Placer Nature Center's Environmental Science Travels program

Environmental Science Travels

We come to your classroom or meet you in the field!
With our complete experiential science learning programs, which may include (but not limited to) microscopes, nets, hand lenses, pH tests, soil, and even worms, we will deliver our award winning programs where it works best!

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You have four options offered all year:

Environmental Science Travels to Your Classroom - no need to schedule a bus, we bring everything right to your classroom!
Learning from the Land at Traylor Ranch - meet us at the nature preserve for a full day of interdisciplinary learning in the great outdoors!
Science & Stewardship in the Schoolyard - we come to you with all the tools needed to turn your schoolyard into a laboratory and finish with a stewardship project!
Custom Field Studies - we can work with you to customize any preexisting program or visit a location of your choosing.

Scheduling, Registration & Downloadable Brochure
Important Information
Adherence to CA Content Standards (opens new page)

Be sure and visit the Just for Teacher's page for information on
grants, scholarships and more! (opens new page)

Environmental Science Travels (EST)

Let us come to you! After a fun thematic introduction, children rotate through three hands-on, interactive stations where they engage in activities to enhance and reinforce concepts. We bring everything with us including visual aids as well as science and discovery tools! Look for this symbol "CCS" for a quick reference of which California Content Standards the program achieves.

On registration form, fill out the EST section.

Environmental Science Travels Program Fees:

1 class: $150 per class (equates to $6/student in class of 26). No fee for teachers or parent helpers
Discounts for Same Day Consecutive Programs:
- 2 class discount: $240 (Save 20%, $4.62/student)
- 3 class discount: $270 for three classes (Save 40%, $3.46/student)
$30 deposit due 2 weeks from registration date.
$1.50 per mile travel fee for the round trip mileage from Placer Nature Center to your school.

If you are looking for field trips to Placer Nature Center visit the field trips page.

Foothill Discovery - Fur and Feathers
PreK - Kindergarten • 1 hour
Who are our furry and feathered neighbours? From stories and puppets to a schoolyard discovery hike, children use the tools of a scientist to explore with their senses. Each class decorates a birdbath to keep for further bird and furry friend watching! Plant the seeds of life-long learning! CCS Life-2a, 2c; Invest.-4a, 4b

Wings: Birds, Bats, and Bugs
2nd to 6th Grade • 1-¼ hour
Feathers, bat puppets and plastic bugs are all used to create an understanding of winged creatures have adapted in a fun interactive program.
CCS (2) Life-2a, 2b, 2c; (3) Life-3a, 3b; (4) Life-2a, 2b

Natural Resource Conservation
2nd to 6th Grade • 1-¼ hour
From composting to recycling we can do a lot to reduce our solid waste stream that flows into the landfill. Learn how and why we each must do our part in using the 3 R’s (reduce, reuse & recycle) everyday! CCS (2) Earth 3e; (6) Earth-6a, 6b, 6c

Food Chains
2nd to 6th Grade • 1-¼ hour
From bugs to mountain lions, there are many complex interrelationships in an ecosytem, whether it is aquatic or terrestrial! Children will gain a solid understanding of the web of life. CCS (3) Life-3b; (4) Life-2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b; (6) Life-5a, 5b, 5c, 5d

Waterworks
2nd to 6th Grade • 1-¼ hour
ust what is a watershed? What’s your watershed address? How does water move through it and what living things depend on it? Children explore the answers to these questions and more, through investigation of watershed-related activities and terminology; concluding with activities that explore water conservation. CCS (2) Earth-3e; (3) Life-3b; (4) Earth-5c; (5) Earth-3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e; (6) Earth-2a

Smart Energy Choices
6th to 8th Grade • 50 to 75 minutes, adapted to your school schedule
Learn about the energy demands and environmental impacts created by student behaviours and purchases, interactive activities show how energy concepts are related to everyday products and inspire students to consider choices they can make to practice conservation. CSS (6) Earth-3b, 5c, 6a, 6b, 6c; (7) Phys.-6f; (8) Phys.-3f, 5a, 5b, 5c.

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Environmental Science Travels to Your Classroom
Learning from the Land at Traylor Ranch
Science & Stewardship in the Schoolyard
Custom Field Studies

Scheduling, Registration & Downloadable Brochure
Important Information
Adherence to CA Content Standards (opens new page)

Learning from the Land (LftL)

A full day (4+ hours) of investigations and observations at Traylor Ranch Nature Reserve and Bird Sanctuary in Penryn
5th to 8th Grade • 4+ hours

A one hour pre- visit classroom orientation by Placer Nature Center staff prepares students for a day on the land. Once on-site, PNC staff will guide students in small groups through three inquiry-based discovery stations that explore stream and grassland ecology and the cultural history of the land.

After a lunch break, students come together to perform a riparian restoration project and then end the day with a reflective writing activity. Offered during Fall and Spring. CCS (5) Earth-3d, Ivest.-6a, 6f; (7) Earth-2a, 2b; Life-5a, 5b, 5c, 5e, Invest.-7b, 7h; (8)Invest.-7ac

On registration form, fill out the LftL section.
Fee: $10 per student, minnimum $200 fee. Maximum: 60 students per day.
Deposit: $30 due 2 weeks from registration.

Science & Stewardship in the Schoolyard (SSS)

Turn your schoolyard into a scientific laboratory! Three one hour sessions (you choose the dates) of hands-on learning supporting science concepts while actively connecting students with a stewardship project in their own school yard. Students make hypotheses and analyse data as they learn about biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

We bring all the tools needed, for example microscopes, insect nets, worms, pH soil kits, clipboards and more! Offered during Fall and Spring.
On registration form, fill out the SSS section.

4th Grade • 3 sessions of 1+ hours each
* Session 1 * Students learn about abiotic (non-living) supporters of life, and investigate soil quality and soil erosion on school grounds.
* Session 2 * Students explore the plants and animal activity on school grounds, recording observations.
* Session 3 * Students conduct a decomposer scavenger hunt, and create a classroom worm bin and/or other related stewardship project.

5th Grade • 3 sessions of 1+ hours each
* Session 1 * Students learn what composes an ecosystem and the role of the producers. The class proposes a hypothesis that they can test in the field to help them define a healthy vs an unhealthy ecosystem. They split into 6 groups (birds, insects, plants, fungus, animal tracks and signs) and examine the unhealthy schoolyard section in their schoolyard.
* Session 2 * Students continue their surveys in the healthy ecosystem – same groups
* Session 3 * Students present their findings to whole class. And do their stewardship project.

Science & Stewardship in the Schoolyard Program Fees:

1 class/3 sessions: $234 (equates to $3/student per session in class of 26). No fee for teachers or parent helpers (Discounts for multiple program, see below).
Discounts for Same Day Consecutive Programs:
- 2 class discount: $374 (Save 20%, $2.40/student per session)
- 3 class discount: $421 for three classes (Save 40%, $1.80/student per session)
$30 deposit due 2 weeks from registration date.
$4.50 per mile travel fee (covers all three sessions) for the round trip mileage from Placer Nature Center to your school.

Custom Field Studies

All Grades, 7th to 12th Grade,GATE Classes, Home-school Programs • 1 to 3 hours
Explore your schoolyard or meet us in a location of your choosing!

At Your School: Students rotate between stations on bugs, birds and plants and investigate the schoolyard using insect nets, binoculars and hand lenses and discover the life all around them.

Custom Location: Outdoor enrichment classes that use the environment to engage students in scientific learning. A range of special interest topics are offered throughout the year at locations throughout Placer and Nevada counties. All are taught by experts in the field of study or Placer Nature Center staff. Contact us with your special interests and we will tailor a field studies program to meet your needs.

Fees: Variable, depends on complexity of program, call to discuss your potions with Linda (530) 878-6053 ext. 608.
Deposit: $50 due two weeks from registration.

Scheduling & Registration

How to Schedule a Program

Select your desired program.
Read Important Information about your Field Trip
Complete the Registration Form (use the link to the Program brochure and registration form below). Reservations are accepted on a first come first serve basis, so book your program early! Keep in mind Spring is the busiest time and fills up quickly! Please be sure to fill-in both sides of the form, including all contact information and preferred dates and program information.
After we receive your Registration Form we will call or email to confirm the date and time of your program. Please submit deposits within 2 weeks of your confirmed registration to hold your date. Expect an email with pre-visit information. Program specific preparation activities (including program specific name tags), a summary, and post-visit follow-up activities for your students are all available for download at: www.placernaturecenter.org/education

Download:

School Program Information Brochure

Registration Form

If the files will not open for you, then you will need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader. It is a free program.

Fax (quickest response):

(888) 787-7811

Or Mail to:

Placer Nature Center
3700 Christian Valley Road
Auburn, CA 95602

If you have questions, please call Leah (530) 878-6053 ext. 606
or email programs@placernaturecenter.org Staff members are usually available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but do please leave a message and we will return your call.

Important Information about your Field Trip

Deposits & Payment: Program deposits must be submitted within 2 weeks from registration date. Credit Card payments are only accepted online. When paying the day of the program, please have exact amount according to the number of students attending as change cannot be made. Checks should be addressed to: Placer Nature Center

Cancellation Policy: As it takes time to call and coordinate with our volunteers, deposits are non refundable to cover the cost of planning and preparing for your program. A minimum of 30 days notice is required for cancellation or rescheduling, this allows enough time to call and reschedule with our docents and open the date for other schools who might be waiting for the date.

Group Size: It is helpful if you organize your class into groups of 10 to 12 students for field trips to Placer Nature Center and into three separate groups for Learning from the Land, Environmental Science Travels and Science & Stewardship in the Schoolyard. Please note field trip total attendance size in descriptions. People, Plants, Animals & Habitat and Water & Our Watershed field trips at Placer Nature Center are each limited to 70 students per day. Environmental Science Travels programs and Science & Stewardship in Your Schoolyard are limited to one class. Learning from the Land is limited to 60 students per day.

Special Needs: Please inform us of any special-needs students in your class so we can ensure suitable accommodations during your program. Our Exhibit Halls, Discovery Room and bathrooms are wheelchair accessible. We have a separate special-needs nature trail, too. There is designated parking closer to the buildings.

Weather: Programs are delivered rain or shine unless conditions are hazardous, in which case the program will be rescheduled. Please make sure students dress appropriately for the weather and wear closed-toe shoes appropriate for walking the trail.

Directions & Parking: Traylor Ranch is located at 5050 English Colony Rd in Penryn, CA 95603 (click for Google Map of Traylor Ranch, opens a new page). To avoid issues, please be sure to have printed directions from your school to the site to give to the bus driver! Placer Nature Center is located four miles east of Auburn. From west of Auburn, travel east on I-80 and exit at Dry Creek Road. Cross over the freeway and take a left turn at Dry Creek Road. At the next stop sign, turn right onto Christian Valley Road. Placer Nature Center is located at the end of Christian Valley Road, approximately four miles from I-80. Enter the California Conservation Corps gate and turn left onto the gravel road. Parking is available for buses and cars. (click here for Google Map of Placer Nature Center) Parking is LIMITED, please carpool!

Nature Shop: At teacher request, the Nature Shop can be open during your visit to Placer Nature Center (usually during lunch). A variety of nature items and educational toys are available, ranging in price from 25¢ to $25; including pencils, magnifiers, necklaces, stuffed animals, balls, bird feeders, bat houses, candles, mugs and more!

Snacks/Lunch: Fresh air and trail walks seem to stimulate young appetites! Our programs do not allow for a snack time during the program - please plan accordingly (especially with younger children). *Please read our note about trash below*

Your Trash: Please note that we have no garbage service at our site or at Traylor Ranch Nature Preserve so we practice “Leave No Trace!” It’s a great way to introduce students to problems with disposal and how to treat natural and/or wilderness areas. You will be required to take any trash back with you, please bring a garbage bag with you as we do not have plastic garbage bags at the Nature Center (our staff and docents all pack out their trash!). At Placer Nature Center, compostable, leftover food items can be fed to our worms!



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