3rd Grade Virtual Programs

Virtual Programs for 3rd Grade

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Provider Name	Resource Link	Provider Location	Abstract
Ardenwood Historic Farm	Cultivating Gold: 250 Years of Farming in California	Fremont	Trace the evolution of farming in California, while virtually exploring the grounds of Ardenwood. Historic buildings and artifacts, along with maps, photographs, diaries, and other primary sources will help students learn about the people and events that shaped their community.
Big Break Regional Shoreline	Hootin’ Habitats	Oakley	Did you know that owls protect our homes and our food? Students will dissect owl pellets and discover how these wonderful birds provide pest control through their hunting habits. Students will also find out that we can help owls by protecting safe spaces like Big Break that they need to live and grow.
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve	Virtual Mine Tour Duration	Antioch	Dive into the depths to discover the history hidden underground. Join a Naturalist on this virtual tour to learn about coal and sand mining in the Bay Area
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve	Animals and their Habitats	Antioch	Virtually meet the Black Diamond animal ambassadors as we compare similarities and differences between local animals and humans. Learn how animals use their senses to survive and explore what makes the perfect habitat for our local creatures!
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve	Virtual Mine Tour Duration	Antioch	Mysteries of the Chaparral Become an Eco Detective and discover the mysteries of the chaparral. What creatures are hiding here, and how do the plants create this unique ecosystem? Put your sleuthing skills to the test during this virtual 45 minutes eco-mystery
California Academy of Sciences	Free livestreams for K-8 students nationwide	San Francisco	Each livestream is a lesson taught by professional educators, which is broadcast for free to YouTube. Events feature hands-on activities or kinesthetic movement that students can do while tuning in. Teachers or adult guardians must register in advance for their student(s) to participate. Check website for current topics and broadcast days
California Dept of Parks and Recreation	Virtual Field Trip: Salmon Life Cycle	Sacramento	PORTS is a free distance learning program that uses the power of interactive videoconferencing to help K-12 schools teach common core state standards in the context of California State Parks. PORTS Programs include: Fully developed units of study to prepare and assess learning. and Live, interactive videoconference presentations on science, history, language arts and other academic topics. The migratory life cycle of pacific salmon and steelhead offers students an opportunity to explore how adaptations help animals survive in different environments. During the course of this unit the life cycle of the salmon will take us from egg to adult, from freshwater streams in the redwoods to the salty Pacific Ocean, over obstacles and past predators. Students will explore the concept of watersheds in the context of the Mill Creek watershed in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park in Humboldt county. This unit of study provides four, one hour, in-class lessons to familiarize your students with the story of salmon and key concepts concerning migration and watersheds. The fifth lesson is a live, interactive videoconference with Park Interpreters. The interpreter will talk directly with your students about the life cycle, habitats and adaptations of the amazing pacific salmon.
Coyote Hills Regional Park	Cultural History of Ohlone Peoples	Fremont	This program introduces students to parts of Ohlone culture. Students will learn about Native People, their connection to the land and natural resources, and traditional skills. Virtually students will explore artifacts, specimens, and tools that Native People still use today.
Coyote Hills Regional Park	Natural History of Plants & Animals	Fremont	Explore the wetlands of Coyote Hills and its inhabitants to learn ways to conserve natural resources. Students will learn the types of plants and animals in wetland habitats and how they have adapted to survive. Explore specimens, meet animal ambassadors, and discover animal adaptations.
Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium	Chat with a Nat	Alameda	A Q&A session with a Crab Cove Naturalist, as a follow-up after engaging after watching an online Creature Feature video. Contact us for list of topics. V
East Bay Municipal Utility District	Mastodons Among Us Virtual Tour	Orinda	An EBMUD Ranger discovers a trove of prehistoric fossils on the Mokelumne River Watershed. Also available in Spanish and Chinese.
East Bay Municipal Utility District	Water Treatment Plant Virtual tours	Orinda	Take a vitual tour of Orinda Water Treatment Plant is EBMUD's largest plant and produces drinking water for customers west of the Berkeley/Oakland Hills
East Bay Municipal Utility District	Wastewater treatment plant Virtual tour	Orinda	Take a vitual tour of The Main Wastewater Treatment Plant is located in Oakland near the Bay Bridge. EBMUD’s 88-square-mile wastewater service area is home to 740,000 people who live in Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Kensington, Oakland, Piedmont, and the Richmond Annex.
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo	Life Cycle Loop	San Jose	All animals emerge, grow, live, thrive and die in a never-ending revolution but not always in the same way. The variety of animal life cycles Variation can provide advantages Vocabulary: Precocial/Altricial/ 3 & 4-stage cycles
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo	Habitat Hunting with Trait Tools	San Jose	Location, location, location that matches the clothes. Animals choose homes that match their needs & abilities. [optional 2-part series] Matching adaptations to habitats Adaptation traits inherited [part 1] Adaptation traits chosen to enhance survival [part 2] Animals group for enhancing survival Vocabulary: Environment/Habitat/Traits/Resources/Detrimental
Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center	Bird Beak Buffet	Hayward	Students will learn about adaptations by examining some of the plants and animals found in the salt marshes of San Francisco bay and learning what makes them survive so well in this harsh environment. The program emphasis is on shorebirds, and the diversity of their beaks among various species.
Hiller Aviation Museum	Amazing Aircraft	San Carlos	The Hiller Aviation Museum’s most popular hands-on program arrives in your classroom! Designed for classes working at school in a room with their teachers, Amazing Aircraft features an instructor-led exploration of the parts of an airplane using a real Cessna 177 aircraft at the Hiller Aviation Museum, completion of a coloring activity, and construction and test flights of a simple balsa glider. A supply kit including balsa gliders and coloring sheets will be shipped to the address provided on the reservation request seven days prior to the program date. Students should have access to crayons, and teachers should have access to clear or masking tape for minor repairs.
Hiller Aviation Museum	Helicopter Adventure	San Carlos	Perfect for students in a full distance-learning environment, Helicopter Adventure explores the world of vertical flight with an exciting engineering exercise based on paper models. Hiller Aviation Museum staff conduct a Zoom-based virtual tour of a Scorpion helicopter at the Hiller Aviation Museum and lead construction and testing of a simple paper helicopter. Children measure the characteristics of helicopter flight and make predictions on how rotor size will affect helicopter performance. Students need not be in a single location to participate in this program. The Hiller Aviation Museum will provide a printable one-page .pdf file that must be printed for each participating child. Students must have access to scissors to complete the project, but no other supplies or equipment are necessary.
Math Science Nucleus	Tule Ponds - Ohlone Culture at Tule Ponds	Fremont	Tule Ponds was a site where the Ohlones would fish and collect seeds from the Native Plants. Students will learn about the native vegetation that allowed them to live and prosper for thousands of years. Students will learn how the Ohlone's used the area for food and shelter. They will see how they built homes and even toys from tules. They will learn a weaving activiy that they can do at home.
Monterey Bay Aquarium	Online Discovery Lab	Monterey	Take your students on a journey into ocean science with an Online Discovery Lab! Aquarium educators lead this 45-minute live interactive Zoom presentation focusing on a marine or conservation topic. Each program comes with a self-paced online course that can be assigned to students before or after the live session.
Monterey Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center	Recorded and Live Programs Available.	Santa Cruz	Explore Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary through distance learning! Want to connect your students to marine science, exploration, and engineering? Experience our new virtual programs for grades 2nd-12th: Dive into Kelp Forests!: 2nd-4th grade From Land to Sea: Watersheds: 3rd-5th grade Deep Sea Discovery: 3rd-5th grade Sounds in the Sanctuary: 3rd-5th grade Plankton Exploration: 4th-6th grade
Natural Bridges State Park	Monarch Butterfly - Virtual	Santa Cruz	Discover the life cycle, migration, adaptations and conservation of monarch butterflies here at Natural Bridges and all across the state. This one-hour program is facilitated by California State Park Interpreters live from the park.
Natural Bridges State Park	Tidepool Tours - Virtual	Santa Cruz	Discover tidepool adaptations and zonation at Natural Bridges State Beach. This hour-long program will guide the class through the intertidal zone and the unique species that call this place home. Please let us know if there are any specific topics to discuss.
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.
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.
Sulphur Creek Nature Center	Adaptation Exploration	Hayward	Explore animal adaptations while taking an up close look at some of Sulphur Creek’s resident animals on camera.
Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness	Geology: If Rocks Could Talk	Sunol	Unearth clues of the past as you learn about the layers of the earth, rock types, and cycles through song, dance, and the exploration of fossils. Topics will include rock types, cycles, and fossils.
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.
Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness	California Native Cultural Object Discovery	Sunol	Explore the local cultures of the Ohlone, Yokuts, and Miwok people as you weave their past and present traditions together. Discover the importance of culture, ancestors, as well as traditional and modern uses of natural resources through discussion and de monstration.
The Gardens at Heather Farms	Geology Rocks Virtual	Walnut Creek	Explore different types of rocks and minerals, classify them based on their observable properties and investigate how they are used in our daily lives. Identify and date various fossil types and learn how this record of life is preserved over time. Secondary grade levels will find solutions for reducing human impact on natural landscapes.
The Gardens at Heather Farms	Virtual 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 and how pollinators are crucial to a plants' life cycle. Students will get to recreate pollination to see first hand how important their jobs 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.
Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park	Virtual Wildlife	Berkeley	Enjoy a video about one of the animal groups below, then join the Naturalist for a live discussion! • Insects • Reptiles and Amphibians • Spiders
Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park	Virtual Pond Study	Berkeley	Explore life beneath the surface of the pond! Meet aquatic insects, amphibians, and hear a story about pond creatures with these videos and curriculum package. Grades: K-2nd (and up)
Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park	Virtual Nature Ramble	Berkeley	An exploration of the Nature Area’s flora and fauna. After viewing a video of a Naturalist guided walk, enjoy a live discussion with a Naturalist!
Tilden Nature Area-Tilden Regional Park	Virtual Farm Tour	Berkeley	Join us online as we meet our farm animals and discover how they each have an important part to play in our lives. Activities include video and curriculum package. Grades: K-2nd
UC Botanical Garden	CA Natives Plants & People	Berkeley	Get an introduction to California native plants from different plant communities, and see how they grow in the the Garden’s extensive California Collection! Learn about how California Indians use these plants in their everyday lives for food, shelter, clothing, tools, medicine, fiber, music, toys and games.
UC Botanical Garden	Botany on Your Plate	Berkeley	Investigate a collection of nutritious roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds and see how they grow in the Garden’s Crops of the World Garden. Students will learn about healthy eating, the function of each plant part, and see what plants look like before they reach the grocery store.
UC Botanical Garden	Discovering Flowers and Plants	Berkeley	Develop your powers of observation as you learn about roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, and the life cycles of plants. See examples of these plant parts from six plant communities around the world.
Wildcare	The Vertebrates	San Rafael	What do fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals all have in common? How can you know what a mammal eats just by looking at its teeth? What makes birds so unique from other animals? Find out the answers to these questions and much more by attending a special presentation featuring videos of our Wildlife Ambassadors. In this presentation you will learn about a bird of prey, a marvelous mammal, and a remarkable reptile! This program will reveal these animals’ habitats, diets, adaptations, and the threats they face in the wild.
Wildcare	Wonders of Oak Woodlands	San Rafael	How do squirrels plant trees? Who lives inside of a tree trunk? Find out what other wonders await by transporting your classroom to the oak woodland! Listen for the drumming of the acorn woodpecker, catch a glimpse of the fluffy tail of the grey fox, and watch raptors soar in the sky above. Hear the stories of our Wildlife Ambassadors and Wildlife Hospital patients to understand how their species are connected in the food web. Learn how oak trees sustain life for wildlife and humans alike in this important ecosystem. NGSS Alignment
Wildcare	Califonria Wetlands	San Rafael	Which shark is born in the salt marsh? How is a wetland like a restaurant? Wade into the unique lives of the animals that pass through these watery worlds. Explore this vanishing habitat to learn exactly why it is worth preserving and how you can help. Students will examine the benefits of wetlands and find out why animals rely on them for survival. Students will gain an understanding of how restoring and protecting California’s wetlands has a big positive impact on our local wildlife.