Let us bring the park to you! Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area offer ranger-led classroom programs on a first-come, first-served basis. All programs are curriculum-based and free. We recommend that you contact us at least one month in advance of your desired date for a classroom program.
How Do I Sign Up?
To request a program, please e-mail us or call (970) 641-2337 ext. 203 with the following information:
The program you would like for your class (see options below)
Three or more preferred dates and times
The number of students per class
Deer fawns find food and security in park habitats.
NPS Photo
Kindergarten
Sensational Wildlife of Black Canyon and Curecanti
Students explore the ways the wildlife of Black Canyon and Curecanti use their senses to survive in their habitat. (45 minutes)
Students explore mountain lions through an investigation of their life cycle from photos, tracks, a pelt, and skull. They learn to stalk like a lion and how to stay safe in lion country. (45 minutes)
Colorado Academic Standards: SC.1.2.1., SC.1.2.2. Next Generation Science Standards: 1-LS3-1.
Hands-on modeling in sand
NPS Photo
Second Grade
Modeling Slow and Fast Changes
Students explore the ways the surface of the earth changes quickly and slow through hands-on modeling in sand. (1 hour)
Fossils teach students about the area's ancient past.
NPS Photo
Third Grade
Fascinating Fossils of Curecanti National Recreation Area
Students explore the processes by which evidence of past life is preserved through fossilization, and how that evidence helps decipher Colorado’s past. (1 hour)
Colorado Academic Standards: SC.3.2.4. Next Generation Science Standards: 3-LS4-1.
The erosive power of the Gunnison River exposes ancient bedrock in Black Canyon.
NPS Photo
Fourth Grade
Geology Rocks!
Students explore the geologic events that form the landscapes of Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Curecanti National Recreation Area. Students review rock-forming processes, identify rock samples, and learn to read the stories behind the scenery. (1 hour)
Colorado Academic Standards: SC.4.3.1. Next Generation Science Standards: 4-ESS1-1.
Water cascades over Crystal Dam's spillway during spring runoff.
NPS Photo
Fourth Grade
Curecanti’s Hydroelectric Dams
Students explore the different types of dams, and then design, build, and test a model dam. Students consider the environmental impacts of dams and suggest conservation actions. (1 hour)
Colorado Academic Standards: SC.4.3.4., SC.4.3.5. Next Generation Science Standards: 4-ESS3-2.
A quiet morning at Curecanti's Blue Mesa Reservoir.
NPS Photo
Fifth Grade
Water We Share
Interactive demonstrations and activities illustrate the water cycle, watershed journeys, and the many uses of this precious resource, with an emphasis on human responsibility. (1 hour)
