School Programs
Field Trip Opportunies
3rd Grade Habitats Field Trip Program
Our Habitats Field Trip, held at the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, immerses students in the diverse ecosystems of the Escondido Creek watershed. Aligned with 3rd-grade NGSS standards, this hands-on experience allows students to explore local habitats, learn about native species, and understand the importance of conservation. An optional classroom lesson beforehand prepares students for the field trip. Through guided hikes and interactive activities, students gain a deeper connection to the natural world and the vital role habitats play in supporting wildlife.
High School Habitat Restoration Field Trip Program
This program currently serves AP Environmental Science students from Escondido, San Pasqual, and Orange Glen High Schools. Students begin with a classroom lesson on habitat restoration as both a practice and a potential career. They then participate in hands-on restoration by planting native species and collecting quantitative and qualitative data on their plots. In the spring, students return to their plots to retake the data and report on their findings, gaining valuable experience in scientific research and environmental conservation.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Featured Program: Schoolyard Safari
Through the Extended Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) and in partnership with the Escondido Union School District, we are able to offer after-school enrichment classes to elementary-aged students through our Schoolyard Safari program.
This program introduces students to the wonders of nature that can be found in their own schoolyards and neighborhoods.
Adopt-a-Plot
Adopt-a-Plot is a volunteer program at Mountain Meadow Preserve where school groups care for a section of habitat at our Mountain Meadow Preserve through seasonal visits. Activities may include removing invasive plants, planting natives, observing seasonal changes, and helping to restore wildlife habitat, all while building a meaningful connection to the land. Click for photos of our Adopt-a-Plot program with Orange Glen High School!
TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM
Did you know?
Steelhead trout were once abundant in southern California, but their populations have plummeted due to urban development, dams, and degraded water quality conditions. The Conservancy has a dream of repopulating Escondido Creek with steelhead trout. But first, we first need to improve our water quality.
That's why we started Trout in the Classroom: to foster environmental stewardship in the future leaders of our community.
Trout in the Classroom is a highly engaging program in which 2nd – 11th graders raise trout from eggs to juvenile fish for release in an approved lake. As students care for their fish, they come to realize the importance of clean water and healthy ecosystems.
After completing the program, students have a greater understanding of watersheds, water quality, and civic engagement. We're confident that the future environmental stewards who participate in this program will help to make our dream of trout in Escondido Creek a reality.
CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE OUTDOOR LEARNING
Introducing: CalSOL
In 2020, the Conservancy acquired funding to organize a campaign for statewide outdoor education so that all California school children can experience outdoor learning at every grade level, and that such opportunities are an integral part of California public education. The Conservancy launched this campaign and corresponding website to develop and implement a strategy for providing standards-aligned outdoor education programs throughout California. To learn more or add your name as a support of CalSOL visit www.californiasol.org
THE ESCONDIDO
UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
CONSERVATION CONSORTIUM
During the 2018-2019 school year, multiple organizations banded together with the Escondido Union School District to provide outdoor and environmental education opportunities across multiple grade levels.
Over the years, this effort has grown to serve every student in Escondido Union School District from TK-8th grade - a combined total of 24 schools!
OUR CONSORTIUM
PARTNERS
TK - 2nd Grade
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
3rd Grade
Escondido Creek Conservancy
4th Grade
Coastal Roots Farm
5th Grade
Nature Collective
6th Grade
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
7th Grade
Friends of Daley Ranch
8th Grade
Palomar Health Foundation
ADVENTURE CAMP
5 Days of Fun in Nature
Escondido Creek Adventure Camp is a wildly engaging 5-day outdoor summer day camp for students from 3rd - 5th grade. Campers explore the enchanting Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, where they discover the natural world by hiking, playing, and conducting hands-on science with daily themes including Exploration and Discovery, Plants and Pollinators, Amazing Animal Adaptations, Watershed Wonders, and Pollution & the Solution. Each year we provide this program pending funding opportunities.
