tunitas creek    Vida Verde Nature Education
typical student experiences for a two-day trip
hompage
beautiful acres
typical day
field trip info for teaches
transportation
history and staff bios
donate
photos
directions and contact info
 
veggie car
 
Students will participate in 3 formal programs:  *Goat Milking and Cheesemaking; *Nature Hike in the Redwood Forest, and *Tidepool, Marsh, and Ocean Ecology.  In addition, students will experience important lessons as each of them take part in most of the following activities: teambuilding games, group meal preparation, sharing and cleanup, ocean beach visit, chicken feeding and egg collection, campfire/songs/s'mores, night trust hike, camping out in teepees, sports/exercise activity, and service project. In the case of too much rain some alternative opportunities will be offered, including: papermaking & pottery. As much as possible the experiences will be woven together and interconnected into an entire cohesive experience. For example, we will use any food prepared in the programs as part of the dinner that students prepare for themselves.

The menu and description of each of the formal programs is listed below:

Goat Milking and Cheese Making: Students are introduced to exciting facts about mammals and basic goat anatomy and terminology.  Each students gets the chance to milk our goat and make cheese together as a group, then enjoy the delicious cheese for dinner!  Important connections are made to our everyday use of dairy products and our dependence on them.

Plant Identification and Nature Hike: On an exciting guided hike through the redwood forest along Butano Creek, students will find evidence of the genius of nature's cycles, learn basic animal tracking techniques, appreciate the beauty of their surroundings on a guided "alone" hike, and learn to identify many native and invasive plants.

Tidepool, Marsh, and Ocean Ecology:  Students will learn about and observe  many different birds and plants of the protected Pescadero Marsh.  They'll explore the wonders of Pacific Ocean tidepools, which are full of sea stars, anemones, limpets, kelp, and much more!  Finally, they'll learn about tides and waves and get their toes wet in the ocean!

Design Your Own Class Project: Vida Verde Nature Education is open to and willing to support any proposed teacher, class, or school projects. If you have an idea for using our site to promote learning and exposure, we will assist you in any way we can. Tell us about your idea and we'll see what we can do!

Classes are split into small groups, which affords added attention for each student. Each group participates in both programs for about two hours each.

Sample Schedule/ Time Breakdown:

    Day 1
    11:00-12:00    Arrival, welcomes, bathroom break, and unloading vehicles
    12:00-1:00      Lunch
    1:00-2:30        Program Session 1 (2 groups…1 goats, 1 hike)
    2:30-4:00        Program Session 2 (2 groups…1 goats, 1 hike)
    4:30-5:00        Settle into Teepees
    5:00-6:00        Camper Choice activities led by instructors       
    6:15-7:15        Dinner 
    7:30-9:00        Bonfire with songs and stories
    9:00-9:45        Night trust walk
    9:45-10:00      Brush teeth, bathroom, settle in for the night
    10:00             Good Night! (Lights out, Quiet please!!)

    Day 2
    7:30               Rise and Shine (in a wonderful and different place)
    7:30-8:00        Clean up sleeping area, gather belongings, load vans
    8:15-9:00        Breakfast
    9:00-9:30        Bathroom, site sweep
    9:30-10:00      Pack everything else in cars, head to Pescadero Beach and Marsh
    10:30-11:30    Guided Marsh walk/ Beach Ecology lesson
    11:30-?           Picnic lunch and free time on the beach
   
Vida Verde homepage    250 beautiful acres    typical student trip    field trip info for teachers    transportation
  history & staff bios    donate    photos    directions & contact info    veggie car