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School Programs

2026-27 bookings requests will open on July 6, 2026. Please allow 2-3 business days for a response during high volume times.

Can't wait? Review the options below and send your program choice, preferred dates, grade, number of students, and details to: scheduling@sacnaturecenter.net 

Thank you!

Please note that booking requests are not confirmed until a deposit, purchase order (PO) number, or payment in full is received. If you are securing your date with a deposit, the remaining balance is due 2 weeks prior to your program date. Once we have complete booking request information you will receive an invoices to submit for payment, or a PO number.

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For more details on payments, cancellations, reschedules, and more, please review our updated Educational Programs Terms and Conditions.

Nisenan and Maidu Programs

Located on the ancestral land of the Valley Nisenan, Effie Yeaw Nature Center partners with Indigenous knowledge bearers, elders, mentors, allies, and members of California Indigenous communities to offer cultural programs that honor and highlight the region’s original peoples, with a primary focus on the Nisenan and Maidu.

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Methods of Nisenan and Maidu
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Nisenan and Maidu Focus Tour

Classroom Visit

Grades 3-5

Price: $260

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Valley Nisenan Classroom Program

Bring pre-1830 Valley Nisenan culture to your classroom! Through visual presentations, storytelling, and replica artifacts, students will explore the sights and sounds of this unique culture.​​

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 75 minutes 

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students, or one class

  • CCSS: HSS-3.2, HSS-4.2, HSS-5.3

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

Field Trip

Grades 3-5

Price: $225

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Valley Nisenan Cultural Experience

Students explore the pre-1830s lifestyle of the Valley Nisenan through a guided tour of a replica village and the Nature Study Area, learning about native plants, animals, and cultural artifacts.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

  • Capacity: up to 35 students, or one classroom. Adult chaperones required: 4-8 adults (including teacher and aides).

  • CCSS: HSS-3.2, HSS-4.2, HSS-5.2, HSS-5.3

  • Parking passes included

  • Please eat before or after the program (no meal period included)

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Note: Closed-toed shoes required. Programs run rain or shine, except in cases of severe weather.

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Nisenan Maidu Half Day 

Field Trip

Grades 3-5

Price: $400

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Valley Nisenan Cultural Immersion

Students spend a morning exploring our replica Valley Nisenan village, walking Nature Study Area trails to observe native plants and animals, and engaging in cultural activities like playing traditional games and participating in an acorn preparation demonstration.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 3.5 hours

  • Capacity: up to 35 students, or one classroom. Adult chaperones required: 4-8 adults (including teacher and aides).

  • CCSS: HSS-3.2, HSS-4.2, HSS-5.3

  • Parking passes included

  • ​This program includes a scheduled meal period.

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Note: Programs run rain or shine, except in cases of severe weather.

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Nisenan Maidu Full Day 

Classroom Visit, Teacher + Parent Workshop, and Field Trip

​Grades 3-5

Price: $775

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Valley Nisenan Cultural Immersion

This unique classroom and field experience immerses students in the traditions of the Valley Nisenan people. At Effie Yeaw Nature Center, students explore a replica village, use tule houses and grinding rocks, and discover how native plants and animals were integral to Valley Nisenan life. The program includes native storytelling, acorn preparation and tasting, and learning traditional skills through crafts and games.

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Prerequisites:

  • Methods of the Maidu Classroom Program (75 minutes at your school)

  • Teacher + Parent Workshop​​
     

Program Details:

  • Duration: 4.5 - 6 hours (length is teacher’s choice)

  • Capacity: up to 35 students, or one classroom. Adult chaperones required: 4-8 adults (including teacher and aides).

  • CCSS: HSS-3.2, HSS-4.2, HSS-5.3

  • Parking passes included

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

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Note: Programs run rain or shine, except in cases of severe weather

Our Field Trips

Bring your students to Effie Yeaw Nature Center for an unforgettable outdoor learning experience! Our field trips immerse students in the wonders of nature through hands-on exploration, interactive activities, and close encounters with native wildlife. Led by our expert naturalists, each program aligns with educational standards and fosters a deeper appreciation for the natural world. Whether exploring the American River ecosystem, uncovering the secrets of local wildlife, or stepping into the rich cultural heritage of the Valley Nisenan people, students will gain valuable insights while having fun in nature’s classroom.​

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Nature Area Tour 

Grades K-12

Price $225

 

Students will explore biofacts and live animals up close with a tour our interactive museum and then they will go on a one-hour hike through the Nature Study Area with a naturalist and docents. They’ll observe wildlife, notice patterns and engage curiosity as they consider structure and function, and cause and effects, and relationships between plants and animals and humans and habitat. Every hike visits the river and learns about our watershed and how we can protect it when visiting or from our homes.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 1 hour, 45 minutes (105 minutes)

  • Capacity: up to 35 students, or one class per program. Adult chaperones required: 4-8 adults (including teacher and aides)

  • Parking: Up to 8 passes included

  • Meals: Please eat before or after; no meal period provided

  • Closed-toed shoes required

  • Rain or shine, except for dangerous weather​

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Our programs align with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and may cover various standards based on grade level and unit focus. LS1.A, LS1.B, LS1.C, LS1.D, LS2.A, LS2.B, LS2.C, LS2.D, LS3.A, LS3.B, LS4.C, LS4.D, ESS2.C, ESS2.E, ESS3.A, ESS3.C

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Nature Plus! 

Grades 2-5

Price: $400

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This engaging 4-hour program immerses students in nature through an extended hike, nature journaling, and hands-on activities. Students will explore beak adaptations, biodiversity, and animal traits while fostering a deeper connection to the natural world. Every hike visits the river and learns about our watershed and how we can protect it when visiting or from our homes.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 4 hours

  • Capacity: up to 35 students, or one class per program. Adult chaperones required: 4-8 adults (including teacher and aides).

  • Parking: Up to 8 passes included

  • Closed-toed shoes required

  • Rain or shine, except for dangerous weather

  • Includes a scheduled meal period.

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Our programs align with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and may cover various standards based on grade level and unit focus. LS1.A, LS1.B, LS1.C, LS1.D, LS2.A, LS2.B, LS2.C, LS2.D, LS3.A, LS3.B, LS4.C, LS4.D, ESS2.C, ESS2.E, ESS3.A, ESS3.C

Our Classroom Visits

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Sensational Senses

Grades K-1

Price: $285

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Students explore how humans and animals process information through fun, hands-on activities with specimens and live animal ambassadors.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 1 hour

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students

  • NGSS: LS1.D

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

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Critters of the
American River

Grades K-3

Price: $285

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Students explore mammals, birds, and reptiles by comparing their structures and functions and life cycles through biofacts and live animal observations.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 1 hour

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students

  • NGSS: LS1.B, LS1.D, LS4.D

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles  round trip

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Amazing Adaptations

Grades 3-5

Price: $285

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Students explore how animals survive in their habitats by examining unique structures and behaviors through hands-on activities, discussions, and live animal observations.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 1 hour

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students

  • NGSS: LS1.D, LS3.B, LS4.C, LS4.D

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

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Incredible Invertebrates

Grades 1-12

Price: $285

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Students discover local invertebrates—arthropods, mollusks, and annelids—while exploring their life cycles and ecological roles through a PowerPoint presentation and live specimens.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 1 hour

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students

  • NGSS: LS1.B, LS1.C, LS2.A, LS2.B

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

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Animal Ambassadors

Grades 7-12

Price: $285

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Students examine a variety of animal specimens and discuss physical structures observed and possible adaptations. Explore animal behavior, physiology, and how they interact within their habitats. Learn what it takes to care for non-releasable wild animals by meeting EYNC animal ambassadors, discovering their stories, and ways we can keep them wild.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 1 hour

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students

  • CCSS: LS1.B, LS1.D, LS4.C, LS4.D

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

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Scales and Tails

Grades 1-12

Price: $285

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Students build an understanding of amphibians and reptiles by examining how unique structures and behaviors aid their survival and discussing the important roles they play in their habitats. This program includes a PowerPoint presentation and live animal ambassadors.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 1 hour

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students

  • CCSS: LS1.B, LS1.D, LS3.B, LS4.C, LS4.D

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

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Gold Discovery

Grades 3-5

Price: $295

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Students experience the excitement of the Gold Rush through an engaging classroom presentation and hands-on gold panning activity. They’ll explore the historical, social, and environmental impacts of California's gold discovery.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 75 minutes

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students

  • CCSS: HSS-4.3, HSS-4.4.2, HSS-5.3

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

Our Classroom Labs and Field Studies

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Pond and River Lab

Classroom Lab ONLY (No Field Study)

Grades 2-6: Pond and River Classroom Lab

Price: $295

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Students investigate aquatic invertebrates and their role in freshwater ecosystems, and learn how we can protect help invertebrates by keeping our watershed clean. This lab includes a PowerPoint presentation and four hands-on stations.

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Program Details:

  • Duration: 75 minutes

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students; We suggest inviting 1-2 parents/guardians to assist with activities.

  • NGSS: LS1.B, LS2.A, LS2.C, LS4.C, LS4.D, ESS3.A, ESS3.C

  • Travel fees apply for schools over 30 miles round trip

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Pond and River Lab and Field Study

Classroom Lab + Field Study

Grades 2-6: Pond and River | Classroom Lab & Field Study

Price: $495

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Students dive into the world of aquatic invertebrates through a classroom lab and an outdoor field study at William B. Pond Recreation Park. In the classroom, they engage with a PowerPoint presentation and four hands-on investigative stations. In the field, students collect and observe freshwater creatures, gaining insight into their roles within the ecosystem. Students come away knowing their watershed and how they can protect it when visiting or from our homes.

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Program Details:

  • Availability: September–October & March–May

  • Duration: 75-minute classroom lab + 2-hour field study (on separate days)

  • Capacity: Up to 35 students; Adult chaperones require for fieldtrips: 4-8 adults (including teacher and aides).

  • Parking: Up to 8 passes included​

  • Field studies held on Wednesdays and Fridays

  • NGSS: LS1.B, LS2.A, LS2.C, LS4.C, LS4.D, ESS3.A, ESS3.C

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