School is back in session, and our Audubon educators are ready to go!
Each year, Audubon Southwest’s education team engages over 2,000 students through field trips and classroom visits that connect their classroom learning with the outdoors and hands-on science activities.
“We are thrilled to have this enrichment opportunity for our first grade scientists. They get to soak it in, wonder, share design space and appreciate the natural world!” -1st Grade Teacher, Santa Fe
Bring your students on an Audubon field trip, or have an educator visit your classroom. Bring science to life and get your students outside with standards-aligned programs and hands-on learning! Grant funded scholarships and bus stipends are available for Title 1 schools. Learn more.
Our programs are aligned to both Arizona and New Mexico state science standards and delivered by professional educators who love sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for conservation education.
Imagine students learning about animal adaptations then seeing examples of the biodiversity of beaks, feathers, feet, and other behaviors while going on a guided bird walk around the Audubon Center. These examples of place-based, hands-on learning helps students connect complex science concepts with real-world examples right in their local community.
I have great memories of my school field trips back in the day, getting a fun day out of school when we could explore my community and see a fun new place like the zoo or a museum. Of course, my favorite part was seeing what my mom packed in my picnic lunch, but more than 30 years later, I still remember some of the places we went. In addition to the novelty of learning in a place beyond your school (and eating a picnic lunch), field trips give both students and teachers the opportunity to bond and build relationships in a different environment. Field trips to the Randall Davey Audubon Center and Rio Salado Audubon Center both provide a day of exploration, learning, and fun. Students have the opportunity to learn about local wildlife, use real science tools like binoculars, practice science skills like observation and inferences, and investigate ecosystems in our native plant gardens and out on the trail.
Can’t get a bus, or a day off campus? We will come to you!
As part of our commitment to equity and accessible programs, we always offer programs at your local school. Audubon educators can bring the science learning to your classroom and schoolyard, delivering the same fun, hands-on, standards-aligned programs in an offsite model.
“RDAC is a valuable community partner dedicated to enhancing the lives and experiences of the students of Santa Fe” -4th Grade Teacher, Santa Fe Public Schools, participant in the Santa Fe Outdoor Education Collaborative training
Program Highlight: Nature In Your Neighborhood- Field trip to the Rio Salado Audubon Center
Students get outside to explore the Sonoran Desert, right here in the middle of Phoenix! Audubon educators guide students through a hands-on investigation of animal skulls and furs to learn how mammals use different adaptations to survive in the Southwest. Then, students head outside on a guided hike through the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area, practicing their science observation skills to learn about insects, plants, and birds found along the trail. We wrap up the field trip with either a science investigation game about bird beak adaptations, or a STEAM lesson that helps students see the connection between art and science while studying perspective and illustration.
“Our Educator was very knowledgeable! Would highly recommend this program to supplement any science curriculum.” -3rd grade teacher, Santa Fe Public Schools
Our goal with any school program is to connect students with the conservation work Audubon does every day, to increase students’ science literacy and understanding of environmental issues, and to engage our communities to help develop the next generation of conservation leaders.
