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Education & Recreation

School Programs

River Quest

Before your class goes to the river, bring the river to your class with a River Quest Program

An excellent way to introduce your students to the San Joaquin River is to bring a River Quest program into your classroom. Many teachers have discovered that a River Quest Program in the classroom is an excellent introduction for an upcoming Field Trip. Invite us to your classroom for a time of interactive learning about habitats, food chains, wildlife, Native Americans or watershed explorations.

Kindergarten through Grade 2: Fish Tails

This special program will bring laughter and excitement to your students. The lesson highlights the diversity of life at the river, using a six-foot river mural with detachable insects, fish, birds, and a bigger-than-life sized trout outfit to be worn by one of your students.

Grades 3-6: Food Chains

This lesson demonstrates food chains that exist at the San Joaquin River. Students will help identify and classify wildlife on a six-foot mural with detachable animals before actually becoming a part of the food chain themselves. Intricate, life-like food chain hats will be worn by some of your students to identify the order in which the animals eat or are eaten. This is an interactive and lively presentation.

Grades 3-5: Native Americans at the River

Invite the Yokut way of life into your classroom! This program begins with an overview of the natural history of the Valley and moves to cultural history using a wealth of authentic baskets, tools, and materials used by our local Native Americans. Your students will enjoy ending the session with a lively Yokut game.

Grades 5 and 6: Watershed Explorations:

We will teach your students about watersheds and how they affect our lives. Working in small groups with watershed models, students will be able to experiment with point and non-point source pollution and its effects on the San Joaquin River. This widely used model is interactive and realistic. This is a great opportunity to get your hands wet!

Reservations and Fees:

Docent-led River Quest programs are approximately 45 minutes in length and are available weekday mornings at a cost of $40 per classroom presentation. A minimum of two presentations is required per school visit. To make a reservation, call Liliane Sidler at (559) 433-3190 extension 3# or email lsidler@riverparkway.org. Scholarships may be available to assist with costs.