Do you live hundreds or thousands of miles away from Grand Canyon and wish you could bring your class to Grand Canyon? Why not bring Grand Canyon to your classroom? The Environmental Education Branch offers one-hour distance learning programs via the Internet.

All programs are FREE, are curriculum-based, and are a great way of introducing your students to this amazing national park and to a variety of scientific studies.

The Environmental Education staff at Grand Canyon National Park has the capability to conduct interactive classroom visits over the Internet using Skype. If your school has the ability to use Skype, and you'd like to use Grand Canyon to enhance your curriculum, please see our below offerings.

To download and print a summary of our Distance Learning offerings, click on the following link for a pdf version of our 2011-2012 Distance Learning Programs

PROGRAMS OFFERED:

Who Lives in a National Park? (Grades pre-school and kindergarten)

This program introduces students in pre-school and kindergarten to the differences between pets and wild animals. Students learn about some of the wild animals who live at Grand Canyon. (30-45 minutes)

Ancient Life (Grades 2-5)

Students make inferences about the ancient animals found in the fossil record at Grand Canyon based on the evidence presented to them. Students will also learn about the ancient environments in which these animals lived. (30-45 minutes)

Layers in Time (Grades 3-7)

Students learn the geologic story of Grand Canyon by focusing on principles of deposition, plate tectonics, down-cutting and erosion. This hands-on distance learning program connects students to past environments, the Colorado Plateau, and the powerful force of the Colorado River. (60 minutes)
NOTE: see lesson plan materials below.

Canyon Connections (Grades 4-8)

This program focuses on animal and plant adaptations while introducing some of the amazing creatures that call Grand Canyon home. Students learn about the five diverse ecosystems found at Grand Canyon and the unique interrelationships found within them. (60 minutes)
NOTE: see lesson plan materials below.

Ask a Ranger (Grades K-12)

Students prepare thoughtful questions ahead of time and spend a half hour with a ranger discussing Grand Canyon ecology, geology and human history. Students have a chance to connect with rangers at Grand Canyon. (30 minutes)

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Registration begins August 24, 2011, is first-come, first-served, and is ongoing until all time slots are full.

Schedule for the 2011-2012 School Year: (programs only available Monday - Friday during the below dates)

November 30 - December 16, 2011
January 11 - 20, 2012
February 29 - March 16, 2012

To download the 2011-2012 Registration Form click here.
(99 kb pdf file)

 
LESSON PLANS AND MATERIALS

Once you are scheduled for a program, the following links access the lesson plans and materials needed to prepare your students for the Distance Learning Program.

"Who Lives in a National Park?" Program Materials:

Animal cards for the game: Wild or Pet? (this lesson is conducted by the ranger during your program - please print the cards prior to your scheduled program)

National Standards

"Ancient Life" Program Materials:

Fossilization game lesson plan and cards (this lesson is conducted by the ranger during your program - please print the cards prior to your scheduled program)

National Standards

"Layers in Time" Program Materials:

Distance Learning Geology Lesson Plan

Paleozoic environment posters

"Layers in Time" geology program article

National Standards


"Canyon Connections" Program Materials:

Distance Learning Ecology lesson plan
 
Grand Canyon Ecosystems article

Ecosystem Worksheet

National Standards

"Ask a Ranger" Program Preparation:                              

Please prepare thoughtful questions with your students prior to the scheduled program. Questions can be emailed in advance to e-mail us

Ranger presentation during the 2004 Electronic Field Trip.

2004 "Into the Canyon" Electronic Field Trip

In November, 2004 Grand Canyon Environmental Education Branch and Ball State University partnered up to conduct Grand Canyon's first ever EFT (Electronic Field Trip).

To view the interactive web based "Into the Canyon" website that has been archived, click on the link below. When you arrive at the site click on "Enter the Canyon" in the top left corner. When the "connect to bsu" dialog box appears, enter: "grand" for username, and "canyon" for password.

2004 Into the Canyon Electronic Field Trip