FOSC School Field Trips and Service Programs

Thank you for your interest in arranging a field trip, service day, or classroom visit with Friends of Sausal Creek!

We strive to educate and inspire students to care for the watersheds and ecosystems in which they live.

Field Trips can be scheduled Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Our standard field trips run from 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Classroom Visits can be scheduled Monday through Friday. We offer single classroom lessons as well as larger group/assembly presentations. 

We look forward to working together!

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Teacher and School Logistics
Name of school:
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Public or private? *
Is your school Title 1?
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Name of the teacher/leader present on day of field trip or visit:
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Phone number of teacher/leader: *
Class Logistics
Number of Students:  
(Note: We are a small but mighty staff and are only able to accommodate 30 students on a field trip at one time. If more than 30 students are expected - multiple days will need to be scheduled.) 
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Grade level:
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Any accommodations (language other than English, physical limitations, health and safety concerns, etc.)? 
Costs
We request a sliding scale fee of $10-$20 per student to cover staff time and materials. The fee is waived for underserved schools (Title 1) as FOSC seeks grant funding for these schools.
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Scheduling
Desired field trip visit month:
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Preferred Date 1
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Preferred Date 2
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Field Trip/Service Day Lessons

Please review our current field trip options below.  Which field trip module would you like?

1) Joaquin Miller Park Native Plant Nursery - Plant Propagation, Pollination, and Community Resilience
  • The nursery is the heart of our restoration program at FOSC! Get a behind-the-scenes look at the start of a habitat restoration project and learn how we propagate plants to create a more resilient ecosystem. Explore different pollinators, plant adaptations, and help us with a variety of tasks that keep our nursery running.
2) Dimond Park - Water Connections
  • Our landscapes and communities are all connected by water. See a watershed in action, learn about the unique plant and animal residents of Sausal Creek—like the wild population of Rainbow Trout that live here—and get hands-on experience with habitat restoration.
3) Dimond Park - Biodiversity and Community Resilience
  • Everyone deserves access to a safe, healthy ecosystem. Join in on FOSC’s work to create diverse, resilient ecosystems, explore the interwoven relationships between humans and the landscape, and learn how you can take action in your own life to protect the wild spaces that are important to you.
4) Fern Ravine - Redwood Ecology and Ecosystems Connection
  • Oakland's coast redwoods are remarkable ecological giants that are the keystone of the Fern Ravine ecosystem. Learn about the dramatic history and resilient rebound of this forest, the unique intersection of environs (wetland, riparian, redwood forest) at the headwaters of the Sausal Creek, and their ecological and climate-regulating allyship for plant, animal, and human communities in Oakland.
5) Water Quality Monitoring 

  • Our urban waterways face many challenges caused by human impact. Explore how our actions affect water quality, investigate how Sausal Creek’s biodiversity depends on clean water, and gain hands-on experience using water quality monitoring tools and collecting data. 

    • Recommended for grades 6-12

    • Can be done at Dimond Park or Monterey Redwoods

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Classroom Visit Lessons

Please review our current classroom visit lessons below. These can be “stand alone” lessons, or serve as an introduction ahead of a field trip:


1) An Introduction to the Sausal Creek Watershed
  • What is a watershed? How does the Sausal Creek Watershed connect to the rest of Oakland's ecosystems? This lesson is a great way to introduce students to the concept of environmental stewardship as we learn about the native plants and animals of our watershed and explore the challenges caused by human impact. 
2) Water Connections
  • Our landscapes and communities are all connected by water. See a watershed in action, discover the unique plant and animal residents of Sausal Creek – like the wild population of Rainbow Trout that live here – and learn how students and their families can get involved in environmental stewardship
3) Birding 
  • Birds are great indicators of ecosystem health. Learn about some of Oakland’s local birds, how to support native bird habitat, and use binoculars to find birds in your schoolyard.
4) Water Quality Monitoring
  • Our urban waterways face many challenges caused by human impact. Explore how our actions affect water quality and the health of local ecosystems, investigate how Sausal Creek’s wildlife and human communities depend on clean water, and gain hands-on experience using water quality monitoring tools.
5) Our Native Rainbow Trout

  • Sausal Creek’s wild rainbow trout population is a vital natural and cultural resource of Oakland. Protecting and preserving their habitat conserves biodiversity in our urban environment and ensures the long-term health of the creek ecosystem. Learn about the life cycle of a rainbow trout, discover their importance in the food chain, and see a real rainbow trout specimen. 

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    Field Trip Safety

    FOSC prioritizes the health and safety of all field trip participants, volunteers, and staff. The FOSC education and outreach manager is certified in CPR/First Aid and will also work with you to ensure that the field trip abides by current COVID protocols.

    FOSC field trips must have a minimum 1 chaperone per 8 students. How many chaperones will you have?
    Each participant in field trips must submit an online waiver signed by a parent or guardian.
    Additional Information
    Would you like to be added to our monthly e-newsletter list?
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    Thank you!
    Thank you for your interest in bringing your students to the Sausal Creek Watershed or us to your classroom. We look forward to working with you. If you have any questions, you can contact elena@sausalcreek.org
    A copy of your responses will be emailed to the address you provided.
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