Environmental Literacy Field Trips
Click each of the field trip options below for more information.
Aquarium of the Bay
A unique nature center dedicated to inspiring conservation of the San Francisco Bay and its surrounding waters. Classes focus on inquiry-based, hands-on learning experiences that include scientific activities, games, and a guided tour of the aquarium.
(Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed) provides teachers and students with the scientific, educational, and technical resources to prepare them for hands-on watershed studies outdoors, including ecological restoration of riparian corridors and wetlands.
The Bay Model offers a unique opportunity for teachers and students to learn about the geography, topography, ecology, as well as the human and natural history of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. The dynamic nature of the model allows students to observe tidal action and visualize currents and eddies, as they would naturally occur in the Bay and Delta. Ranger guided tours are available by reservation for students kindergarten through university level.
Children of all ages can play in the Adventure Playground. Come visit the Shorebird Park Nature Center. Our straw bale building shows how beautiful "Green materials" can be for your home and how good they are for the environment. Inside we have a fresh water tank, fish, birds, conservation and marine mammal exhibits.
The Environmental Classroom is used to teach children, teachers and volunteers about the ecology of the San Francisco Bay Estuary.
Our water environment is a precious resource, and Central San is in the business of protecting it. Our efforts to spread the word about preventing pollution have led to several education programs for grades K-12. Some have been developed by in-house staff, others represent cooperative efforts with nonprofit or other government agencies. If you are interested in a more in-depth view of these programs, please call our Public Information Hotline at (925) 335-7702.
The refuge offers free educator led field trips at both the Newark Slough Learning Center in Fremont and at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso. All programs have been correlated to the appropriate State of California Education Standards.
Marvel at the St. Louis Arch, the Florida Keys, and the Frederick Douglass house. Listen to wolves howl. Walk in dinosaur tracks. Look up into the inky night sky, and reach for the stars!
These sites belong to all of us - including you.
Every Kid Outdoors was created so fourth graders and their families could discover our wildlife, resources, and history for free.
The Natural Science Classroom offers a wide variety of environmental science education programs for students of all ages and abilities. Each program offers an interactive presentation, hands-on activities and teacher resource materials. These programs are designed to support your classroom curriculum by providing lessons aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). We strive to provide students with memorable sensory and scientific practices that will encourage young people to continue investigating and exploring the natural world around them.
Operates a wetlands interpretive center specializing in salt marsh natural history. Hands-on experiential field trips along the Hayward shoreline for pre-K through 7th grade students highlight the plants and animals of San Francisco Bay.
Central to JMLT’s mission is promoting environmental awareness among residents of the East Bay - in particular, our youth! With generous funding from the Tesoro Foundation and in partnership with the Contra Costa County Office of Education and Canogle, Inc., JMLT kicked off the educational program, POINTing to Success in October, 2015.
Utilizing the power of place at JMLT’s properties- including Fernandez Ranch and Mt. Wanda at the John Muir Historic Site- POINTing to Success is getting middle and high schools out of the classroom and into the field to bring classroom ideas to life. By providing real-life context to STEM concepts using innovative mobile app phone technology, students are increasing their capacity to embrace STEM themes, such as how human activity impacts air and water; and why open space is so important to our life-sustaining environment.
KIDS for the BAY Programs for Schools turn school students onto science, connect students with nature, empower students to become active Environmentalists and provide professional development for classroom teachers. All programs are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core Curriculum. Parent participation is actively encouraged.
The Marine Mammal Center’s School Programs turn students of all ages into marine science enthusiasts! Our programs connect students with science through charismatic marine mammals and provide professional development for classroom teachers. Our innovative programs are offered in your classroom, at our hospital in Sausalito, CA, or virtually around the world. All programs are aligned and connected with Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Cure Curriculum. We believe every student can benefit from expanded ocean and conservation literacy. Programs are designed for schools and organized community groups such as scouts, camps and after-school programs.
The Marine Science Institute provides a scientific experience built on California standards-based activities and a memorable voyage into nature for students of all economic backgrounds. The Marine Science Institute puts students in physical contact with the bay and coast environments to help cultivate their natural sense of curiosity, enrich their understanding of science, and foster a responsibility to protect the environment.
For students, there are lots of things to do around Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, from beachcombing and tidepooling to whale watching.
If you can't make it there in person, take a virtual tour. Explore sanctuary intertidal beaches, kelp forests, rocky reefs, open ocean and seafloor by visiting our Living Sanctuary web pages. Learn about sea otters, albatross, deep-sea corals, shipwrecks and more!
Curious about what is deep down below the ocean's surface? Find out what it would be like to be in a submersible and visit the seafloor. See video and images captured by scientists on a deep-sea dive.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary has fascinating resources for you to explore whether you are writing a school report or just looking for fun stuff.
Learn scientific methods of inquiry while exploring local geology, watersheds, tides, and tide pools. Using nets, buckets, mud sieves, observations, and creativity, students uncover the diverse and fascinating habitats and animals living along the shore.
Save Mount Diablo (SMD) is a nationally accredited land trust and conservation organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Save Mount Diablo has been preserving lands on and around Mount Diablo and educating the public to the mountain’s natural values since 1971.
We are biologists, conservationists, hikers, bikers, equestrians, bird watchers, and people who just love to look at the mountain.
Our student programs, aligned with California’s Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards, help students gain an understanding of Bay ecology and local wetlands, drawing on the connections between human actions and the impact on the environment.
Discover San Francisco Bay with the experts! Use their map to explore programs for school groups offered by local agencies and informal education organizations about the ecology and history of San Francisco Bay. Many wonderful opportunities exist—field trips, on-site programs, classroom visits, and teacher trainings.