ADVENTURES IN LEARNING

Join The Fun

Just as language interpreters put unfamiliar words into terms you understand, so too do park interpreters put concepts concerning our natural and cultural worlds into terms that are meaningful to you. Park interpretation seeks to protect your parks by fostering an awareness and understanding of California's state parks in an enjoyable and relevant manner.

The interpreters of California State Parks welcome you to this portion of the web site. We hope that we can provide you with an enjoyable opportunity to become aware of the many interpretive activities available in California's state parks.

The five main areas of this section are described below. Choose one of these links to find out more about interpretive activities in California's state parks. If you need more information, please contact us through the information provided in the right hand column of this page.

The Park Interpretive Programs section provides information concerning what programs are available on-line and in-person. California State Parks perform a wide variety of programs throughout the state, ranging from wildflower hikes in the desert to campfire programs in the north coast redwoods. This section will help you discover what programs fit your needs.

The For Kids section provides Junior Ranger and Litter Getter Program information, as well as activities for kids that deal with culture and history, science and nature, and other fun topics.

The For Schools section supplies teachers with information concerning park field trips, provides materials for the classroom, supplies downloadable teachers guides, and offers lesson plans relating park information with California Academic Content Standards.

The PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students)web site is designed to further the mission of California State Parks and to augment the teaching of academic content standards in California's public schools. PORTS uses California's K-12 High-Speed Network (HSN) to deliver units of study to classrooms around the state.

The How You Can Help section is where you can learn about park volunteers, cooperating associations and supporting organizations. Volunteers are essential and perform myriad functions in today's parks. Cooperating associations raise the funds that make many interpretive and educational programs possible and work in many ways to support the mission of California State Parks.

The Resources and Tools section is where we share resources with other interpreters around the world. Our training schedules, manuals, professional papers, interpretive newsletters, equipment reviews and other materials are found in this section.


Park Interpretive Programs For Schools How You Can Help Resources and Tools For Kids PORTS	ADVENTURES IN LEARNING Join The Fun Just as language interpreters put unfamiliar words into terms you understand, so too do park interpreters put concepts concerning our natural and cultural worlds into terms that are meaningful to you. Park interpretation seeks to protect your parks by fostering an awareness and understanding of California's state parks in an enjoyable and relevant manner. The interpreters of California State Parks welcome you to this portion of the web site. We hope that we can provide you with an enjoyable opportunity to become aware of the many interpretive activities available in California's state parks. The five main areas of this section are described below. Choose one of these links to find out more about interpretive activities in California's state parks. If you need more information, please contact us through the information provided in the right hand column of this page. The Park Interpretive Programs section provides information concerning what programs are available on-line and in-person. California State Parks perform a wide variety of programs throughout the state, ranging from wildflower hikes in the desert to campfire programs in the north coast redwoods. This section will help you discover what programs fit your needs. The For Kids section provides Junior Ranger and Litter Getter Program information, as well as activities for kids that deal with culture and history, science and nature, and other fun topics. The For Schools section supplies teachers with information concerning park field trips, provides materials for the classroom, supplies downloadable teachers guides, and offers lesson plans relating park information with California Academic Content Standards. The PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students)web site is designed to further the mission of California State Parks and to augment the teaching of academic content standards in California's public schools. PORTS uses California's K-12 High-Speed Network (HSN) to deliver units of study to classrooms around the state. The How You Can Help section is where you can learn about park volunteers, cooperating associations and supporting organizations. Volunteers are essential and perform myriad functions in today's parks. Cooperating associations raise the funds that make many interpretive and educational programs possible and work in many ways to support the mission of California State Parks. The Resources and Tools section is where we share resources with other interpreters around the world. Our training schedules, manuals, professional papers, interpretive newsletters, equipment reviews and other materials are found in this section.	What Is Interpretation? If you're interested in learning more about California State Parks' vision for our intepretive and educational efforts, you may want to review the mission statements adopted by California State Parks and the Interpretation and Education Division related to these important activities. (This page also contains information on what interpretation is and what it is intended to achieve.) Eureka! Series Have you heard about the Eureka! Series? This exciting new project offers teachers all the tools needed to explore the world-class resources of California State Parks, capturing students' interest and encouraging achievement in science, math and language arts. Designed for grades 5-10, this innovative program is being developed by the California Institute for Biodiversity (in partnership with California State Parks and the California State Parks Foundation). Core content standards are embedded in compelling regional storylines that will engage your students! Participants receive digital classroom resources, solid subject matter content, innovative field experiences, and a 200-page guide. Upon completion, apply for transportation mini-grants to bring students out to the parks. Teacher Institutes are being offered in several locations this year. To learn more about this project or to register, visit Eureka! Series (www.eurekaseries.org). Interpretation & Education Division P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296 Phone: (916) 654-2249 Fax: (916) 654-9048 e-mail: interp@parks.ca.gov Interpretation & Education Staff Information