El Malpais makes an excellent outdoor classroom and offers a variety of educational opportunities year round. Field Trips may include teacher or ranger led programs depending on staff availability. Both programs are designed to meet Common Core Standards. All field trips are free.
Email ELMAO_Education@nps.gov to schedule your field trip.
Current Field Trip Lessons:
Following your field trip, post-activities will be emailed to the email address that was provided for making the field trip request.
Available locations for field trips:
El Malpais Visitor Center
Sandstone Bluffs
*please note: all other areas of the park are currently not permitted for field trips in order to ensure student safety and to comply with Wilderness regulations.
Email ELMAO_Education@nps.gov to schedule your field trip.
Ranger-Led Field Trip Programs
El Malpais offers Ranger led field trips for all grade levels in the Spring (April-June) and Fall (August-October). Field Trip locations include El Malpais Visitor Center, El Calderon, and Sandstone Bluffs. To learn more about Field Trips or to schedule a trip, please contact the Education Specialist via e-mail.Current Field Trip Lessons:
- Volcanoes (45 min)
- Younger students learn the basics of how a volcano forms, create a volcano craft, and watch a model baking soda volcano explosion.
- Older students (5th-8th) create miniature model volcanoes, learn about the different types of volcanoes, how volcanoes form, and experiment with a baking soda and vinegar explosion in their model volcanoes.
- Animal Detective
- Upper elementary reccomended. Students learn about how adaptations help animals to survive.
- Living on Lava
- Upper elementary reccomended. Students learn how lava is formed and how plants and animals have adapted to survive on such a rough terrain.
- Who is the National Park Service?
- Upper elementary reccomended. Students learn about the National Park Service.
Pre-Visit Materials:
Before your trip to El Malpais, prepare your students with these in-class programs. Please email ELMAO_Education@nps.gov to receive the PDF lesson plan. A ranger can present a pre-visit lesson to the class upon request.
Topics include:
Before your trip to El Malpais, prepare your students with these in-class programs. Please email ELMAO_Education@nps.gov to receive the PDF lesson plan. A ranger can present a pre-visit lesson to the class upon request.
Topics include:
- Volcanism
- Biodiversity and Life Science
- Cultural History
- National Parks
- Fire
- Outdoor Exploration
Following your field trip, post-activities will be emailed to the email address that was provided for making the field trip request.
Teacher-Led Field Trips
Programs for Teacher-Led field trips are available a reservation must be made two weeks in advance. All teacher-led field trips require an education reservation form, confirmation, and agreement to park rules and policies. All teacher-led field trips must check in at the El Malpais Visitor Center.Available locations for field trips:
El Malpais Visitor Center
Sandstone Bluffs
*please note: all other areas of the park are currently not permitted for field trips in order to ensure student safety and to comply with Wilderness regulations.
Preparing for your field trip
- Reservation Form. Ensure that you have made a reservation at least two weeks in adnvace and have received a confirmation email. To make a reservation, email ELMAO_Education@nps.gov.
- Arrange transportation. How will you get to and from the park? How will you get around once you arrive? Make arrangements and secure funding for buses, large vehicles, or personal vehicles to transport your group to and from El Malpais. Funding to help pay for school buses is available for Ranger-Led field trips. Please contact Shannon_Lobb@nps.gov for more information.
- Plan your itinerary. Consider which ranger programs will support the learning goals of your class. Research your choices carefully to ensure that each will fit your schedule and accommodate the size and impact of your group.
- Plan for lunch. Picnic areas are limited, please let park staff know if you plan to eat lunch at the park when making a reservation.
- Prepare your students. Are your students ready for a trip to El Malpais? Before you arrive, discuss Leave No Trace principles. Supplement your learning goals by utlizing pre and post visit materials. Materials will be emailed with confirmation of field trip. Ensure that students and parents are prepared for weather conditions and to be outside. Proprer footwear, water, sunscreen, snacks, etc. is highly reccomended.
- Prepare chaperones. All field trips require a ratio of one adult per seven students. This ratio is to ensure student safety. Please ensure that all chaperones are aware of their duties and are prepared to participate in field trip activities.
Last updated: July 25, 2024