Let us bring the wild to you with a visit from our Nature Van full of taxidermy, skeletons, bio-facts, and more!
Have you ever touched a skunk’s fur or felt a rattlesnake’s scales?
This interactive presentation provides students with the opportunity to be hands-on with animals they wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience up close, leaving them with a strengthened sense of responsibility toward preserving our planet.
Nature Van Programs now available in Spanish!
Get Started!
Now accepting reservations for the 2024/2025 school year!
All of WildCare’s Nature Van programs are now offered in Spanish and aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS)! Learn more...
Use our online form to request your Nature Van program!
- Length: 45-60 minutes
- Ages: 3 to adult
- Group Limit: 30 person maximum per presentation (25 person limit for Pre-K and K)
- Price:
- $240 for the 1st presentation
- $170 for each additional presentation
- $1 per mile travel fee ($10 minimum)
- Maximum drive time: 45 minutes
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Choose from the list of topics below:
California Wildlife
California WildlifeA touch of feathers, fur and scales! Learn about the astounding animals that live right here in our own neighborhoods. This presentation provides an overview of our state’s wonderfully diverse wildlife.
Birds of a Feather
Eggs, nests, feathers, what makes a bird a bird? From zipping hummingbirds to soaring raptors, investigate the traits of our favorite feathered creatures.
Marvelous Mammals
Purrs, howls, hisses and growls! Investigate the surprising diversity of mammals, from marsupials and mustelids to felines and canines, and find out where humans fit into this furry cast of critters.
Redwood Giants
Who is hiding amongst the tallest trees in the world? Take a peek into life in a Coastal Redwood Forest. From banana slugs on the forest floor to owls in the canopy, investigate the interdependence of organisms hidden in each layer of this spectacular forest.
Ocean Adventures
Dive into the different habitats of the ocean, from tidepools and sandy beaches to kelp forests and the open ocean. Learn about the creatures big and small that have adapted to live in each habitat.
Wild Wetlands
Creeks, ponds and marshes! Wade into the unique life cycles of the animals that pass through these watery worlds. Explore this vanishing habitat to learn exactly why it is worth preserving and how you can help.
Wildlife in Peril (formerly known as Going Green)
Wildlife needs our help now more than ever. Investigate the different issues that impact animals in our own backyards and learn easy ways to help live well with wildlife!
Wildlife in a Warming World*
From Sea Otters struggling to find food, to tadpoles’ ponds drying up, the consequences of climate change can have diverse impacts on our wildlife. Learn about rising temperatures, droughts, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and how some animals can even help us fight climate change. Empower your students to make a difference and take practical actions to combat climate change every day!
*This program will be limited to 5th grade and up due to the background science knowledge required. To set up your students for success please review the pre-activities you'll receive with your confirmation email.
Cancellation Policy
- If you cancel your program less than 8 weeks in advance, 50% of your program fee will be due or retained.
- If you cancel your program less than 2 weeks in advance, 100% of your program fee will be retained.
There is nothing more memorable for your students than having live wild animals visit your classroom!
There is nothing more memorable for your students than having live wild animals visit your classroom!Your group will have the opportunity to meet three of WildCare’s rescued non-releasable wild animals during this unforgettable presentation.
Scholarships available, click here to learn more!
By sharing their rescue stories, these animals act as ambassadors for their species in order to increase awareness of their plight in the wild.
Due to the detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in our region, we are currently only able to offer reptile and opossum adaptations programs. Classroom visitors can include a Virginia Opossum, Desert Tortoise, California Kingsnake, Rosy Boa, or a Western Pond Turtle.
We do not know how long HPAI will last, but we look forward to resuming our regular programing as soon as this threat to our birds has passed.
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Get Started!
Now accepting reservations for the 2024/2025 school year!
All of WildCare’s education programs are now aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS)! Learn more...
- Group Limit: 30 people maximum per presentation
- Length: 60 minute program
- Ages: 1st grade to adult
- Presentations: 2 maximum per day
- Price:
- $280 for the 1st presentation
- $210 for the second presentation
- $1 per mile travel fee ($10 minimum)
- Maximum drive time: 45 minutes
Cancellation Policy
- If you cancel your program less than 8 weeks in advance, 50% of your program fee will be due or retained.
- If you cancel your program less than 2 weeks in advance, 100% of your program fee will be retained.
Discovering Nature!
Immerse your students in nature with our exciting discovery hikes led by WildCare’s Terwilliger Nature Guides. Students will use their senses to examine animal tracks, investigate scat, and spot wildlife, all while expanding their knowledge and appreciation of local flora and fauna.
Get Started!
Nature Hikes are fully booked for the 2024/2025 school year with the exception of Thursday, June 12th at Miwok Meadows. If you are interested in this date, or would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out the online form.
All of WildCare’s education programs are now aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS)! Learn more...
Please use the online form to reserve today. Or email education@discoverwildcare to be added to the waitlist.
- Group Limit: One classroom per hike per day (minimum class size 15 students)
- Teacher Requirements: bring a minimum of 1 adult for every 5 children to ensure a safe and hands-on experience
- Price: $325 per hike
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Take a Look:
Choose from the following hike sites:
Miwok Meadows (San Rafael)
Miwok Meadows (San Rafael)Experience the oak woodland ecosystem and its amazing biodiversity, including grasslands, marshes and forests. Common sightings include wild turkey, deer, egrets and woodrat stick nests. Wheelchair accessible.
- Grades: K-6
- Dates & Times: Thursdays 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Ring Mountain (Corte Madera)
Learn about the unique geology and botany of this grassland, rich in serpentine soils. Students will learn about the cultural history of the Coast Miwok, while enjoying the panoramic views of San Francisco and Mt. Tamalpais.
- Grades: 3-6
- Dates & Times: Tuesdays 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Muir Woods (Mill Valley)
Explore the fascinating ecology of a Coast Redwood Forest. Growing as tall as skyscrapers and living up to 2,000 years, Coast Redwoods provide a unique ecosystem found nowhere else on the planet. Keep an eye out for banana slugs, chipmunks and salmon. Wheelchair accessible.
- Grades: K-6
- Dates & Times: Wednesdays 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Bus Scholarships available for Nature Hikes!
If your school participates in the Free or Reduced Price Meal program (FRPM), your class is eligible for a scholarship that matches the percentage of the student body that is eligible for FRPM.
WildCare will pay a maximum of $750 on a bus invoice for a 100% scholarship, regardless of the total cost of the invoice.
Depending on the percentage of your scholarship, the amount WildCare will pay will be prorated. For example: If you are awarded a 50% scholarship and the total of the bus invoice is $750, WildCare will pay a maximum of $375 (50% of the $750 cap).
You are responsible for booking a bus or organizing carpools for your field trip. WildCare will make payment on bus invoices AFTER your field trip. Bus invoices must be submitted for payment to WildCare within 45 days of the trip date. Bus invoices submitted after 45 days will no longer qualify for scholarship funds.
Cancellation Policy
- If you cancel your program less than 8 weeks in advance, 50% of your program fee will be due or retained.
- If you cancel your program less than 2 weeks in advance, 100% of your program fee will be retained.
Unfortunately, due to HPAI (avian influenza) and its risks to WildCare's Wildlife Ambassador birds and our avian Wildlife Hospital patients, we are not offering Center Tours until further notice.
Please learn more about HPAI here, and thank you for your understanding.
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Bring WildCare to your students with our fun, free Teacher Resources!
Bring WildCare to your students with our fun, free Teacher Resources!Pre-visit activities prepare your students for their upcoming Distance Learning Program by engaging them in the study of the natural world.
Post-visit activities expand upon students’ new knowledge and offer ways they can keep learning how to live well with wildlife in their own neighborhood.
Each grade-appropriate activity is presented as a web page with printable PDFs that can be shared with students remotely or in the classroom.
Click here for all of our Teacher Resources for the classroom!
Click here for our Virtual Nature Hikes, led by our Terwilliger Nature Guides
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NGSS Alignment
Our educator-led programs support the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for grades K-8.
Our programs are designed to align with, but not necessarily fulfill, the Next Generation Science Standards’ Performance Expectations.
To focus on a specific standard, please mention it while booking or during the final confirmation call.
Nature Van NGSS Alignment Charts
Birds of a Feather Alignment Chart California Wildlife Alignment Chart Redwood Giants Alignment Chart
Ocean Adventures Alignment Chart Marvelous Mammals Alignment Chart Wild Wetlands Alignment Chart
Wildlife in Peril Alignment Chart Wildlife in a Warming World Alignment Chart
Wildlife Ambassadors NGSS Alignment Charts
NGSS Animal Adaptations Alignment Chart
Nature Hikes NGSS Alignment Charts
NGSS Nature Hikes Alignment Chart