PORTS Programs
Bring a park expert straight into your classroom virtually with a live PORTS program. These programs are just for your class, highly engaging, and your students will love you for it.
Understanding Hydroelectricity at the Folsom Powerhouse
Join us for an electrifying program about the power of the past here at Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park! During this program, we will learn...
Building the California Delta: A Story of Chinese Immigration and Agriculture
Join us as we explore the most complete example of a rural Chinese agricultural community in the United States! In this program, we will explore...
Hi Up House: Resilience in the Canyon
This program uses the story of the McCollough family and the Hi-Up House, built in Wildwood Canyon during the Great Depression, to explore universal themes....
Raptors to Raptors: the Evolution of Birds (Block Schedule)
Meet the missing link between reptilian dinosaurs and modern-day birds! Join us at Silver Strand State Beach as we walk through time and evolution to...
Trees of the Tahoe Basin
Learn about the amazing trees of Sugar Pine Point State Park, and their adaptations to the harsh mountain climates of the Tahoe Basin! We will...
People Shape Ecosystems
Join us in exploring the unique and varied ecosystems of Humboldt Redwoods State Park! Humans are a part of nature, and we have the ability...
Water: California’s Most Precious Resource
Come along as we explore how agriculture in California’s Central Valley demand for water led to the creation of one of the world’s largest water...
From Coal to Clay
Join us for a trip back in time to over 125 years ago to the first coal mines in California and the long lost Brick...
Working Hands: The Labor that Built the California Dream
Explore the work and the workers that created the massive success of the California citrus industry. Follow your guide through the citrus groves and packing...
Travelers of the Sierra Nevada Mountains
Join a Donner Memorial State Park Interpreter sharing stories of the diversity of people who came through the Donner Lake area in the Sierra Nevada...
A Dream Redrawn: the Architecture of Allensworth
Colonel Allen Allensworth was a man of great vision- a Civil War Veteran, Minister, City Planner and Leader of the Buffalo Soldiers (all-African American army...
Salmon in the Trees
Join us for the migration of a lifetime! From freshwater streams to the open ocean and back again, salmon are one of nature’s best nutrient...
Kayak Quest: Explore Above and Below the Ocean’s Surface
Join us for an unforgettable kayaking adventure at the “crown jewel of the California State Park System”, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. We will paddle...
Tahoe’s Urban Bears
Come meet Rubi the bear at Sugar Pine Point State Park. In this program we will explore the differences between wildland bears of the Tahoe...
Desert Adaptations: The Game Show!
Classmates compete to create an imaginary animal that can survive in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Solve riddles, guess words, and spin your way to survival!...
Salmon and Sediment: Fueling the Redwood Forest
Learn about the anadromous life cycle of Salmon living on the north coast of California. These fish, and many other systems, connect the Redwood Forest...
Animal Detectives at Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Can you find evidence of hidden desert wildlife? Learn how prints, scat, and other signs can reveal animal activity to scientists. Practice the secrets of...
Mojave Desert Grassland Adaptations
The Mojave Desert can be a harsh place to live. The Antelope Valley CA Poppy Reserve sits on the western border of the Mojave desert....
Lighthouse Engineer Challenge
Lighthouses do all kinds of jobs all over the world! This 45 minute program challenges students to become lighthouse engineers. Students will learn about the...
“The Snail and the Whale” Story Time!
Join California State Parks Interpreter Kat at MacKerricher State Park in reading the story book “The Snail and the Whale” by Julia Donaldson! Students will...
Footprints of the Forest
Join us for a high-altitude virtual field trip up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to Mount San Jacinto State PArk and Wilderness! In the first...
Ancient Tools and Technology
Learn about the concept of technology and its historical applications in this STEAM focused program at Lake Perris State Recreation Area. You will learn about...
Jaw-some Great Whites
Join us at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve for an unforgettable underwater adventure exploring the fascinating world of great white sharks! In this interactive, educational...
Stewards of the Lagoon at Chah-pekw O’-Ket’-toh “Stone Lagoon”
Humboldt Lagoons State Park is beautiful park with a unique ecosystem, culture and history. This program ties together these places with Yurok perspectives on this...
Eel River Escapade
Join us in learning about the Eel River watershed from Richardson Grove State Park! Watersheds are all around us and are made up of so...
The History of Coloma Told Through Trees
Join us at Marshall Gold Discovery SHP as we explore the history of the Coloma Valley before, during and after the Discovery of Gold. During...
Allensworth and the California Buffalo Soldier Trail
During the American Civil War, some 180,000 black men served as soldiers in the United States Colored Troops (USCT) of the Union Army. Many veterans...
A Hard Day’s Work on the Ranch
Living on a dairy ranch in the year 1900 took a lot of hard work and required working together as a team to be successful....
Seafloor to Seashore – Finding Fossils at Seacliff
How did fossils from the seafloor end up in the cliffs at Seacliff State Beach? During this 45-minute virtual program, students (grades 2-4) will become...
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration
Seacliff State Beach is located in the heart of the Monterey Bay. This bay is a very special place as it is part of the...
Tidepool Exploration at Natural Bridges State Beach
During this program, you and your students will discover tidepool adaptations and zonation at Natural Bridges State Beach. This hour-long program will guide you and...
Harbor Seal Adaptations!
Students will virtually visit MacKerricher State Park to explore the similarities and differences between humans and marine mammals, specifically the Harbor Seal! Students will observe...
Allensworth: A California African American Town
Welcome to Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, a town founded, financed and governed by African Americans. In 1908, Colonel Allen Allensworth and four other settlers...
Rooted in Survival: Unveiling the Resilient World of Coast Redwoods
Rooted in Survival is an exciting virtual field trip that brings the wonders of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park straight to your classroom or learning...
Sutter’s Fort Through Time
Join us for a journey back in time to the 1840s and discover how California’s story began at Sutter’s Fort! Located in the heart of...
Tule Elk: One of California’s Largest Land Mammals
The Tule Elk State Natural Reserve protects a small herd of tule elk, an endemic California subspecies of elk once hunted nearly to extinction. Tule...
Explore Our Shore
Join us as we learn about the diverse organisms that inhabit our shore and coastal environments at Carpinteria State Beach. Habitats may include tidepools, estuaries,...
Elephant Seals of Hearst San Simeon State Park
Join us for a deep dive into the fascinating lives of Northern Elephants Seals from Hearst San Simeon State Park. Together, we will observe elephant...
Connecting with Ancient Civilizations at Hearst Castle
During this 45-60 min program, your students will explore the mythology, the art, and the architecture of ancient civilizations. Statues such as the Egyptian goddess...
Step Back in Time at La Purisima Mission
Participate in a historical journey at La Purísima Mission State Historic Park to learn about the history of California missions and the hardships endured by...
Eelgrass Habitat in the San Diego Bay: An Underwater Wonder
Explore the unique eelgrass habitat at Silver Strand State Beach! In this program, students will learn about how eelgrass in the San Diego Bay provides...
Sea Otters of Morro Bay
Morro Bay State Park is located on California’s beautiful central coast and features wetlands, mudflats, coastal scrub and more! Many different animals and plants call...
Day of Alta California at San Juan Bautista State Historic Park (English or Spanish)
Bienvenidos! This program explores Mexican Alta California and its people in a 40-minute discovery of San Juan Bautista State Historic Park. Students learn about aspects...
Salt Marsh Secrets (3-5th) at Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
In this program, students will discover salt marsh plant and animal species using observational skills, movement, and nature journaling techniques. We’ll focus on the plants’...
Tar, Not Just a Nuisance!
Let’s discover the active tar seeps at Carpinteria State Beach! Students will learn about why and how tar continues to seep on our coast. We...
Coyote: Song Dog of the West
Coyotes might not be the most common animal on Mount Tamalpais, but they can be an exciting animal to encounter here! Throughout their history with...
Stop! Hammer Time!: Blacksmithing in 19th Century San Diego
Step into the past as you follow us on an awesome adventure through an 1800 blacksmith shop at Old Town Old town San Diego State...
Birds of Prey at Millerton Lake
Birds of prey have adapted over generations to become the premier hunters at Millerton Lake State Recreation Area. For thousands of years, predator birds have...
Tidepool Animal Incredible Adaptations in Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area
Join us on a 45-minute virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) to learn about tidepool habitats and the incredible...
Explore Life in 1850s California at a Frontier Army Post
This program at Fort Tejon State Historic Park provides a glimpse of life in frontier California in the 1850s through the lens of a remote...
Story Time at Hearst Castle with ‘How a House is Built” by G. Gibbons
Are your students curious about building? It took a team of skilled workers 28 years to build Hearst Castle. Together with an interpretive guide, your...
Underwater Creatures of the Marine Protected Areas
Join us along the Gaviota Coast to discover the importance of marine protected areas (MPA’s)! Throughout our program, we will examine a number of species...
Watersheds Connect Me to the Sea
We are all connected to our one global ocean through our local watersheds. Join us at San Elijo State Beach as we dive into how...
Explore Redwood Wonders Of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Explore the Coast Redwoods of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park! These ancient giants play a vital role in our unique coastal ecosystem. Join us as...
All About Acorns: A California Staple
Join presenter Michael for an exploration into the Traditional Food staple of California Native Peoples, pre-contact. Here we will learn about the traditional ways of...
Redwoods, Earth Cycles and Climate Change
As the keepers of a complex ecosystem, the coast redwoods interact with our Earth cycles in many ways. Even as resilient as the redwoods are,...
Experience the Art and Architecture of Hearst Castle
Newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst acquired a vast art collection for his estate in San Simeon, Ca. Students will go on a journey exploring the...
Redwood Anatomy and Adaptations
Towering above all else that grows in nature, the coast redwood is a marvel among trees. Able to survive for over 2,000 years, these gentle...
The Yurok People Are Still Here
Click to explore this PORTS Program.
Jellies: Sensational Stinging Survivalists
Jellies (aka jellyfish) have amazing adaptations that allow them to thrive throughout our world’s ocean. From surface waters to the deepest depths, from the warm...
Hearst Castle Architect Julia Morgan and STEAM
Explore Hearst Castle and learn why it was built on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean in San Simeon, Ca. Uncover the engineering challenges of...
California Citrus: The Groves and Beyond
During this 45 min virtual program, students will learn how California’s second gold rush (the citrus industry) helped shape and develop California today. They will...
Immigration Stories told from Angel Island State Park
Bring your group virtually to the historic immigration station at Angel Island State Park for a free guided experience. Learn about the under-told history of...