Nature Rangers - Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

Detailed Program Overview (PDF | HTML)

Students practice being naturalists by making observations and comparing natural communities and different ecosystems as they go on a 2-mile hike through Pogonip Open Space Preserve. Thinking about nature as a system, physically connecting these ecosystems by walking through them and collecting data to compare them, help students better understand the environment and begin to realize they too are part of natural systems.

Grade: 4th
Days offered: Tuesday – Friday
Start time: 9:00 a.m.
Program duration: 3 hours
Cost: Field trip fees covered by our generous members, donors, and grants
Supplemental Activities: Classroom Presentation ($25* for 1 hour); Educational Kit ($15*/week)
Months offered: September – May

*The Classroom Presentation and Educational Kits are designed to deepen the impact of the field trip program. They are highly recommended, but not required. They include activities and resources that might enhance your lessons apart from the field trip.

Request a Field Trip

Explore our available field trips below. Select a date from the calendar and complete the request form. Museum staff will contact you to confirm the details of your reservation.

Please Note: We are receiving an unusually high number of field trip requests this time of year. Due to the high volume of requests, response time may be delayed. You may assume your preferred date and time will be approved, and may plan for the field trip accordingly. We will send a formal confirmation at least two weeks prior to the field trip date. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Teacher First Name*:

Teacher Last Name*:

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Personal Phone Number:

School / Organization Name*:

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ABOUT YOUR CLASS

Grade Level*:

Number of Students*:

Are there any special considerations that you would like us to be aware of, either to better serve your students or when scheduling your reservation?:

Check if you would like to request a transportation scholarship. We will get back to you about fund availability.

OPTIONAL RESOURCES

We offer supplementary Classroom Presentations ($25, 1 hour) and Educational Kit Rentals ($15 per week). These additional resources are recommended to maximize the impact of the full program. The classroom presentation will be scheduled for one week before your field trip at 1 p.m. (unless otherwise requested) and you will receive your Educational Kit during the presentation, which will be due back at the time of your field trip. We also offer Free Virtual Classroom Presentations, if preferred.

*In-person classroom presentations are only available to schools within Santa Cruz County and may change to virtual if pandemic cases rise.

Check if you would like to request an in-person classroom presentation ($25, 1 hour).

Check if you would like to request a virtual classroom presentation (Free, 1 hour).

Check if you would like to request an educational kit rental ($15 per week).