FSP Research and Education:
K-12
Fieldtrips | Special Programs | Virtual Tours | Real-Time Data Access | Lesson Plans
The SDSU Field Stations Program provides exceptional opportunities for introducing K-12 students to southern California's ecosystems. The Field Stations Program strives to promote K-12 environmental education by supporting site fieldtrips, access to lesson plans and real-time data, virtual tours, and special programs.
Specifically, the FSP welcomes classes for Fieldtrips so that students can experience protected lands and facilities for day-use or overnight field trips. Assistance for class-visits varies by field station, and can include guided tours, recommendations for lesson plans, participation in special programs, or a variety of web-based opportunities for virtual visits (e.g., virtual tours, real-time data access).
Additionally, the FSP most recently launched a Lesson Plans section, where teachers can download user-friendly curriculum that often incorporates the use of real-time field station sensor and camera data.
Fieldtrips
To truly appreciate southern California's vital ecosystems, the FSP invites K-12 classes to visit one (or all) of the four protected lands. Students can fully experience an outdoor classroom during fieldtrips to the FSP sites, as each field station is equipped with facilities (classroom, dormitory, and kitchen) so that educators can work with students before and/or after their site exploration to complete correlating activities.Flora and fauna at each site vary a great deal; please refer to the FSP site fact sheets for details regarding vegetation and habitats at each of the following:
- Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve
- Sky Oaks Field Station
- Fortuna Mountain Research Reserve
- Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
Fieldtrip participants are allowed access to site trails and facilities; docent-guided tours regarding natural history, local ecology, and ongoing research are also available upon request.
To arrange for a fieldtrip at one of the four sites, please complete the online FSP Fieldtrip Application. You may also phone 619-594-0580 for a paper version of the fieldtrip application.
Special Programs
FSP participates in grant-funded programs that provide opportunities for K-12 classes to engage in inquiry-based learning. One such program is the Partnership Involving the Scientific Community and Elementary Schools (PISCES). A district-based, community-supported elementary science improvement program, PISCES concentrates on activities for grades K through 8. The program works collaboratively with higher education faculty and students, practicing scientists, and classroom teachers. For more information, refer to http://www.sdsa.org/pisces/MAIN/.
Virtual Tours
The FSP staff encourages K-12 educators and students to take a virtual tour before coming to visit. The Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve virtual tour is currently available and additional tours are coming soon!Real-time Data Access
The Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve recently established a real-time sensor network that includes climate stations, hydrographic stations, and several real-time cameras. For instance, hydrology sensors allow researchers to remotely monitor real-time pressure, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and conductivity of water flowing in the Santa Margarita River. Time-lapse videos detailing environmental changes (e.g., river flooding) are also available.Please refer to our Virtual Environmental Observatory (VEO) section for specific information.
