Region 3

Resources

Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Marine biology and environmental education programs for K-12 students and their teachers. Field trips include informal educator presentations both inside the aquarium and on the beach just outside its doors. Classes are based on the California science standards, are two hours in length, and are offered weekdays at 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. The fee is $150 for a maximum of 60 students; teachers are free. For reservations call 310-393-6149, ext. 105.

Nanotechnology "Chip Camps"

Chip Camps are available to small groups of motivated students and their teachers. A chip camp is an intensive hands-on, inquiry-based learning experience in nanotechnology. High school students spend either 1, 3, or 5 days in a teaching clean room facility, learning tricks of light and chemicals to make a tiny microresistor. Longer camps are available, and funding is available to cover expenses to the University of California, Santa Barbara. Contact Angela Berenstein at berenstein@ece.uscb.edu or call (805) 893-5999. For more information see http://www.nanotech.ucsb.edu/NanotechNew/education/CHIPCAMP.html.

Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA

A living museum comprised of over 5,000 species of plants from all over the world. The garden offers free docent-led school tours for grades 1-12 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 am to 2 pm, providing an exciting adjunct to science and social studies curriculum. As part of its written confirmation package, the garden sends teachers free pre-tour guides for grades 2-12 school groups to use in preparing students for their visit to the garden. Follow-up guides are given to the teacher at the conclusion of the tour. See www.botgard.ucla.edu or call (310) 825-1260.

UCLA Stunt Ranch Santa Monica Mountains Reserve

The 310-acre UCLA Stunt Ranch Santa Monica Mountains Reserve, an outdoor classroom and living laboratory for environmental education and research, lies in the Cold Creek watershed of the Santa Monica mountains. The reserve has forged a partnership with UCLA and K-12 education in the greater Los Angeles area and offers 3-hour school programs focusing on chaparral and fire ecology, geology, and early local Native American and homestead history. The 1.5 mile hike introduces students to Chumash village life, including acorn grinding, cave wall painting, playing of Chumash games, and demonstrations of tool making. The reserve is accessible by prior permission only. Teachers interested in booking docent-led tours should call the MRT office at (818) 591-1701, ext. 130. Free curriculum guides are available at http://nrs.ucop.edu/reserves/stunt.html.

Natural History Museum of LA County
For more information, call 213-763-3534 or go to www.nhm.org.

San Joaquin Valley Children's Science Museums

Science exhibits and much more are available for field trips and walk-in visitors at:
Castle Science and Tech Center, Atwater—http://www.challengersjv.org, (209) 726-0296
ImagineU Interactive Children's Museum, Visalia—http://www.imagineumuseum.org
Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, Bakersfield—http://www.sharktoothhill.org
Children's Museum of the Sierra, Oakhurst, Madera County— http://www.childrensmuseumofthesierra.org, (559) 658-5656
Madera County Fossil Discovery Center, Fairmead—http://www.maderamammoths.org

California Science Projects

The California Science Project (CSP) is a university-based professional development network for pre-K-16 teachers of science that utilizes highly skilled teams of educators and scientists drawn from universities and school districts across the state. This statewide network works toward the common goal of improving science education for all California students. The CSP has convenient sites across the state at campuses of the University of California, California State University, and independent colleges/universities. There are six science projects in Region 3:

Central Valley Science Project—CSU Fresno
Central Coast Science Project—Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
South Coast Science Project—UC Santa Barbara
San Fernando Valley Science Project—CSU Northridge
UCLA Science Project
San Gabriel Valley Science Project—Cal Poly Pomona