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The ENC presents programs to K - 7 classrooms throughout the school year. The program curricula are aligned with the California Science and Social Science Standards. Aspects of our programs also correlate with California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts from the Education and the Environment Initiative (Assembly Bill 1548 and 1721). For more information on the “EPC’s” visit CalEPA's EEI Website. Download an ENC School Program Flyer for additional information about each program listed below. These programs are field trips to the ENC. For additional information about ENC's school programs, and to schedule, please call 949-645-8489. Teachers! For preparatory information about your field trip, click here. Nature Changes: A 1-hour program offered to pre-kindergarten students. Children age 3 - 5 learn that everything in nature changes. As they hike through the Center they learn about the life cycle of frogs, visit the butterfly house (seasonal), and play a game to learn more about the changing seasons. Children examine snake skin with a magnifying lens, and learn that snakes shed their skin to grow. Then students get to meet a real, live snake! Along the trail children enjoy story time under the dappled shade of oak trees. Tuition: $5/student (minimum 10, maximum 80). Eco-Explorers: A 1.5-hour program offered to K - 2nd grade classes allowing students to explore the fascinating world of animals and plants while hiking through the ENC's diverse ecosystems and visiting the ENC's butterfly house. Tuition: $6/student. Tongva Trail: A 2-hour program program presented to 3rd grade classes, focusing on the tools, trade and customs of the Tongva (Gabrielino) and Acjachemen (Juaneño) people of Orange County. Tuition: $7.50/student. Cougar Connections: A 2-hour program presented to 3rd grade classes allowing students to travel through the Center and study the adaptations of plants and animals while learning about the important ecological role of mountain lions. Tuition: $7.50/student. Native American Adventure: A 2-hour program presented to 4th grade classes with hands-on activities along the trail giving students the chance to experience the technologies and lifestyles of California's indigenous people. Tuition: $7.50/student. Natureology: A 2-hour program presented to 4th grade classes, during which students explore science careers while performing experiments and hands-on activities. Students become botanists to study plant adaptations, and wildlife biologists to study the adaptations of various live and taxidermied animals. As microbiologists, students use microscopes to discover that most microorganisms are beneficial. Students become ecologists to test the abiotic factors of an aquatic ecosystem for pollution, and geologists to differentiate between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Tuition: $7.50/student. Earth Connections: A 2.5-hour program presented to 5th and 6th grade classes. Students work in cooperative research teams and perform experiments to discover the interactions between abiotic and biotic factors. Tuition: $8.50/student. Nature Scene Investigators: A 2.5-hour program for 7th grade classes. Students become junior “crime” scene investigators. They are presented with a mystery, which they investigate and solve. At the scene of the crime, students make observations of the evidence. They go to the “lab” and complete a number of experiments, after which they conclude who – or what – the culprit is. Students dissect flowers, view slides of cells, and determine the culprit using evidence at the "crime scene". They discuss adaptive characteristics and classify the suspects based on their shared characteristics. (Standards:1b, 2e, 3a, 3b, 3e, 7a, 7e). Tuition: $8.50/student (maximum 30). Traveling Naturalist High School Programs |
Download an ENC School Program Flyer. |
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ENC Nature Camp |
The ENC Nature Camp Science Summer School is a natural science enrichment program offered to elementary students who are entering Kindergarten through 6th grade. Since 1977, Nature Camp has provided quality science education in an outdoor, hands-on setting. Students are introduced to environmental/natural science concepts in a variety of creative ways. The curriculum is carefully integrated with hands-on activities to enhance and reinforce the learning experience. Nature Camp is offered in four 2-week sessions, with enrollment limited to small classes of 10 students per teacher with a high school assistant. All teachers are exceptionally qualified in elementary science education and represent a wide range of expertise in the Orange County educational community. Registration information will be available in Spring 2009. The dates and themes are on page one of the ENC's Fall 2008 Leaflet. See the "Student Enrichment" section at the bottom of this page for Camp programs offered throughout the academic year. |
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Scout Programs Girl & Boy Scout Overnight ProgramsBring your Girl Scout or Webelos Scout group for a fabulous overnight camping experience at the ENC in Newport Beach! Cost is $300, maximum 20 scouts. Activities include earning a badge or patch of your choice, fire safety discussion, campfire with s'mores, a nighttime nature walk, and a beautiful place to camp. Download the Scout Overnight flyer. Call 949-645-8489 to register your group. Campfire ProgramsEnjoy a fabulous nocturnal nature experience at the ENC! The 2 hour campfire program includes a twilight nature walk and a campfire experience. This program is appropriate for groups of all ages, including scout groups, who could also earn a badge! Cost is $200, maximum 20 participants. Download the Campfire Program flyer. Call 949-645-8489 to register your group. Scout Classes: Wilderness Survival Workshops with Mark HayDownload Scout Clases: Wilderness Survival Flyer.Scouts can schedule Mark Hay's classes any day of the week. They are three hours and usually run from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. To register your Scouts, call Lori Whalen at the Environmental Nature Center 949-645-8489. Plants and Tracks Hike at a Local Park In this class we will look at some of the poisonous plants in our area, and also learn about some of the plants the Native Americans used for food and tools. We will look for animal tracks and discuss how animals interact with the plant communities and water sources in the area. Each scout will receive a small Field Guide to take home. This three-hour class is designed for scouts ages 7-12. Parents are welcome to come along at no additional charge! Cost: $170 per group, max 10 scouts.Wilderness Survival: Junior Girl Scouts and Webelos Scouts Wilderness Survival will introduce scouts to the two most important skills needed to stay alive in the wilderness. Scouts will build a full-size shelter and learn how to make a good fire. This class will show scouts how to see the wilderness as safe and fun. Parents are welcome to come along at no additional charge! Cost: $170 per group, max 10 scouts. |
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The ENC offers programs geared towards adults who want to learn more about their natural world. For additional information about ENC's Adult Programs, and to schedule, please call 949-645-8489. Additional programs are listed in "Events" (click on the link above.)
ENC Green Lecture SeriesDownload ENC Green Lecture Series Flyer.Offered monthly, the ENC’s “Green Lecture Series” invites local sustainable building and living experts to present hour long presentations in the ENC’s new “green” building. Wanted Dead (invasive non-native plants) Plant Natives to Save the Earth! Going Solar Endangered Around Us Other Adult Enrichment OpportunitiesMeditation in NatureWednesdays; 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Join leaders from the Consciousness Center of Orange County for a meditation experience right here at the ENC! The group meets at 4PM in the Center’s lobby. Bring a mat or towel to sit on if you wish. Remember to dress warm and comfortable. Reservations are not necessary, but call 949-645-8489 if weather is a concern. There is no charge, but donations are always appreciatedMuseum Docent Training January 8, 2009; 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Come learn about the Environmental Nature Center and find out how rewarding volunteering here can be. Docents staff the front desk, greet visitors, and provide information at the ENC’s new state-of-the-art learning facility. Training includes an overview of frequently asked questions, a description of the new building’s sustainability features, and a brief narrative of the ENC’s history and current programs. Docents will view a 1-hour presentation, tour the ENC building and grounds, and learn about the phone system. Refreshments will be provided!Butterfly Docent Training March 28, 2009; 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Want to spend some time enjoying the butterflies in our Butterfly House, while teaching others about these important animals? Butterfly House Docents help monitor the butterfly house, greet the public, provide casual interpretation, clarify rules and answer questions. Docents commit to volunteer approximately three hours per month or more if desired, during butterfly season (May through October). Docents staff the House on Saturdays from 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM or from 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM. Weekday docents are occasionally needed. Docents must complete the Butterfly Docent training workshop, offered at the Environmental Nature Center or posses similar training or experience. Training includes an overview of frequently asked questions, a description of the host and nectar plants in the ENC’s butterfly house, and the butterflies likely to be found in the House over the coming season. Docents will view a 1.5 hour presentation, and tour the ENC’s butterfly house. Refreshments will be provided! Call 949-645-8489 to RSVP.Green Building Tour & Lecture Join us for a tour of the ENC’s new “Green Building.” Tours begin with a short presentation describing the green building techniques that went into development of the ENC’s new building and the reasons behind the incorporation of each green feature. Participants learn about ways to make their homes and businesses more energy efficient and how they can incorporate renewable energy. Your group will also enjoy a “behind the scenes” tour of the ENC’s new green building - inside and out - to see the sustainable features and materials. Call 949-645-8489 to RSVP. Tours cost $50 per group, and last approximately 1.5 hours.Nature Center Tour Join us for a tour of the Environmental Nature Center, known simply to thousands through the years as "The ENC.” The 3.5 acre Nature Center is a fascinating combination of 15 California native plant communities (ranging from a desert, to an oak woodland, to a fresh water marsh, to a redwood forest), wildlife habitats and walking trails. For over 35 years, the ENC has been shaped and caressed into a landscape for learning, a sanctuary from life's pressures and a place of preservation and instruction. Participants learn about locally native plants that provide habitat for animals, help reduce the use of water and the need for maintenance, and eliminate the need for pesticides. Call 949-645-8489 to RSVP. Tours cost $50 per group, and last approximately 1.5 hours.Go to Events for more information. |
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Home School Workshops MAD Science: Home School Workshop Students age 8-12 are invited to join Naturalist Meghan Lockwood the ENC for weekly workshops in Nature. Each week students will conduct science experiments focusing on a specific theme, like water, vacuums, and more! On the last class, students (as individuals or in a small group) will present their own “science fair style” experiment. Parents remain with students at all times (unless arrangements have been made with the instructor). This workshop will be limited to 15 students. For more information or for a registration form or call 949-645-8489. Cost: $30 per participating student. Native Americans: Home School Workshop Students age 7-12 are invited to visit the ENC for weekly workshops in Nature. Students will become archeologists and travel back in time to learn about the tools, trade, and customs of the Native Americans. Along the trail students see, touch, and smell the plants used centuries ago by our local indigenous peoples. They make string out of plants, use “rabbit sticks” to “hunt”, perform music using authentic instruments, make “money” using pump drills, and play authentic Native American games. Using a mortar and pestle, the students grind acorns and “boil water” to leach them. They practice making “fire” using fire drills, and practice weaving baskets and mats. Parents remain with students at all times (unless arrangements have been made with the instructor). This workshop will be limited to 15 students. Cost: $30 per participating student. Call 949-645-8489 to RSVP. Birthday Parties Campfire Programs Family Programs Families can schedule Mark Hay's classes any day of the week. They are three hours and usually run from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. To register your family, call Lori Whalen at the Environmental Nature Center 949-645-8489.
Volunteer Programs Adult Education Programs |
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