Bay to Dunes School Field Trip Program
The Bay to Dunes program is a fall and spring field trip program for schools designed for 3rd-6th grades. Prior to the field trip, a presenter visits the class and gives a colorful PowerPoint presentation followed by hands-on activities to prepare students for their visit. On field trip day, classes are broken up into smaller groups of 8-12 and led by a trained guide through a variety of fun and educational activities and games in the dunes and at the bay. On the Bay portion of the field trip, we dip net for invertebrates, frogs and salamanders in the freshwater marsh, explore the salt marsh with "bug boxes" and binoculars, dig in the bay mud for worms and clams, play predator-prey and create a web of life. In the dunes, we pull invasive European Beachrass, identify animal tracks, learn how the sand moves to form the dunes, use field guides to identify plants and have some free time at the beach.Field trips begin and end at the Manila Community Center. Each session of the field trip is approximately 1.5-2 hours, with a 30 minute break for lunch in between. Field trips are on Tuesdays and Thursdays and begin between 9 and 9:30 a.m. and end at 1:30 or 2 p.m., depending on the scheduling needs of the visiting school.
For Teachers
Who can sign up for Bay to Dunes?
The Bay to Dunes program is open to any 3rd-6th grade class in Humboldt County.
How many students can I bring?
We can accommodate up to 50 students per field trip.
When can we come?
Bay to Dunes field trips take place from September through November and April through June. We do not run field trips in the winter during the rainy months.
How do I sign up?
To sign up for a Bay to Dunes field trip, call Maggie at the Friends of the Dunes office or email her at maggie@friendsofthedunes.org. She will schedule your field trip, and also schedule an in-class presentation for your class for the day before the field trip. This presentation takes about 1 hour and can be anytime that is convenient for you during the school day.
What are the transportation needs?
Classes are welcome to come in chaperone cars or in a bus. Both vehicles and buses must be available for the entire field trip, as we shuttle students across the peninsula to the bay side halfway through the field trip. Funding for buses may be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so please plan to sign up early and request bus funding if you need it.
The Bay to Dunes program is aligned with California State Learning Standards. Bay to Dunes Teacher's Guides containing a variety of fun activities and games as well as background information and a chart correlating each part of the Bay to Dunes program with learning standards, are available for $12
Note: After January 1st, 2007, there will be a fee of $4 per child for Bay to Dunes field trips. Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis for schools that cannot cover this fee.
Download the Scholarship Application Form
For Volunteers & Interns
Do you have Tuesday or Thursday mornings off and are you interested in leading field trips in the dunes and at the bay for local elementary school students? The Spring 2008 training for Bay to Dunes guides begins on Saturday, March 29th . There are small stipends available for those who can commit to leading one field trip a week for the season (March 29th-June 12th).
Bay to Dunes Spring 2008 Training Schedule
Saturday, March 29th 9 a.m.-2p.m. (Classroom Presentation and Mock Field Trip)
Tuesday, April 1st 9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Environmental Education Techniques Session 1 and Coastal Ecology Session 1)
Thursday, April 3rd 9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Environmental Education Techniques Session 2 and Coastal Ecology Session 2)
We encourage you to plan to attend all three days of the training as we will be covering different material on each day. If you are unable to attend all 3 days, it is possible to shadow a field trip or two to make up for what you missed.
Please call 707-444-1397 or email maggie@friendsofthedunes.org with questions or to register.
Field trip Guides
Field trip guides are needed to take small groups of 3rd-6th graders into the dunes and out to the bay on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Field trip guides have the option of leading a full field trip (approximately 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) or just leading a half a day (9-11 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) Light snacks are provided, and each volunteer receives a Bay to Dunes T-shirt and button.
In-Class Presenters
In-class presenters are needed to provide one hour, interactive presentations to schools on Mondays and Wednesdays to prepare them for their field trips. In-class presenters must have reliable transportation and be able to travel to schools to give the presentations. Minimal lifting is required.
Free training for both guides and presenters is provided prior to each field trip season. No experience is necessary, just a love of our coastal environments and an interest in working with kids. Small stipends are available for students in a related course of study.- see Job Opportunities.
For more information and for the upcoming training schedule, please call Maggie at the Friends office, or email her at maggie@friendsofthedunes.org
