Classroom Programs

A park ranger engages students in a classroom.

NPS Photo

 

Program Requests for the 2025-26 Academic Year Are CLOSED

Thank you for your interest in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Education Program. The submission period for winter and spring curriculum-based program requests for the 2025-2026 school year closed on December 23, 2025.

The open period for 2026-2027 academic year program requests is expected to begin in October or November 2026.

 

Invite a Ranger to Your Class!

Thank you for your interest in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Education Program.

We offer a variety of curriculum-based programs and in-class opportunities that combine California curriculum standards with the natural and cultural resources found in the parks. Our education rangers visit classrooms throughout the San Joaquin Valley to present programs that align and expand upon lessons teachers provide in the classroom.

The program request period for the 2025-2026 academic year ended in late December.

Interested in requesting a program during the 2026-2027 academic year? Use the information below to begin planning. Keep in mind that program offerings can vary from year-to-year.

 

General Information

• All Ranger-in-the-Classroom curriculum-based programs are free.
• The parks' curriculum-based programs align with California Curriculum Content Standards for specific grade levels. Each grade level has two program options to choose from. Detailed program descriptions can be found below.
• In-class programs are typically offered to area schools Monday through Friday from mid-January to early May.
• The program request period for classroom programs is typically late October to early December, but varies from year to year. Check back here for updates in the fall.
• To begin advance planning for a 2026-2027 in-class program, review past programs below.
• When program requests are being accepted, all requests must be submitted using an online Program Request Form that will be posted on this page. Emailed requests, requests using previous versions of a request form, or requests submitted outside of the open period will not be accepted.

 

2025-2026 Ranger-in-the-Classroom Program Options

A listing of Ranger-in-the-Classroom programs offered by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Grade	Program Name	Length of Program	Key Concepts
TK to K	Read with a Ranger	30 minutes	Storytelling, listening, drawing
TK to 1st Grade	Birds and Bats	45 minutes	Compare & contrast
TK to 1st Grade	Observing with Your Five Senses	45 minutes	Observations, storytelling
2nd Grade	Bear Essentials	1 hour	Life cycles, mammals, adaptations
2nd Grade	A Giant's Life – Sequoia Tree Life Cycles	1 hour	Life cycles, adaptations
3rd Grade	Layers in Time – An Archeological Dig	1 hour	History, archeology
3rd Grade	Ready, Set, Grow – Plant Adaptations	1 hour	Adaptations, photosynthesis
4th Grade	Life in the Zone – Ecosystems & Elevation	1 hour	Ecology, weather & climate
4th Grade	Meet Your National Parks	1 hour	History, stewardship
5th Grade	Explore Your Watershed	1 hour	Landforms, hydrology
5th Grade	Nocturnal Hunters – Owl Adaptations	1 hour	Adaptations, predator/prey interactions
6th Grade	Fire Ecology in a Changing World	1 hour	Climate change, ecology
6th Grade	Spying on Skulls – Sequoia Mammals	1 hour	Adaptations, scientific method

Program Descriptions

Transitional Kindergarten–Kindergarten

Read with a Ranger

Bring a national park ranger into your classroom for an interactive storytime experience. Students enjoy a nature-themed storybook followed by a simple ranger-led activity, such as guided drawing, movement, or a listening exercise, that reinforces reading and observation skills.

Transitional Kindergarten–1st Grade

Birds and Bats

Students explore the fascinating world of bats by comparing them with birds. This program includes a ranger introduction, a reading of Stellaluna, and fun hands-on activities that build understanding of animal behavior and adaptations.

Observing with Your Five Senses

Students discover the power of their senses as tools for learning about the natural world. A ranger introduces the National Park Service, leads a reading and song, and guides students through an activity that highlights seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting (no actual tasting involved).

2nd Grade

Bear Essentials

Students learn about the American black bear—its habitat, diet, and life cycle—and how human behaviors can impact wild bears. This program includes a ranger introduction, story reading, song activity, and a discussion about how to keep bears wild and safe.

A Giant’s Life – Sequoia Tree Life Cycles

Students get an up-close look at the giant sequoias of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. With a ranger introduction to the National Park Service, story and song activities, and a discussion on size, growth, and survival strategies, students explore what makes these trees truly giant.

3rd Grade

Layers in Time – An Archaeological Dig

Students investigate the lives of Native American tribes who once lived in Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Through a hands-on mock archaeological dig, they examine artifacts and learn how people of the past interacted with the landscape. This in-class lesson pairs well with an optional park field trip.

Ready, Set, Grow – Plant Adaptations

Students study plant life cycles and explore how plants adapt to survive in different environments. The program includes a reading, a ranger-led activity, and a presentation showcasing the diversity of plant adaptations in the Sierra Nevada.

4th Grade

Life in the Zone – Ecosystems & Elevation

Students take a virtual journey up the Sierra Nevada to explore how temperature and precipitation shape distinct life zones. Through interactive discussion and hands-on group activities, students discover how plants and animals adapt to survive at different elevations.

Meet Your National Parks

Students learn about the history and purpose of national parks—an American invention designed to protect natural and cultural treasures. Using the elements of the National Park Service arrowhead emblem, students examine what national parks preserve and why they matter.

5th Grade

Explore Your Watershed

Students learn what a watershed is and explore how Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks fit into their own regional watershed. The program introduces key concepts in water movement, conservation, and human impacts on water quality.

Nocturnal Hunters – Owl Adaptations

Through the dissection of replica owl pellets, students discover what owls eat and how they use specialized adaptations to hunt at night. A ranger introduction and discussion on sensory adaptations prepare students for this exciting hands-on activity.

6th Grade

Fire Ecology in a Changing World

Students examine the natural role of fire in Sierra Nevada ecosystems and how fire management has evolved. The program explores how climate change and other factors are altering California’s fire regimes, leading to hotter droughts, longer fire seasons, and new challenges for forest recovery.

Spying on Skulls – Sequoia Mammals

Students compare skulls, teeth, and other features of local mammals to understand predator-prey relationships and adaptations. By analyzing structures such as incisors, canines, molars, and eye placement, they discover how animals eat, which senses they rely on to find food, and survival adaptations.