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Reviewed by: Wendy Banner 8th Science and Robotics teacher at Paul Revere Middle School.
TOPANGA STATE PARK
TOPANGA STATE PARK
20825 Entrada Rd, Topanga, CA 90290 (818) 880-0350 website
From Topanga Canyon Boulevard, turn east on Entrada Road, turning left at each intersection where this is a choice until you arrive at Trippet Ranch, the park headquarters. Entrance is free. Parking is 10$. There is ample parking for busses and some free parking outside the gate.
Description:
This State Park has 14,000 acres of chaparral, oak woodland, riparian and grassland, with 36 miles of trails. There are fire road trails on the ridges and (seasonally dry) creek side trails in the canyons . The most recommended area for viewing wildflowers is the Musch Ranch Trail loop. It covers 3.5 miles of small meadows and shaded hillside trails. During Spring flowering season, there are docent led walking tours and and an informative brochure to follow on the well-marked trail. The visitor center is only open Sundays noon to 4:00 January through July. Besides the Trippit Ranch loops , there are longer trails into this park from several other recreational areas of the Santa Monica Mountains, including : Los Liones, Santa Ynez Canyon, Temescal Canyon, Will Rogers State Historic Park, Caballero
Canyon, Serrania Park, Mulholland Drive.
Click image to enlarge
Audience: An environmental science teacher would benefit by a visit to The Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area because it provides local examples of chaparral, riparian creek side, wooded oak, and coastal scrub communities. From the higher points on the trails air pollution can be observed to the east in the San Fernando Valley. For earth science teachers there are several examples of mountain building and rock cycle dynamics, such as transverse ranges, earthquake faults. Botany and general biology classes will find a wealth of local plant life but somewhat less animal life.
Science Concepts Addressed:
Biomes and ecosystems
Adaptations to the local climate, given the low rainfall
Classification of rock cycle stages and mineral types.
Classification of plants, flower types,.
Reproductive strategies for pollination and dispersal of seeds.
Reproductive structure and function of flower parts.
Mutualism between plants and specific pollinators based on color and structure of flowers.
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS WILDFLOWERS APPLICATION
iTunes App DOWNLOAD 520 MB file to take the Flower Finder off the grid!
Photos from Topanga State Park - March, 2013 Wendy Banner
Photos from Topanga State Park - March, 2013 Wendy Banner
These images are for classroom practice in using the Flower Finder App.
This is an interactive presentation. Students can copy the pages and engage in several sample activities giving some ideas for using the Wild Flower Finder with other standards.
John Muir Laws field Notebook tutorials. This youtube channel has wonderful lessons blending art with scientific observation and record keeping. These are scientific practices recognized in the NGSS.
Link to above presentation presentation
DOCUMENTS : Topanga Field Trip Handouts, Study guide tasks and images for :
#1. Parent Letter Information Sheet
#2 Physical "Novelty Space" orientation images and maps for print of projection
#3 Field Trip Assignment: Two sideded sheet.; directions and written task for record keeping
and later to upload with photos taken in the park as a digital wild
flower encyclopedia.
• Observations:
Which animals foot prints are represented on a clay imprint display?
Which one has the biggest feet?
Name a flower you have seen growing in the shade.
Name one flower that can only be seen growing in the full sun.
Did you observe more dicots or monocots among the flowers your class identified?
Name one monocot and one dicot you saw. (tell which is which).
Can visitors to the park take dogs on the trails if they use a leash?
Name one type of rock formation we was while on the Eagle Rock Trail.
Are people allowed to ride horses in the park? How about mountain bikes?
What was the most common kind of tree yo saw?
Higher Order Questions / Activities:
Using your knowledge of how flowers are adapted to different pollinators, what do you think are some of the most common types of pollinators in Topanga State Park? Give examples of flowers that match them.
Where in the park did we see the broad trails that ran along fire roads? How can you explain the location?
What are the relative advantages of annual and perennial life cycles In Topanga? Which do you think evolves faster? Name one of each from among those you saw.
Tasks: ( as found in Study guide attached.)
Identify and classify at least 5 native species of flowering plants.
Identify at least 2 non-native species, and at least one invasive non-native.
Take 3 photos of each plant with a ruler for scale: 1) flower close-up. 2) Leaf close-up 3) Whole plant/shrub.
Record the location/ conditions where each specimen was found: chaparral, riparian, open hill top, grassy slope, etc.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Theodor Payne foundation Wildflower HOT Line
Conservation, information, propagation (nursery) and local wildflower viewing calendars.
California Academy of Sciences CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS
Useful identification site; by color, Family name, Latin name, common name
California Native Plant Society Links to School Gardens Page
Nature Sketching as Scientific Observation
John Muir Laws Youtube Channel Many videos on how to draw natural forms in a field notebook and how to annotate illustrations as technical drawings. Instructional video produced by Oregon State University.
Hiking Trail Reviews Mobile App Download
Every Trail : User uploads of photos and experiences on various trails of region, with GPS tracking data.
Topanga Loop with Chang and Kim Musch Trail and Eagle Rock Trail
EveryTrail - best Hiking near Los Angeles, California
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