Just
had to take a couple of minutes to thank you for
the fabulous day and tons of information that
you gave to us on Friday. The children are still
talking about the wonderful day they had and how
much they learned.
Argie Vlamis, Lydiksen Elementary School |
MAP OF MT. DIABLO STATE PARK and SHELL RIDGE
DIABLO
NATURE ADVENTURES MAKES
INCORPORATING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM
EASY ...
Diablo Nature Adventures
(DNA) offers educational field trips for students in grades K-12 featuring the cultural and natural history of the Diablo Region. Field trips take place at various locations in Mt. Diablo State Park and other open space areas. Hands-on, interactive learning experiences are guided by competent, creative and enthusiastic naturalists. All programs teach the principles of ecology and have a strong land stewardship emphasis. Thousands of students have enjoyed these unique field trips during the past 15 years. They link well with State Content Standards. All programs last approximately 3 ½ hours. DNA programs are the perfect antidote to nature deficit disorder.
Preventing Nature
Deficit Disorder by Jan Knecht (pdf
file, 1 page).
School Programs
School field trips may be adapted to the needs of other community groups.
Program Descriptions
LUNCHTIME ACTIVITY
 ZERO WASTE ZERO WAIST CHALLENGE
(DNA)
Now integral to all Diablo Nature Adventures (DNA) field trips is a brief, but important mealtime unit designed to connect the ethic of stewardship we cultivate during our programs with the home and school experiences of our students. We sort the remains of each child's lunch into compostable, recyclable and landfill bins and discuss healthy eating and waste reduction. We challenge each teacher participating in one of our field trips to have the first class to produce zero waste. Nature recycles…so can we.
Reusable lunchboxes, beverage and food containers are strongly recommended for field trips.
CREEKS, PONDS AND WATERSHEDS: AQUATIC PROGRAMS
Creekology - Creeks as Homes for Many Living Things
Walnut Creek/Lafayette Area
 Creekology takes
place at a very special creek site on the Lafayette-Walnut Creek
border. Access is easy. Groups will explore the flora and fauna
of urban creeks in the usual hands-on, engaging ways typical of
all DNA school programs. Fascinating fossils and spectacular landforms
are among the features the study site affords. It is a great place
to speak of the past and present relationships between people and
the streams that run through their communities. The trip can be
customized to meet classroom needs. Possible topics during this
2 1/2 hour program include (but are not limited to):
- What is a riparian system and why is it important?
- What is a watershed and in which one do we find
ourselves?
- What native plants are associated with creeks?
- What are the basics of amphibian and invertebrate
metamorphosis?
We will dip for aquatic organisms and learn of their
importance in evaluating the health of streams. A journal
writing activity during lunch is recommended. Teachers
who are familiar with our pond program will truly appreciate
this more accessible and appealing new alternative. Creekology is
a wonderful complement to our Rock City program because
it correlates the water piece with the geological processes
and land features introduced during On the Rocks.
MT. DIABLO STATE PARK
MITCHELL CANYON
 This year we are adding Mitchell Canyon as a venue for our educational nature outings. . All programs available at other sites can be taught here. In addition, we offer our aquatic program, The Usual Suspects, here. Located in Clayton, Mitchell Canyon is easily accessible particularly for schools in the eastern and northern parts of Contra Costa County. Mitchell Canyon is the site of the Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association’s visitor center and native plant garden, has excellent picnicking facilities and restrooms. Unlike our other teaching sites, Mitchell Canyon has both creek and pond environments. There are stunning vistas and a diversity of plant communities.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
 This program is an introduction to aquatic ecosystems. Creeks and ponds will be compared as watery environments. The concept of a watershed will be presented. Students will view macroinvertebrates of a pond and learn about the vertebrate animals that live in, on or around it. This great program fosters systems thinking. Its engaging experiences encourage gentleness in Nature and careful observation of even the tiniest of living organisms. Engaging field experiences bring alive textbook terms like water cycle, adaptation, habitat and metamorphosis.
ON THE ROCKS
ROCK CITY- (GRADES 2-4) - GEOLOGY
AND ECOLOGY - 3 HOURS/LUNCH IN THE PARK
This is the perfect introduction
to the natural and cultural history of the
Diablo Region for students in grades 2-4. While primarily an Earth Sciences Program, students
will also become acqainted with plant communities
and wildlife in one of Mt. Diablo's most popular areas. They will be introduced to the
State Park's rocks and fossils and will have
a chance to experience the area's fascinating wind caves. Short hikes are involved. 2 or
3 naturalists depending upon class size.
VIEWPOINT
SUMMIT OF MT. DIABLO - (GRADES 5-8) - GEOLOGY AND
ECOLOGY - 3 HOURS/LUNCH IN THE PARK
Students will learn about the origin and geology of
Mt. Diablo through engaging activities. They will explore
the Fire Interpretive Trail and participate with partners
in a questing activity to learn the Franciscan rocks
and geological features of the State Park's tallest
peak. Stops in the Museum and atop the Summit Building
will emphasize geology, geography, history and change
through time - both recent and geological. Summit wildlife
viewing and a few surprises are in store for participants.
SET IN STONE
SUMMIT TO ROCK CITY - (HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE) - GEOLOGY AND
ECOLOGY - 4 HOURS (9 AM SUMMIT-
1 PM ROCK CITY)
 Time is the essence for Set in Stone. Students make
a trek through geological time that begins at the top
of Mt. Diablo where they study the Park's oldest rocks
and the role of plate tectonics in shaping the mountain.
They ride the bus to Sunset picnic area where they have
an early lunch to prepare them for the next leg of their
200 million year journey down the mountain from past
to future. After leaving Rock City the group crosses
the area of the Mt. Diablo Thrust Fault and learns about
unconformities. Stops at a Turritella Fossil display
and at wind caves follow. After learning how the wind
caves were formed the group arrives at Rock City where
their bus awaits. Breathtaking views of the Mountain's
diverse topography and varied plant communities add
to an already enriching day.
Also available for non school groups.
SHELL RIDGE OPEN SPACE AREA - FOR
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS
THE SANDS OF TIME
Sands of Time takes place in the 2,500 acre Shell Ridge
Open Space Area. Students are introduced to the fossils
of Shell Ridge and what they reveal about long ago landscapes
there. Sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks are
defined and local samples are handled by the youngsters.
Students perform a play that explains the formation
of Mt. Diablo and the surrounding foothills. Map skills
are a part of the program. A nature hike emphasizes
the flora and fauna of the grassland and oak woodland
communities of the area and reveals how water has shaped
the land. Change through time is an important theme
and the study site is a great place to introduce geographic
terms to the youngest students.
Birds Bees and Botany
In conjunction with elements of Sands of Time or on its own, this field trip brings ecology home. Perfect for second graders, the program includes an introduction to insects and their life cycles, the basics of good nutrition and the key components of a sustainable garden. Activity segments involve students searching for hidden treasures, observing details of the natural world and finding what is in season. Plant propagation, backyard birds and plant-pollinator relationships are additional activity options.
Teachers
JAN KNECHT
 Jan Knecht is a veteran teacher. Having taught more than 30 years in first through fifth grades, she recently retired from the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. She brought her second graders so often to explore Mt. Diablo with Judy Adler, that it began to feel like home. She joined the ranks of Diablo Nature Adventures nine years ago when she began teaching half time. She continues to indulge her love of nature and kids by working with Diablo Nature Adventures in the classroom without walls.
KEN LAVIN
Ken Lavin has been a naturalist for Diablo Nature Adventures for over 10 years. He has worked as an interpretive park ranger and consultant for the National Park Service, both in the Marin Headlands and at Muir Woods National Monument, where he served as education coordinator for the park’s curriculum-based school program. Ken is outings and volunteer coordinator for Greenbelt Alliance. He is a featured naturalist on Audio Mount Diablo, a free web-based nature and history tour offered by the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association. Ken may also be heard on the Sierra Club’s web feature, Nature Notes.
SUE SKIFF
Sue Skiff is DNA's most recent addition. She received a Master's degree in Biological Ecology from U.C. Davis. Since 1995 she has been on the education staff at Lindsay Wildlife Museum where she has taught children's classes on wildlife and science, led wildlife programs at Los Vaqueros, co-led environmental field trips at Dow Wetlands and Mt. View Sanitary District and co-taught at assemblies on storm drain pollution. She has led adult and family trips and participated in the Museum's summer camp programs. California wildlife is her specialty.
KAREN SYNOWIEC
 Karen Synowiec has been a naturalist with Diablo Nature Adventures for over the past 10 years. She served as secretary on the Board of Directors for Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA) for 4 years and as hike leader/coordinator for MDIA, leading numerous hikes on Mt. Diablo as well as at Black Diamond Mines and Morgan Territory. Karen is a Hydrogeologist with Chevron Corporation where she has worked for the past 25 years. In her spare time she loves to hike with friends anywhere on Mt. Diablo or the Bay Area.
SAUNDRA TICKNER
 Saundra is our bird enthusiast. When not teaching for Diablo Nature Adventures, she is kayaking to observe birds associated with watery environments, rescuing birds for the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in her backyard aviary or watching them visit her backyard pond. This new water feature is a source of endless fascination for her inquiring mind.
Diablo Nature Adventure teachers regularly participate in the environmental programs of others.
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