Local Field Trips and Presentations
In Clark County, we are fortunate to have many organizations and agencies who host local field trips and go to local schools to teach students about a variety of topics! Click on the name of the agency/organization to learn more about their educational resources.
The icons next to each agency/organization indicate:
- Bus icon: the agency/organization offers field trips
- Teacher icon: the agency/organization offers in-class presentations
- Computer icon: the agency/organization has online resources specifically for classroom, educator, or student use on their website
Bird Alliance of Oregon
The Audubon Society of Portland promotes the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats. They offer tours and all-day field trips at their west Portland sanctuary, but can also visit your classroom for programs on birds of prey, bird biology, owls of the northwest, and habitats.
Bonneville Power Administration
School groups can visit Bonneville Dam for a tour, or they can stay closer-to-home and tour the BPA laboratories in Vancouver for an up-close look at how electricity works in the Northwest. During the tour, groups visit the High Voltage Labs, the Mechanical Testing labs, and get a visit from "Dr. Science."
Clark County Clean Water
Find educational resources, information about local watersheds and water quality, and more on their web page. Clean Water can come to your classroom for a short demonstration and discussion on watershed health, using the Enviroscape watershed model.
Clark Public Utilities
CPU offers programs including:
Solar 4R Schools: an educational program which provides training, workshops, curriculum, and materials to help local teachers with renewable energy topics. The program also provides solar panel installation at schools including educator training, iPad kiosk for the school front office, and curriculum.
School field trips: for fourth and fifth grades, CPU provides field trips at their operations facility, featuring: information about types of jobs employees at the utility do; how power is generated; warehouse tour; hands-on presentation about electricity and magnetism including use of a Van De Graaff generator, talking about power generation, distribution, and conservation; presentation and hands-on activities about drinking water and how to protect it through environmental stewardship; and electrical safety.
Classroom presentations: Presentation topics include electrical safety, environmental protection, and utility careers.
Columbia Springs
Their mission is to offer a unique setting where educational experiences foster greater awareness of the natural world, inspiring stewardship. They offer NGSS-aligned (Next Generation Science Standard) field trips, summer exploration programs, and the Salmon in the Classroom program (in partnership with Clark Public Utilities).
Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
The Friends' mission is to support, protect, and enhance the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and its wildlife habitat, and to broaden public awareness and participation in its environmental, cultural, and educational opportunities.
Until further notice, all programs, volunteering, and field trips are on hold. Large groups should not be gathering anywhere on the Refuge. Their website still offers a wide range of educator resources, and the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is still open to the public for self-led tours.
Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership
The mission of LCEP is to improve the lower Columbia River by protecting and restoring ecosystems and enhancing clean water for current and future generations of fish, wildlife, and people. They offer no-cost programs to local schools including classroom science lessons, field programs, and teacher resources. They can also provide support for teachers implementing their own units and can help customize programs. Their goal with these school programs is to build environmental curiosity and knowledge, empower citizens to make a difference in their communities, and foster a personal connection to the lower Columbia River.
Mount St. Helens Institute
Their mission is to advance understanding and stewardship of the Earth through science, education, and exploration of volcanic landscapes. Resources offered through MSHI include volcano outdoor school (day trips and overnight trips to Mount St. Helens), "Kaboom! Volunteers in the Classroom", classroom lessons, interactive web-based learning tool "Volcano Explorers", other online volcano resources, field trips, and teacher workshops.
SNAP Ed (WSU Extension)
Washington State University Food $ense (SNAP Ed) teaches youth, families, and adults with limited incomes to develop lifelong skills and behaviors for healthful eating and physically active lifestyles. Resources about nutrition, healthful eating, and more is available on their website. SNAP Ed educators will do in-class activities and lessons for qualifying schools in Vancouver, Evergreen, and Washougal districts. Available to all is their "Smarter Lunchroom" program, which can help schools plan projects that can be used to certify in the "Healthy School Buildings" category for Washington Green Schools certification.
Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington
The Watershed Alliance works to educate and engage community members to be active stewards of SW Washington's natural legacy. They educate children and adults, by giving hands-on opportunities to participate in the restoration and protection of waterways. They offer neighborhood grants for watershed enhancement projects, work with schools on planting projects, and host volunteer events and opportunities.
Contact the Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington with your questions about their events, grants, and other resources.
Water Resources Education Center
Teaching people of all ages how to wisely use the important, life-giving natural resource of water is what Vancouver's Water Resources Education Center is all about. They offer in-class visits, group visits to the Water Center, workshops for teachers, resources, and facilitate the student-driven Watershed Monitoring Network, which includes the annual student Watershed Congress.
