Education Programs
Attention Teachers
– download the Placer Nature
Center
Correlations to the CA Content Standards here.
Next to our own back yards, our undisturbed open spaces and the myriad of flora and fauna that inhabit those spaces are our most precious landscapes. Placer Nature Center's work ensures that open land, wild life habitat and a quality environment will be a part of the heritage we enjoy today and leave to the future. At Placer Nature Center, we learn about the land by being on the land or in the "thick" of nature. That is the best way we can stay in touch with the fates of its creatures, its indigenous culture, and its earthbound wisdom. Click here to learn more about the importance of environmental education and Placer Nature Center's accomplishments.
We offer the following education programs and services:
- School Field Trips in Natural and Cultural History and Watershed Education
- Environmental Science Travels to School Sites
- Learning from the Land: Field Studies at the Traylor Ranch Nature Reserve and Bird Sanctuary
- Home Study Support
- Scouts Merit Badge Program
- Docent Training
- Summer-long Programs & Camps
- Volunteer and Community Service Opportunities for Students and Adults
- Nature Area
On our 60-acre site, the rich diversity of the foothill flora and fauna is well represented. A variety of animal species live in or use the nature preserve. The Nature Trails, which meander through the acreage, are fertile ground for teaching and exploration. - Nature Shop
Open by teacher request only during lunch break, sells hand created nature items and educational tools for all ages. Many items are in the $.25 to$1.00 range.
- Additional Facilities
Explore our Exhibit Hall, Discovery Laboratory, WaterShed Learning Center, Energy Choices Exhibit, Compost Education Center, Courtyard, Picnic Area, Trail System and History Garden. Our Exhibit Hall and Discovery Laboratory contains interactive exhibits and learning tools appropriate for all grades. The Exhibit Hall offers hands-on exhibits relating to the natural and cultural history of the foothill region. The Discovery Lab, our hands-on science room, is equipped to change activities with each thematic program, offering children a variety of learning opportunities. The Courtyard is the place for nature games, which reinforce thematic principals. Our popular picnic tables, trails, educational garden, bog and pond are great places to enjoy lunch and observe native wildlife.
