K-12 Education at the Environmental Learning Center

Update as of March 15, 2020:
All K-12 camps and fields are suspended until April 13. Based on recommendations and mandates from the state and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, we are canceling all non-essential events with 25 or more attendees. For more information on our protective efforts, visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Notifications page.

Our recently restored wetland, fed by underground springs and stormwater runoff from the Oregon City campus, provides critical habitat for wildlife and water quality improvement, making it the ideal location to study wetland habitat.

The following programs for school field trips meet specific Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) on ecosystems, adaptation, biodiversity and the impact of human activity.

If you are interested in scheduling a field trip, please view our field trip calendar.

You will be asked to:

1. Select a date
2. Select number of groups. Please note that we can do two groups at a time, with a maximum number of 30 per group.
3. Please register and pick your program

We have limited scholarship dollars available. If you are interested in filling out a request for some assistance, or have questions about our field trips, please e-mail ELCfieldtrip@clackamas.edu

ELC Field Trip Programs

Do Coyotes Eat Salad? A Journey into the Forest Ecosystem

Grades: K-3
2.5 hours
Cost: $8/student (minimum $160/group)

The forest ecosystem is a complex web of plants and animals interacting with each other every day to find food, shelter and mates. This field excursion will give your students a better understanding of forest ecology through hands-on learning, interactive role playing and participation in fun education-based games!

Prepare to get ducky! Exploring wetland habitats

Grades: K-3
2.5 hours
Cost: $8/student (minimum $160/group)
Wetlands make up only about 5% of the Earth’s surface, yet they are crucial habitat for a wide array of plants and animals. During their visit, students will learn about wetland plant and animal identification, animal migration and the important role wetlands play in water quality.

Why is my skin green? Adaptations for survival

Grades: 4
2.5 hours
Cost: $8/student (minimum $160/group)

Frogs, birds, bears and even plants have adapted to improve their chances of survival in nature. Students will explore several types of adaptation in the forest/wetland ecosystem, and determine the purpose for each adaptation (growth, survival, behavior or reproduction), then join in a variety of fun, interactive games to reinforce their discoveries.

Web of Life: Food chains in the ecosystem

Grades: 5
2.5 hours
Cost: $8/student (minimum $160/group)

It may not be obvious, but all food ultimately comes from the sun. This engaging program will help your students to develop an understanding for the complex, interdependent relationships within an ecosystem. By exploring different components of the food chain, students will recognize the role of abiotic factors as well.

Update as of March 15, 2020:
All K-12 camps and fields are suspended until April 13. Based on recommendations and mandates from the state and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, we are canceling all non-essential events with 25 or more attendees. For more information on our protective efforts, visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Notifications page.

Our recently restored wetland, fed by underground springs and stormwater runoff from the Oregon City campus, provides critical habitat for wildlife and water quality improvement. And, as the headwaters to Newell Creek, it's the perfect venue for watershed discussions!

Thanks to support from Clackamas Water Environment Services, the City of Gladstone, and Oak Lodge Water Services, we are able to offer Watershed Health Field Trips for FREE to schools located within their districts, including bussing expenses. Please see our list of Qualifying Schools.

The following Watershed Health programs for school field trips meet specific Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) on the impact of human activity, natural hazards, land and water bodies, and interpreting earth features from maps.

If you are interested in scheduling a field trip, please view our Field Trip calendar.

You will be asked to:

1. Select a date
2. Select number of groups. Please note that we can do two groups at a time, with a maximum number of 30 per group.
3. Please register
4. To find out if your school is eligible to receive this program for free, view our list of Qualifying Schools.
5. Pick your program

ELC Field Trip Watershed Programs

The River Starts Here: Exploring Water in Nature

Grades: K-2
2.5 hours
Cost: $8/student (minimum $160/group) or free for schools located in qualifying districts.

Every drop of water around us could ultimately be linked to the life-sustaining waters in our rivers. In this engaging and hands-on field trip, students will explore the wetland and surrounding forest for water in all its forms. Field studies will focus on branching patterns in nature and discovery of the macroinvertebrates living in the wetland. Students will be introduced to the concept of a watershed through nature-based play, and learn how our actions can impact water quality.

Healthy Watersheds: How Do We Get There?

Grades: 3-5
2.5 hours
Cost: $8/student (minimum $160/group) or free for schools located in qualifying districts.

We all live in a watershed, but what does that really mean? In this field trip, a variety of activities and games will engage students in learning about the inter-connections that exist within a watershed, including how our actions can impact the water quality, the people, and the wildlife within it. Students will measure the quality of water in our wetland, and experiment with the role that soil plays in filtering pollutants from the water.

Watershed Health: Monitoring Water Quality

Grades: 6-8
3 hours
Cost: $15/student (minimum $300/group) or free for a limited number of schools located in qualifying districts.

Please contact ELCfieldtrip@clackamas.edu for more information on scheduling this program for grades 6-8. This field trip can accommodate groups up to 120 students.

Wetlands function as highly efficient water filtration plants, help to control flood waters and provide vital habitat for many plant and animal species. In this field trip, students will learn sampling techniques and gain hands-on experience collecting data to evaluate the real-world impacts of this wetland on water quality in the Newell Creek watershed. In their role as community scientists, students will contribute to a database that teachers and students can use back in the classroom, allowing them to create charts and compare data over time.

If you have questions about these Field Trips, please e-mail ELCfieldtrip@clackamas.edu.

Nature Striders programs will give you and your little one a chance to explore nature together through activities like story time, crafts, and walks in the forest/wetland habitat. Each session includes both indoor and outdoor activities, so be sure to dress for the weather! Snacks are provided, but please bring your own drinks.

Where: Environmental Learning Center at the Oregon City campus
Time: 10-11:30 a.m.
Cost: Sliding scale $15-25/session (additional child is $5). Your first session is free!

Registration is required and space is limited. Cash or check only.

To register, please email at naturestriders@clackamas.edu.

Nature Striders Upcoming Dates and Themes

• Tuesday, Jan. 21: Tracks: Clues That Tell a Story
  Join naturalist and educator Sarah Bidwell in learning to "read" the tracks left behind by our wildlife neighbors.
• Tuesday, Feb. 18: T. rex at the ELC?
  Join naturalist and educator Sarah Bidwell in discovering the modern day dinosaurs living all around us: birds!
• Tuesday, March 17: Whoo-oo Is It?
  Join naturalist and educator Sarah Bidwell in learning about owls and their special features that make them silent hunters of the night.

The Nature Spy Spring Break Camps have been canceled. This week the state of Oregon released updated mitigation measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. CCC will follow the state’s recommended measures along with new guidelines from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. This includes canceling Spring Break Camp camps. We will reach out to you via e-mail about reimbursement. For more information on our protective efforts, visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Notifications page.

Nature Spy Day Camps: Nature on the Move!

Running, climbing, jumping, swimming, blowing - nature is constantly on the move! Hands-on activities, crafts, and nature-based play will engage campers in exploring how plants and animals travel. Each day of the camp will get us moving as we focus on a different group of plants or animals and their adaptations for getting around. Join us for one day, or all four!

Monday, March 23: Mammals in Action
Our warm-blooded, furry and feathered wildlife neighbors can run, waddle, amble, bounce, and glide. As tracking detectives, we'll explore the wetland and forest for track mysteries to solve.

Tuesday, March 24: Take Flight!
Unlock the secrets to flight and design! Learn to build, and launch your flying, gliding, and floating inventions.

Wednesday, March 25: Creeping Critters
Discover the fascinating ways in which spiders, insects, and worms creep, fly, and wiggle their way in nature.

Thursday, March 26: Swift Swimmers
Explore the wetland for creatures large and small who have adapted to life in the water.

Tuesday, April 21: Skunks!
Join naturalist and educator Sarah Bidwell in learning the secret life of skunks and doing the skunk dance!

Tuesday, May 26: Mamma Built a Little Nest
Join naturalist and educator Sarah Bidwell in discovering the variety of birds' nests in and around our wetland.

Tuesday, June 16: Creepy Crawlies
The wetland and forest are alive with little creatures that fly, creep, and swim. Join naturalist and educator Sarah Bidwell in finding their hiding places and making a "bug hotel" to take home.

Where: Environmental Learning Center at the Oregon City campus

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day

Cost:

• Level One (grades 1-2): $64/day
• Level Two (grades 3-5): $69/day

Before/After Care is available for each camp. Please purchase separately, not included in price.

Our scholarship dollars for Spring Break camps have been used, we hope to have more soon for Summer Camps!

Register Here

For more questions about our camps, please email naturespycamps@clackamas.edu.

Nature Spy Summer Camp 2020: Wild Adventures!

With nature as our playground, campers will embark on an adventure of discovery. Games, crafts and nature-based play will engage campers in discovering the wonder and beauty of the wetland and forest. Camp favorites like shelter building and campfire treats included!

• Level One (grades 1-2)
  • Four-day camp: $230
  • Five-day camp: $290
• Level Two (grades 3-5)
  • Four-day camp: $250
  • Five-day camp: $315

We are offering camps for Level One and Level Two the following weeks:

• June 22-26 (four-day camp) | registration available
• July 6-9 (four-day camp) | registration available
• July 20-24 (five-day camp) | registration available

Where: Environmental Learning Center at the Oregon City campus

Before and after care:

• Before care: 7:15-9 a.m.
• After care: 4-6 p.m.

Cost: $12 per session or $24 per day (both sessions)

Limited scholarships

To apply for a scholarship, please select the "Interested in Scholarship" ticket. If there are no tickets available, we have run out of our scholarship dollars.

If you have any questions, please e-mail naturespycamps@clackamas.edu.