Are your students ready to become the Next Generation of Science
Experts? The Living Coast Discovery Center is developing NEW field trip
and outreach programs that include fun, hands-on learning experiences
to inspire the naturalist in all your students.
Field Trips to the Living Coast
Pre K-K
Move It! (PreK-K)
Animals slither, swim, jump, and fly in very interesting ways. Students will
learn about local animals that call San Diego home.
Hooterific (PreK-K)
Ever wonder what it is like to walk in the shoes of an owl? Learn about the
unique adaptations an owl has to help it survive.
Storytime (PreK-K)
Come have a fun adventure with the Living Coast Discovery Center.
Through stories, songs, and crafts we will learn all about amazing animals
of all shapes and sizes!
K-2
Crawling Crabs (K)
Come crawl into the world of crabs and other crustacean relatives. Learn
about adaptations with fun hands-on exploration.
Slithering Snakes (K)
Slither yourself into the world of reptiles. Learn through hands-on
exploration, the adaptations that make snakes a successful predator.
Arthropods All Around (1)
Arthropods are all around, just waiting to be observed by bug eyed
scientists. With microscopes and magnifying glasses, the small world of
arthropods will come alive.
Footprints on the Marsh (1-2)
Tread lightly – our impact can be bigger than we think. Students will get to
observe native wetland plants and animals in their marshy habitat.
Budding Botanists (2)
Dig into the world of plant adaptations. Students will learn what it means
to be a plant growing up in a dry place and how best to survive the hot
conditions of Southern California.
6-8
Watershed Chemistry (6)
Learn what it is like to be an ecologist monitoring the state of local
waterways. This lab will include a variety of real experiments and tests
such as salinity, pH, and oxygen levels.
Plankton & Pollution (6-7)
Plankton can tell us a lot about the health of marine ecosystems. Using
real microscopes and water samples, students will get to learn about these
natural bioindicators.
NEW! Eat, Don’t Get Eaten (6-8)
This program is a perfect introduction to everything ecology. Students will
get to explore a native San Diego wetland looking for evidence of organism
interactions and food chains.
Fish N’ Me Anatomy (6-8)
Can fish tell us something about being a human? Through a fishy and fun
dissection, students will compare what parts of a fish are similar to
humans and what parts are very different.
Squid N’ Me Anatomy (6-8)
Are squid and humans really that different? Compare the anatomical parts
of a squid and learn how its physiology is designed to help it survive a
habitat very different than ours!
NEW! The Good, The Bad, and The Bizarre (7-8)
Discover the animal “gene pool lottery” of good adaptations, bad traits,
and bizarre appearances for wild animals. Students will model dominant
and recessive traits with a chance to create an ultimate animal.
3-5
NEW! Crustacean Lab (3)
Ever wonder what it means to be a crab? Get up close with crabs,
lobsters, and other crustaceans as you explore the world of arthropods.
Archaeological Dig (3)
Can you imagine what life was like in San Diego hundreds of years ago?
Students will have a fun time exploring an ancient midden (trash pile)
left behind by the Kumeyaay Indians.
NEW! Survivor in the Saltmarsh (4)
Why do birds fly, fish swim, and crabs crawl? Discover, through up close
encounters, what structures help saltmarsh organisms survive. Students
will observe real wildlife found right here on this south bay wetland!
Geology Rocks I (4-5) - Weathering & Erosion
Geology is fun when you come to the Living Coast. Come learn what
processes effect our landscape with interactive weathering and erosion
experiments.
Geology Rocks II (4-5) - Rock Cycle
There is so much to learn about the rock cycle. What better way to learn
than with an edible rock you make yourself? Will you end up making a
metamorphic, sedimentary, or igneous rock in the end?
Food Chain Hunt (4-5)
Kick-start your ecology knowledge with a fun exploration of the
Sweetwater Marsh Refuge. Students will look for evidence of different
producers and consumers while hiking the trails around the refuge.
Something’s Fishy (4-5)
Get your hands all scaly and slimy with this dissection. Learn about the
internal and external parts that help a fish survive its marine habitat.
Something’s Squidy (4-5)
There is something squidy about this dissection. Students will learn
about the internal and external parts that help a squid survive its ocean
habitat. What a way to kick start their anatomy expertise!
Moons and Tides (5) - Tide Dependent
Through this interactive program, students will be introduced to tides
and the moon’s daily affects on the ocean. Students will hike out to
observe the dramatic changes the tide makes on the wetland.
9-12
Jr. Icthyologist (9-12)
The fish off the California coast are all dying and it is up to you, a fish
scientist, to help save them! Jr. Icthyologists will dissect mackerel to
learn about their internal systems and discover what may have caused
their mysterious death.
Where’s My Shell? (9-12)
Mollusks are soft bodied animals with shells. But there is one mollusk
that is missing its shell! Through this program, students will dissect squid
and discover the answer to the mystery of a shell-less mollusk.
NEW! A.W.E. Chemistry! (9-12)
Experience real-life chemistry with Advanced-Watershed-Ecosystems
(A.W.E.) Learn the importance of variables such as salinity, pH, turbidity,
and oxygen when it comes to monitoring the health of an ecosystem!
For more information about our
programming, please visit us online at
www.TheLivingCoast.org or call our
Education Department at (619) 409-5908
Outreach Programs to your School
Bring scientific exploration of the natural world to your classroom with Our Wild San Diego outreach programs.
Our educational outreach programs include hands-on activities, up close animal interactions, external and
internal dissections, using scientific tools for exploration, and other science & engineering practices.
Pre K-K
Move It! (PreK-K)
Animals slither, swim, jump, and fly in very interesting ways. Students will
learn about local animals that call San Diego home.
Hooterific (PreK-K)
Ever wonder what it is like to walk in the shoes of an owl? Learn about the
unique adaptations an owl has to help it survive.
3-5
Crustacean Lab (3)
Ever wonder what it means to be a crab? Get up close with crabs, lobsters,
and other crustaceans as you explore the world of arthropods.
NEW! Survivor in the Saltmarsh (4)
Why do birds fly, fish swim, and crabs crawl? Discover, through up close
encounters, what structures help saltmarsh organisms survive. Students
will observe real wildlife found right here in south San Diego bay!
Geology Rocks I (4-5) - Weathering & Erosion
Geology is fun with the Living Coast. Learn what processes effect our
landscape with interactive weathering and erosion experiments.
Geology Rocks II (4-5) - Rock Cycle
There is so much to learn about the rock cycle. What better way to learn
than with an edible rock you make yourself? Will you end up making a
metamorphic, sedimentary, or igneous rock in the end?
Jr. Field Biologist (4-5)
Animals have amazing adaptations that help them survive. Get your hands
dirty as you pick through the interesting evidence left behind by our furry,
feathery, and scaly friends!
Something’s Fishy (4-5)
Get your hands all scaly and slimy with this dissection. Learn about the
internal and external parts that help a fish survive its marine habitat.
Something’s Squidy (4-5)
There is something squidy about this dissection. Students will learn about
the internal and external parts that help a squid survive its ocean habitat.
9-12
Jr. Icthyologist (9-12)
The fish off the California coast are all dying and it is up to you, a fish
scientist, to help save them! Jr. Icthyologists will dissect mackerel to learn
about their internal systems and discover what may have caused their
mysterious death.
Where’s My Shell? (9-12)
Mollusks are soft bodied animals with shells. But there is one mollusk that
is missing its shell! Through this program, students will dissect squid and
discover the answer to the mystery of a shell-less mollusk.
K-2
Crawling Crabs (K)
Come crawl into the world of crabs and other crustacean relatives. Learn
about adaptations with fun-hands on exploration.
Slithering Snakes (K)
Slither yourself into the world of reptiles. Learn, through hands-on
exploration, the adaptations that make snakes a successful predator.
Arthropods All Around (1)
Arthropods are all around, just waiting to be observed by bug eyed
scientists. With microscopes and magnifying glasses, the small world of
arthropods will come alive.
Jr. Ornithologists (1-2)
Discover what it means to be a bird expert. Through hands-on exploration
and up close animal encounters, students will be able to build their own
bird fit to survive its natural habitat.
Budding Botanists (2)
Dig into the world of plant adaptations. Students will learn what it means
to be a plant growing up in a dry place and how best to survive the hot
conditions of Southern California.
6-8
Plankton & Pollution (6-7)
Plankton can tell us a lot about the health of marine ecosystems. Using
real microscopes and water samples, students will get to learn about these
natural bioindicators.
Jr. Ecologist (6-8)
Scientists work hard to understand the health and stability of ecosystems.
Learn what it takes to be an ecologist and get your hands dirty with real
ecological work!
NEW! Eat, Don’t Get Eaten (6-8)
This program is a perfect introduction to everything ecology. Students will
get to explore a native San Diego wetland looking for evidence of organism
interactions and food chains.
Fish N’ Me Anatomy (6-8)
Can fish tell us something about being a human? Through a fishy and fun
dissection, students will compare what parts of a fish are similar to
humans and what parts are very different.
Squid N’ Me Anatomy (6-8)
Are squid and humans really that different? Compare the anatomical parts
of a squid and learn how its physiology is designed to help it survive a
habitat very different than ours!
NEW! The Good, The Bad, and The Bizarre (7-8)
Discover the animal “gene pool lottery” of good adaptations, bad traits,
and bizarre appearances for wild animals. Students will model dominant
and recessive traits with a chance to create an ultimate animal.
We have more to offer!
We also offer other programs such as SeaPerch, after school programming, STE[a]M initiatives,
composting classes, and more. Contact Education@TheLivingCoast.org to see how we can collaborate
on developing a program designed specifically for you!
For more information about our programming, please visit us online at
www.TheLivingCoast.org or call our Education Department at (619) 409-5908