PORTS Programs

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

Why Do Redwoods Live Here?

Henry Cowell RSP is home to an abundance of biodiversity and during your virtual field trip you’ll have a chance to explore a glimpse of...

Explore the Coastal Sandhill Habitat

Explore one of the most sensitive and endangered ecosystems in the greater Santa Cruz area, the Santa Cruz Sandhills. This habitat does not support Coast...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...