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The intent of these guides is to provide middle school students with the opportunity to observe natural processes at Point Reyes National Seashore so they might take a greater interest in environmental stewardship and science. Teachers from fifteen area schools developed and field-tested seven "Creating Coastal Stewardship through Science" guides for classroom and field trip use. Each guide is carefully designed to facilitate a hands-on learning experience using science and the environment. Natural resources such as Pacific gray whales, northern elephant seals, tule elk, California quail, Douglas iris, and the San Andreas Fault are highlighted because they are easy to identify and to observe. All activities are linked to the California State Science Standards (2000) and the National Science Standards.

You may use this guide alone or in conjunction with other guides. We highly recommend that whenever you use a guide, you use the pre-visit activities to fully prepare the students for the field trip. These activities address student safety, wildlife observation techniques, equipment use, field journal development, and concepts that need to be taught prior to the park visit. Use of the post-visit activities is also critical to the learning process because they guide the students in making scientific deductions and in developing their environmental stewardship ethics.

Following this preface, you will find background information on the National Park Service and an overview of Point Reyes National Seashore. To provide your students with a better understanding of the place that they will be visiting, we recommend that you share this information with your students. For an in-depth overview of the National Park Service, visit our website at www.nps.gov.

Point Reyes National Seashore provides outstanding opportunities for learning about natural and cultural resources. There are also exceptional educational opportunities provided by Park partners such as the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Audubon Canyon Ranch, and Point Reyes National Seashore Association. To learn more about the Park and our partners, visit our website at www.nps.gov/pore.

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