Science Classes | Outdoor Education

Outdoor Education Classes

Forest Ecology

Students will experience the beauty of our forest as they get to know its flora, with a special focus on our majestic redwood trees. The goal is to investigate the inner workings of a forest ecosystem and draw connections between individual plants and their place in the redwood forest.

The students will explore the redwood ecosystem through activities and lessons.
The students will note the characteristics of and identify plants in a redwood forest.
The students will participate in discussions about the unique attributes of redwood trees.

Geology and Stream

This class investigates the relationships between water and the land. Using observations, tools, and data, students will explore our local and regional watershed. They will discuss natural and man-driven challenges in these geological areas and build connections to the organisms that rely on them.

The students will discuss and investigate the rocks in our watershed.
The students will discuss what a watershed is and participate in hands-on activities about them.
The students will explain ways water shapes the landscape and affects the rock cycle.

Amazing Ecosystems

This powerful class explores the relationships between organisms and their environment. The students build arguments based on evidence as they discover links in food webs, unique environmental adaptations, and the cycle of energy in an ecosystem.

The students will discuss the characteristics and adaptations of reptiles and amphibians.
The students will compare different species of reptiles and amphibians to each other.
The students will explore the unique habitat of the reptiles and amphibians in our ecosystem.
The students will participate in discussions about the different animals in the forest.
The students will explore producer-consumer-decomposer relationships through games and conversations.
The students will participate in a discussion/activity about photosynthesis.
The students will explore Alliance Redwoods as a habitat and make observations about what they find.

Pond and Stream

In this class students will use two approaches to studying the different aquatic ecosystems. The first is an exploration-based approach that teaches students about the water cycle and water chemistry while collecting and studying different aquatic organisms. The second is a scientific method based approach that introduces students to water chemistry, aquatic health, and aquatic invertebrates while studying the Coho Salmon and what the salmon need to survive.

Students will collect and identify aquatic organisms.
Students learn to identify and define the various habitats at the pond and the stream.
Students will understand and be able to explain the various stages in the water cycle.
Students will understand how different factors affect the health of an ecosystem.

Programmed Activities

Lodging

Standards

Downloadable Forms

Arrival Activities

These classes are designed for the Arrival Day. The length of time allotted for each class is dependent upon the time the school arrives at Alliance Redwoods.

Armstrong Woods State Park Located 10 miles from Alliance Redwoods, Armstrong Woods has become a popular site for people to walk among some of the tallest and oldest redwoods in this part of California. The students will explore the ecosystem of this old growth redwood grove and learn various aspects of redwood ecology. Students have the opportunity to visit multiple trees over 1,000 years old and compare them with the younger trees at Alliance Redwoods.
- Objective: The students will explore the natural redwood grove at Armstrong Woods. The students will explore and discuss basic redwood ecology. The students will explore differences between Armstrong Woods and Alliance Redwoods.
Goat Rock State Beach Near the mouth of the Russian River, Goat Rock State Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Sonoma County. For this field trip, students will have an opportunity to explore the beach in search of marine mammals (Seals, Sea Lions, etc.) while learning about beach formation, tides, and the relationship between the Russian River and Pacific Ocean. Students will also learn about beach formation, tides, and the estuary and tidal zones where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean.
- Objective: The students will explore the beach for marine animals and other signs of life and interesting objects. The students will make scientific observations of the creatures and objects they discover.

North Salmon Creek State Beach Salmon Creek is a large sandy beach that provides students with an opportunity to have fun playing games on the beach while learning about beach formation, tides, and the relationship between freshwater and saltwater.
- Objective: The students will actively explore the mid-tidal zone. The students will actively participate in a discussion activity about tides. The students will build a town/castle in the sand exploring the erosive qualities of water
Tide Pooling Tide pooling is the act of exploring rocky pools that are exposed only during low tide. During this field trip, the students will be led to a popular tide pooling location where they will search the rocky habitat for crabs, jellies, sea stars, sea anemones, and other signs of life.
- Objective: The students will explore the unique tidal ecosystem. The students will actively participate in a discussion activity about tides.
- The students will identify the creatures they discover living in the tide pools.
Stewardship
- Stewardship is the concept of responsible planning and management of resources in a way that is sustainable for future generations.
- Objective In this class, students will learn about environmental stewardship and simple ways they can care for and protect the world around them (i.e. “The Three R’s”: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).
- The students will identify basic principles of environmental stewardship through fun and interactive games.
Large Group Games Description: Regular Rotations is a collection of fun and interactive games facilitated by our Naturalists allowing the students to play and use up energy.
- Objective: The students will use up their energy before the bus ride home and have one last hurrah with their fellow classmates.

Departure Activities

These classes are designed for the Departure Day. The length of time allotted for each class is dependent upon departure needs and time taken to pack up to leave.

Armstrong Woods State Park Located 10 miles from Alliance Redwoods, Armstrong Woods has become a popular site for people to walk among some of the tallest and oldest redwoods in this part of California. The students will explore the ecosystem of this old growth redwood grove and learn various aspects of redwood ecology. Students have the opportunity to visit multiple trees over 1,000 years old and compare them with the younger trees at Alliance Redwoods.
- Objective: The students will explore the natural redwood grove at Armstrong Woods. The students will explore and discuss basic redwood ecology. The students will explore differences between Armstrong Woods and Alliance Redwoods.
Goat Rock State Beach Near the mouth of the Russian River, Goat Rock State Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Sonoma County. For this field trip, students will have an opportunity to explore the beach in search of marine mammals (Seals, Sea Lions, etc.) while learning about beach formation, tides, and the relationship between the Russian River and Pacific Ocean. Students will also learn about beach formation, tides, and the estuary and tidal zones where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean.
- Objective: The students will explore the beach for marine animals and other signs of life and interesting objects. The students will make scientific observations of the creatures and objects they discover.

North Salmon Creek State Beach Salmon Creek is a large sandy beach that provides students with an opportunity to have fun playing games on the beach while learning about beach formation, tides, and the relationship between freshwater and saltwater.
- Objective: The students will actively explore the mid-tidal zone. The students will actively participate in a discussion activity about tides. The students will build a town/castle in the sand exploring the erosive qualities of water
Tide Pooling Tide pooling is the act of exploring rocky pools that are exposed only during low tide. During this field trip, the students will be led to a popular tide pooling location where they will search the rocky habitat for crabs, jellies, sea stars, sea anemones, and other signs of life.
- Objective: The students will explore the unique tidal ecosystem. The students will actively participate in a discussion activity about tides.
- The students will identify the creatures they discover living in the tide pools.
Stewardship
- Stewardship is the concept of responsible planning and management of resources in a way that is sustainable for future generations.
- Objective In this class, students will learn about environmental stewardship and simple ways they can care for and protect the world around them (i.e. “The Three R’s”: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).
- The students will identify basic principles of environmental stewardship through fun and interactive games.
Large Group Games Description: Regular Rotations is a collection of fun and interactive games facilitated by our Naturalists allowing the students to play and use up energy.
- Objective: The students will use up their energy before the bus ride home and have one last hurrah with their fellow classmates.

Programmed Activities

Group Activities Page

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Cabins Cabins Cabins feature accommodations are one of the most economical ways to stay at Alliance Redwoods.

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LodgesLodgesOur lodge rooms are nicely furnished and carpeted. Bathrooms and showers are indoors and all the rooms have bunk beds.

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CottagesCottagesCottages afford you all the comforts of home as you relax under the redwoods.

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