Areas of Study

In our classroom, students have the unique opportunity to observe, experience, and personally connect nature in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Our core academic emphases include:

• Life Science & Ecology
• Watershed Studies
• Earth Science & Geology
• Cultural History
• Current Environmental Issues

Your program can focus on one or more of these areas of study, depending on your classroom's needs and the length of its program.

	Life Sciences & Ecology Explore the connections between the environment and the organisms that live in it. Delve into ecosystems in the Santa Monica Mountains by studying what organisms live here through observation and identification. Discover how organisms are fit for their environment by examining adaptations. Find the ways that organisms depend on and affect each other, and ultimately, see how everything is connected.
	Watershed Studies Follow the Arroyo Sequit watershed from its start near Sandstone Peak to where it meets the ocean at Leo Carrillo State Park.  Learn about watersheds, where water comes from, and how we can positively impact this vital resource. Students act as scientists as they take part in a creek water quality study.
	Earth Science & Geology Students will be inspired by rocks to learn about the ancient and ongoing processes that shaped and formed the Santa Monica Mountains. One highlight is looking at the night sky away from the city lights as students study astronomy.
	Cultural History Explore California’s rich cultural history by learning about the natural resources used by the Chumash, pioneer history, and how the Santa Monica Mountains became a part of America’s best idea, our national parks.

Current Environmental Issues Study climate and weather patterns, the greenhouse gas effect, the carbon cycle, and possible consequences of global climate change. Students will learn what climate change is, how it affects our national parks, and how actions at home and globally can impact our natural world.