Sunol AgPark Education Programs
Field Trips for 4th-8th Grade School Groups
In-School Programs for 4th-6th Grade School Groups
Service Learning for Middle Schools, High Schools and Youth Groups
See Sunol AgPark Agroecology Education Programs Slideshows
Field Trips for 4th-8th Grade School Groups
Register for a field trip here
(click to view Field Trip Program FAQ’s)
We have developed an exciting new curriculum called “Farming in the Watershed” that engages children with the farmers and landscape of this unique, 18-acre organic farm through a variety of hands-on activities. The curriculum has 18 lessons in 3 units all tied to California State Standards.
A field trip includes an introductory farm tour and 1 or 2 lessons, selected by the teacher, spaced around a snack/lunch break. This special opportunity will connect students to the land and people involved in agriculture and natural resource preservation, while they learn about a major local watershed and Sunol’s unique history. Field trips generally run from 10 am to 1 pm, but start and end times are flexible to meet your scheduling needs.
Field trips fill up fast. We offer field trips Monday – Friday, from Fall through Spring. Cost is $4 per student. Some schools may qualify for reduced cost and a transportation stipend.
Unit 1: Stewarding the Sunol Valley Through Time
This unit explores the relationship between the Sunol Valley’s human inhabitants and the landscape over time. Activities include: drawing the Sunol Water Temple, building a model water system, and investigating the history of AgPark crops.
Unit 2: Stewardship Through Farming and Eating
This unit explores the connections between healthy farms, healthy food, and healthy communities, focusing on the AgPark farms. Activities include interviewing a farmer, observing insect diversity, and helping a farmer.
Unit 3: Stewardship From Urban to Wild Landscapes
This unit explores the relationship between the AgPark and the surrounding environment. Activities include building a model watershed, exploring creek diversity, and taking soil samples.
In-School Programs for 4th-6th Grade School Groups
In-school programs (1 or 2 hours) bring the Farming in the Watershed‘s experiential learning activities to the school and may include lessons about:
- The geography of watersheds and the water systems that provide water for farms and cities
- Relationship of water to the production of the food we eat
- Historical land uses of the indigenous people in the Sunol Valley watershed
- Where in the World our food comes from and soil science exploration
In-school programs are available at no cost to schools within SAGE’s target service area. Please contact us education@sagecenter.org or fill out the Field Trip Request Form for more information. We hope to see you soon!
Service Learning for Middle Schools, High Schools and Youth Groups
Service learning gives youth a chance to dig in at the Sunol AgPark. Groups are assigned specific natural resource stewardship and farming projects, such as planting and maintaining the habitat hedgerow and assisting a farmer with harvesting crops. We encourage groups to visit the site several times to establish a sense of ownership and accomplishment.
This opportunity gives students and youth an opportunity to learn and practice new skills, while making an important contribution to AgPark.
Service learning programs are free for low-income groups and have a modest fee for other groups. For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact education@sagecenter.org.
Public Tours and Workdays
We welcome the public to pitch in at monthly public work days to help maintain our habitat hedgerows and other common areas of the AgPark. For High School student volunteers, we award community service hours for participation. For more information and to get involved please contact our Site Coordinator at aspen@sagecenter.org.