Innovative programs that connect California youth to the wonders of the redwood forest

Through a variety of partnerships with schools, educational organizations, and parks, the League provides education and interpretation programs that encourage all youth to experience the redwoods in ways that are personally relevant and inspiring.


Our K-12 redwood education programs include:

Redwoods & Climate Change High School Program

This program aims to bring high school youths from San Francisco Bay Area cities into redwood forests to conduct scientific research. The students have an opportunity to explore the forest as a scientist by collecting scientific data (measuring the height and diameter of trees and ferns), documenting biodiversity, and investigating drought impacts on forest plants. The program also encourages teachers to teach locally focused science. Classroom curriculum focus on hands-on activities where students calculate biomass and carbon, learn redwood ecology, and analyze climate change data from our Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative. Review the program flyer for more information and check out the program video.

Junior High Phenology

This program engages students in community science through our redwood phenology project. Students have the opportunity to visit a park as a scientist and collect real data, make observations, and identify forest plants. Data is the submitted to a national phenology database. (external link)

Explore Your Watershed

In elementary school, students have the opportunity to explore the relationship between water and forests, through learning about their local watershed. This program brings students on two field trips, to their local redwood forest and to the San Francisco Bay. Classroom curriculum introduce students to the concept of a watershed and they learn about the habitats they see first-hand on their field trips. Field activities include conducting scientific transects, creating a nature watershed, journaling and observation, and a beach cleanup. This program teaches the importance of a clean and healthy watershed and the role each student can play in making sure the plants and animals that depend on that watershed are health.

 

North Coast Redwood Program

The League is working in partnership with the Humboldt County Office of Education to bring comprehensive redwood curriculum and field trip opportunities to the students in their county. This project will provide FREE inquiry-based curriculum and field trip opportunities to K-12 schools grounded in locally relevant science and aligned with California’s Next Generation Science Standards. We use the charismatic redwood forest as a learning laboratory to engage students in science topics such as watersheds, ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate change.

You can find FREE curriculum for this program here.


Questions? Please contact the Education and Interpretation Manager at [email protected] or (415) 362-2352.