The American River Conservancy offers a wide variety of environmental education programs at the Nature Center in Coloma. From two hour programs with an age-appropriate hike to a day-long web of life ecology extravaganza, these programs are fun, engaging, hands-on learning activities that meet California standards.

Nature Center Program Descriptions 2009-2010

A. Basic Programs: Fun, engaging, hands-on programs with interactive participation, learning activities and games.

2 hour program at Nature Center Includes age appropriate hike that reinforces
material learned, and access to picnic area.
Fee: $150
($50 for lower income schools- those with at least 20% of students on free and reduced lunches- thanks to generosity of Umpqua Bank)

Incredible Insects: K,1st,2nd
What makes an insect an insect? How do they move around? What changes occur as an insect grows up? Learn about the world of insects in a fun and developmentally appropriate style. Each child will have a chance to have an encounter with an insect friend. Kindergarten science standards 2a,c;4b,d;
1st grade science standards 2a,b,c,d; 2nd grade science standards2a,b,c;4c,f

Sensational Senses: K
Students learn how animals sense the world while exploring their own five senses. An interactive presentation using skins, fur, flowers and feathers. Kind. Science standards 1a,b; health standards 1.6G

Water Water Everywhere?: K,1st,2nd
Water is essential to all life, but is it really everywhere? Explore its different forms, its use by plants and animals, variability in weather, and the importance of conservation of this precious natural resource. Kindergarten science standards 1a,b;2a,b,e;3b,c; History-social science standards k.6.3; 1st grade science standards 1a,b;2a,b,e;3b,c; History-social science standards 1.1.1,1.1.2; 2nd grade history-social science standards 2.1.2,2.4.1

Have to Have a Habitat: 1st
Water, Food, Shelter, Space. What do these four things have in common? A skit by the students reveals critical needs of all living things, including humans! Students work together in small groups to create mini-habitats. An outdoor game reinforces concepts learned. 1st grade science standards 2a,b,c,d

Plant Detectives: 2nd
Students participate in a skit involving all parts of a tree, take part in an ongoing plant growth experiment, and have fun with an outdoor activity that simulates seed germination, growth, and environmental stresses. Offered spring only. 2nd grade science standards 2a,c,d,e,f;4a,b,e,f,g

Amazing Adaptations: 3rd
How do beaks, bones, feathers and furs help animals to survive? How do plants live through droughts? Students become the teachers during a “professor walk” to various hands-on learning stations, and enjoy an interactive game. 3rd grade science standards 3a,b,c,d,e
Different Oaks/ Ancient Trails: 3rd
Students learn to identify different types of oaks, and consider how humans and other organisms depend(ed) on oak trees for food and shelter. The class then participates in preparing acorn as human food! Students hike to an authentic ancient grinding rock site as they discover California Indian plant uses and their relationship with the land. Offered in fall, at Nature Center only. 3rd grade science standards 3b,d; History-social science standards 3.1.2,3.2.1,3.2.2

California Water: 3rd
Students see just how much of their own body is made of water. They then play a game that highlights the changes through time in local water use. Students visit the American River (if done at nature center) and watch as a map is drawn of current California water dams and diversions, learning about the connection between 23 million faucets and the river before them. Finally, students learn how to conserve water through a fun relay game. 3rd grade history-social science standards 3.1.1,3.1.2,3.4.1
California Gold - From Solid to Liquid (Water!): 4th
See gold discovery from an environmental viewpoint! Through a fun interactive drama, students will experience past issues such as gold depletion, the changeover to hydraulic mining, and conflict with valley farmers. The class then moves on to today’s new gold: water! Students visit the American River (if presented at nature center) , experience its connection to 23 million people’s faucets, and role play the major water controversies in our state today.4th grade science standards 5a,b,c; history-social science standard 4.3.3,4.4.2,4.4.7

Ecosystem Connections: 4th
Explore the many niches in nature, from producers to consumers and decomposers. Learn about the interactions of these with nonliving components through a fun group activity. Each student makes an eco-ball to take home, reinforcing the important concept of interconnectedness. 4th grade science standard 2a,b,c;3a,b,c,d

Plantiful Planet: 4th
Investigate the many important plants in our ecosystem. Students participate in a skit showing the role of each part of a tree, sing a song about decomposition, and play a game about the growth of plants and the effects of environmental stresses. Students also role play the job of animals in pollination and seed dispersal. Finally, common local plants are introduced to students during an interactive professor hike (if presented at nature center.)
4th grade science standard 2a,b,c;3a,b,c

Water’s Incredible Journey: 5th
After exploring the different properties of solid, liquid, and gaseous substances, students become water molecules and role play the incredible journey that water takes daily (the water cycle.) Students then discover the relative quantities and availability of salt- and various fresh- water bodies, and learn about water conservation through a fun relay game. The nature center hike explores part of the watershed of the American River . A discussion of the origin of their own water rounds off the program. 5th grade science standard 1b,d,g;3a,b,c,d,e

All day at Nature Center:

2nd-4th grade
Web of Life– Ecology Extravaganza
Fee: $200

Grade Level: 2-5
This active all-day program combines the excitement of outdoor discovery with the State Framework Life Science concepts of inter-dependence, food webs and ecosystem interactions. The day begins with an orientation in the Nature Center, followed by an outdoor scavenger hunt. Required adult to student ratio is 1:5. 4 hours, $200