred and thirty million years ago, there were 20 distinct orders of these scaly creatures. Now, there are only four. Learn how these survivors make their way in the modern world. |
| San Francisco Zoo | Animal Adaptations - Docent guided tour | San Francisco | Concentrates on visible external adaptations that animals have to allow them to survive. Teacher Guides available online. |
| San Francisco Zoo | Self Guided Tours - Packets Available | San Francisco | Packets Available: Animal Adaptations (grades 1, 3, 4, 6) Animal Behavior (grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) Gorilla World (grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9-12) Animal Environments (Habitats) (grades K, 1, 3, 4, 6) And coming soon... Primates 1: Introduction Primates 2: Class Activities Primates 3: Physical Adaptations Primates 4: Behavioral Adaptations Primates 5: Old World Primates Primates 6: New World Primates Primates 7: Apes Primates 8: Species at the Zoo Primates 9:Vocabulary Rainforest Animals Self-Guided Tour Rainforest Vocabulary SF Zoo Tropical Animals Shifting the Balance (Endangered Species) Zoo Design |
| San Francisco Zoo | Environments & Habitats - Docent guided tour | San Francisco | Students will learn about different types of habitats and how animals are specially adapted to survive in them. |
| San Francisco Zoo | Close Encounters: Animal Classification | San Francisco | Best for grades 2, 3, and 5. Students will be introduced to the five classes of animals with a backbone. Similarities and differences in habitats, locomotion, and feeding strategies are discussed. |
| San Francisco Zoo | Close Encounters: Birds Form and Function | San Francisco | Students will be able to see five different birds that have very different lifestyles. The children will learn about feeding strategies, anatomy, and specific adaptations for survival of this diverse group of animals. No hands-on component. |
| San Francisco Zoo | Close Encounters - 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. |
| Seymour Marine Discovery Center | Guided Tours of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center | Santa Cruz | Reserve your own docent to guide your students through the amazing sights and sounds of a working marine lab. Discover where, what, and how ocean scientists learn about marine mammals and their incredible abilities. Your students will peer at some special marine mammals residing at the lab to help scientists investigate how their well-adapted bodies function. Learn how ongoing science at Long Marine Lab can help conservation efforts for animals in the wild. Before or after your guided tour, students can explore how scientists work through interactive exhibits and aquaria |
| Seymour Marine Discovery Center | Fossils Uncovered - Discovery Lab | Santa Cruz | Compare live animals to real fossils from local rock formations for clues about creatures that lived here millions of years ago. Run an experiment where rocks bubble and fizz if they contain “hard evidence” of life from the ancient seas. Classes are taught in our teaching lab and seawater lab by teams of science educators and volunteers. Lab activities are followed by guided tours to the marine mammal overlook. |
| Stepping Out Stepping In | M.A.D. about Adaptations | Oakland | Pre-Trip Visit to Your Classroom: Your program will begin with a Presentation via Zoom in your classroom. A naturalist will arrive in your classroom vitually and present a live slide presentation that will turn your students on to the wonder of migrating birds! Your students will be ready for their field trip and excited to learn more about birds after their pre-trip presentation! Field Trip to Middle Harbor: Your students will get a “bird’s-eye view” of the difficulties to surviving on the wild shoreline. Through fun interactive games and on-site bird discovery, students will understand that if we can’t change we can’t survive! Your students will come away being bird enthusiasts and excited to learn about birds in their own neighborhood. |
| Suisun Marsh Natural History Association | Native American Trip | Suisun | A walk through the Rockville Hills Park highlighting the life ways of the Native Americans living here before and during the Spanish conquests and American arrival. Native plants and animals will also be examined. |
| Suisun Marsh Natural History Association | Suisun Marsh Trip | Suisun | An interpretive walk through the Peytonia Ecological Reserve examining native plants and animals, and investigating their ecological relationships. |
| Sulphur Creek Nature Center | Learning Labs: Owl Pellet Lab | Hayward | The education staff will immerse you in the study of Owl Pellet Lab |
| Sulphur Creek Nature Center | Learning Labs: Vertebrates | Hayward | The education staff will immerse you in the study of Vertebrates |
| Sulphur Creek Nature Center | Learning Labs: Feathers | Hayward | The education staff will immerse you in the study of Feathers |
| Sulphur Creek Nature Center | Learning Labs: Skulls | Hayward | The education staff will immerse you in the study of Skulls |
| Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness | Amazing Adaptations of the East Bay | Sunol | Discover how adaptations allow animals to survive in ever changing East Bay habitats. Meet our animal ambassadors and learn all about surviving and thriving in the diverse East Bay habitats. |
| The Gardens at Heather Farms | Bug Buddies Field Trip | 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 in-class presentation. 1 hour |
| The Gardens at Heather Farms | Wet and Wild: Exploring Creeks and Ponds Field Trip | Walnut Creek | Dip" into our creek and pond to investigate the hidden lives of some amazing plants and animals. We'll discover how these creatures adapt to underwater life, and learn how we can protect the health of aquatic habitats. (Also available as an in-class presentation) |
| The Gardens at Heather Farms | The Power of Pollination at The Gardens | 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 | The Power of Plants At The Gardens | Walnut Creek | Students learn about the parts of a plant and their functions. We will discuss what plants need to survive and why pollinators and wind are so important to plant reproduction. Students work together to dissect a plant and see the parts up close. They learn and identify each part of a seed and its function. |
| The Lawrence | Self-Guided Visit | Berkeley | Take your students to the Lawrence Hall of Science to enjoy the exhibits. Outdoor Nature Lab Animal Explorations Well Played Young Explorers Area Planetarium Hands-on Biotech Forces that Shape the Bay |
| The Petrified Forest | Self Guided Field Trips | Calistoga | Step back in Time, over 3 million years, and follow the trail of majestic petrified redwood giants arrayed before you in a fascinating grove. Be a witness to redwood trees that once grew in abundance here and were turned to stone 3.4 million years ago by a local volcano. |
| Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park | Tailored Naturalist Program: Habitats | Berkeley | the Tilden Naturalists can adapt their programs to meet the specific needs of your science unit. Sign up for a fieldtrip via the lottery system and give them a call once you are selected. |
| Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park | Pond Study (March-Oct.) | Berkeley | Explore the wet and wonderful world of the Nature Area’s ponds: insects, amphibians and more (perhaps even a garter snake!). |
| Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park | Nature Ramble (Year round): | Berkeley | An exploration of the Nature Area’s flora and fauna —anything can happen! This walk easily accommodates a topic of your choice. 60-90 minutes |
| Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park | Wildlife (Year round): | Berkeley | Focus on various animal classes during an interactive hike. 60-90 minutes. Choose from one or more of the following topics: -Reptiles (year round) -Amphibians (Nov.-May) -Birds (year round) -Mammals (year round) -Insects (March-Oct.) -Spiders (Sept.-Oct. and March) |
| UC Botanical Garden | Pollinators in the Garden | Berkeley | The bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds you can observe in the Garden are just some of the world’s 200,000 species of pollinators. Discover how insects, birds, bats, and wind are essential in the life cycles of our crops and other plants. Learn how flower forms and colors relate to their pollinators. |
| UC Botanical Garden | Patterns in Nature - Math in the Garden | Berkeley | Develop your mathematical skills and powers of observation as you apply them to the beauty and diversity of plants surrounding you in the Garden. Look for geometric shapes, angles, symmetry, and patterns, even fractals and Fibonacci numbers! Discover how nature’s designs are adaptations helping plants to survive. Activities will be selected to be grade-level appropriate. |
| UC Botanical Garden | California Ecosystems and Habitats | Berkeley | Explore the Garden’s outstanding collection of California native plants to learn how they adapted to specific areas within the Golden State. Visit different ecosystems and plant communities including alpine slope, chaparral, coastal dune, desert, pine-oak woodland, pygmy forest, redwood forest, serpentine, and a vernal pool. Compare and contrast the characteristics that allow plants to exist in diverse habitats. |
| UC Botanical Garden | Plant Travelers | Berkeley | Can plants really travel? Marvel at the slingshots, parachutes, hitchhikers, helicopters and other mechanisms that propel plant seeds around the Garden. |
| UC Botanical Garden | Extreme Environments: Glass House Collections | Berkeley | How do plants survive in diverse ecosystems? Visit three unique glass houses: the Arid House, with one of the largest collections of cacti and succulents in the country; the Orchid, Fern and Carnivorous Plant House; and the Tropical House, where you feel as though you’re in a rainforest. Discover remarkable relationships between plants and animals. Learn about environments and plant adaptations found in widely different places around the globe. This is a mostly indoor tour great for rainy winter months. |
| UC Botanical Garden | Trees in the Garden | Berkeley | What is a tree? How do they get so tall? Why are they important to our planet? Discover how a tree is different from other plants, how they adapt to their environments, how they make food from sunlight, and how they grow and reproduce. Learn about their life cycles, and the ecosystems they inhabit. Visit trees from around the world; see examples of the planet’s tallest and most massive organisms as well as those that lived when the dinosaurs roamed the earth. |
| Wildcare | WildCare Center Tours | San Rafael | Spring 2023 temporarily closed due to Avian Flu. Discover a world of wings and paws. Get a nose-to-nose view of native birds and mammals with engaging programs tailored to meet the learning needs of each class. Learn about the place of wildlife in modern society, wildlife ecology and the work of WildCare at our site by Albert Park. Taught by a professional teacher/naturalist. Grades Pre-school - 2nd: Discover our animal neighbors in an active, fun-filled program taught by an experienced naturalist. Grades 3 - 8: Learn about the place of wildlife in modern society, wildlife ecology and the work of WildCare’s animal rehabilitation hospital. 75 minute presentation. |