The Urban Ecology Program

Our Hidden Backyards
(K - 4th grade)
Our neighborhoods, our yards, even our houses are shared habitats. We will investigate both the large and small worlds we share with the insects, animals and plants who are our quiet neighbors. Make-and-take options for this program include a plaster native animal track or nature journal.

From the Ground Up
(1st - 4th grades)
What would we see if we took time to look and explore? A busy world is moving beneath our feet and over our heads. We will investigate and with the help of magnifying glasses, binoculars, and square quadrats classify and organize the plants and animals we observe. Make-and-take options for this program are the same as for “Our Hidden Backyards.”

Eco-Art
(Kindergarten - 3rd grade)
Connections and patterns exist throughout the natural world. From the pollinator’s attraction to flowers to the intricate connections of an ecosystem, we will celebrate both the beauty of nature and the value of observation. For this program students create their own nature journal, decorate the cover using ink stamps, and fill it with worksheets and rubbings.

The First Californians
(3rd and 4th grades)
Travel back in time to visit the world of early California. This program introduces students to two of our historic local tribes - the Tongva and Serrano. Through story and activities we will recreate their tools, games, music, art, and food. An exciting hands-on approach to celebrating this rich cultural tradition.

The Rush for Gold
(3rd and 4th grades)
"Westward ho!" Join us on an exciting trip west as we strike out for the gold fields in California. In this program we join the 49'ers on the journey west where we will pan for gold and relive the "mighty struggles", the booms and busts of this formative period in our state's history.

The Wonder of Rock
(2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, high school)
Whether your needs are early elementary or High School AP we will give you a practical hands-on lab emphasizing the geological themes that meet your grade’s standards. Students assemble a nine-piece rock board in this program to take with them. For H.S., this lab option can also include exercises in mineral scratch tests and Moh’s Hardness Scale.

Pond Ecology
(5th thru high school)
This exciting outdoor lab investigates the health of our pond. In small study groups students test for temperature, turbidity, and four water-quality parameters. We will also sample for aquatic insect (indicator) species. A practical concrete way to teach the scientific method.

Burning Questions
(Middle school thru high school)
A study of our native Mediterranean Life Zone. In small study groups students run transect lines and perform quadrat studies, sampling for plant diversity, biomass and other parameters. A fascinating study of a native southland habitat which is “born to burn.”

Suggestions for Planning Your Trip

Grade levels for specific programs are only recommendations. Curriculum can be tailored to fit your needs.
Programs are flexible and can be adapted to your time schedule.
No minimum or maximum adult:student ratios are required. While parents can be helpful facilitators for all of our programs, we ask teachers to remind parents that they are part of the group, and should not become a distraction.
Payment is due on the date of your program, unless prior arrangements for a P.O. have been made.

For a listing of the areas each program conforms to CA State Teaching Guidelines call the Nature Center or view the Program Alignment with California State Teacher Guidelines (Science Standards)

Mary Vagle Nature Center

Located at the base of the Jurupa Hills in southern Fontana, the Nature Center provides a living laboratory for the study of local habitats, native plants, animals, and geology. The Nature Center houses an environmental education classroom and reptile exhibit. Natural features on site include the Nature Center’s pond and immediately behind us, the Jurupa Hills.

Mary Vagle Nature Center