Environmental Education
The ACCPF Watershed Explorers program is designed for third through fifth-grade elementary students in American Canyon that enhances curriculum standards in environmental science, biology, chemistry, and more.
Watershed explorers utilize The Napa River Bay Trail, Wetlands Edge trailhead, the heart of the American Canyon outdoor community. This beautiful spot is one of the most biodiverse areas of the San Francisco Bay Area and is easily accessible to the community. Students participate in a three-part series focused on protecting and learning about our watersheds.
Watershed Explorers aims to protect our environment by getting students involved in hands-on learning about healthy ecosystems, water quality, plant and animal lifecycles, and the human impact on our surrounding habitats.
Watershed Explorers is reliant on many strong partnerships. We have four classrooms at two elementary schools that are participating in our first round of programming, and a long list of teachers at all three elementary schools that want to participate in the 2022-2023 school year. We are thrilled to be working with several partners who have helped with curriculum design including:
Our approach is unique in that it pulls in experts in their field of study to give children an opportunity to learn “from the source”. In addition, students are out of the classroom and in the natural environment allowing them to study hands-on. The project aims to motivate youth to protect our watersheds by getting students real-world learning about healthy ecosystems, water quality, and plant and animal lifecycles. Our goal is for every fourth grader in American Canyon to participate in this program in the 2023-24 school year.
Session 1: In the classroom, introduction to watersheds and sustainable ecosystems. Students create field guides. Presentation.
Session 2: Wetlands Field Day. Classrooms visit Wetlands trails. There, students will have the opportunity to get “hands-on” by testing water, measuring flow, tracking animal behavior, and more. Students will study plankton and other water microorganisms.
Session 3: Teachers choose one of the following activities. Students will participate in a campus trash audit, learn about the human impact on wildlife, or visit the wastewater treatment plant.
Students participate in pre and post-program surveys to document their desire to protect our watersheds, engagement in learning, and interest in further conservation careers.
The benefits of environmental education are many. Participation in these hands-on programs helps students develop their leadership skills, promotes problem-solving, encourages critical thinking, fosters a love of learning, encourages them to make connections between subjects, helps them identify science as an academic career, and promotes physical activity.
Visit our virtual Watershed Explorers activities and field trip by clicking HERE. You will learn what a watershed is and why ours is so important, how to create and use your own nature journal, and go on a virtual field trip to the American Canyon wetlands.
What Students & Teachers Say
From our Students
Our Partners
City of American Canyon
American Canyon Chamber of Commerce
American Canyon Arts Foundation
Bay Area Ridge Trail
Napa County Bicycle Coalition
Napa County Regional Park & Open Space District
Napa County Resource Conservation District
Napa Solano Audubon
Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition
Napa Valley Unified School District
Napa Climate Action NOW
REI
Recology American Canyon
Sierra Club
Suscol Intertribal Council
Solano Land Trust
Wildlife Rescue Center of Napa County
Benefits
The benefits of environmental education are many. Participation in these hands-on programs helps students develop their leadership skills, promotes problem-solving, encourages critical thinking, fosters a love of learning, encourages them to make connections between subjects, helps them identify science as an academic career, and promotes physical activity.
Visit our virtual Watershed Explorers activities and field trip. You will learn what a watershed is and why ours is so important, how to create and use your own nature journal, and go on a virtual field trip to the American Canyon wetlands.
Send questions to joy@acparks.org.