Field Trip - Where Is The Water?

Program Content

Deserts are defined as places with sparse precipitation. So how does our Sonoran Desert support such miraculous biodiversity including aquatic environments with organisms like frogs and fish? And how have human beings thrived here since time immemorial? Bring your students on water's journey through the sky, the ground, and living creatures.

• Explore the water cycle
• Meet the desert's aquatic inhabitants
• Perfect your water resiliency like adapted desert dwellers
• Use water to express yourself!

AZ Standards: 2.E1U1.5, 2.E1U3.7, 2.L2U1.9, 3.L1U1.5

 

Planning Your Field Trip

Where does it take place?

• East district - Desert Research Learning Center

How many students can attend?

• Maximum group size: 30

How long is it?

• 2 hours

What about transportation?

If you need financial support for your transportation, the Friends of Saguaro National Park can help! Title 1 schools from the Tucson area can request a subsidy of us to $250. Schedule the bus through your district transportation office. After your field trip is complete, have your transportation department send the invoice to Environmental Education at 2700 N Kinney Rd. Tucson, AZ 85743 to apply for the transportation subsidy. If transportation requires more than 1 bus to accommodate your students, please let us know in advance of your trip.

 

Before Your Field Trip

You've scheduled the program, organized the transportation, and collected permission slips. Now let us make sure all your hard work is put to the most effective use during your trip to Saguaro. This short program ensures that your students know what to expect, what's expected of them, and that they will have a fun and successful day at the park.

After scheduling your field trip, you'll receive an invite to our regularly scheduled timeslots, presented via distance learning. They occur:

Mondays, 9:30 a.m.
Wednesdays, 1:00 p.m.
20 minutes

If you cannot attend any of the available time slots, you can opt to present the video below at a time of your choosing.

 

 

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  Before Your Field Trip to Saguaro National Park

  Are you bringing your students on a field trip to Saguaro National Park? Meet this year's team of educators and get prepared for the outdoor classroom. We'll make sure the kids have fun, learn something, and stay safe.

  Duration:

  3 minutes, 51 seconds

 

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  Rio Sonoyta Pupfish

  Found only in two places on Earth, the Rio Sonoyta pupfish can withstand water temperatures of up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit--but this tiny, resilient fish has been endangered since 1986 due to the effects of groundwater pumping and a host of other factors. Find out how one remaining population is getting a new lease on life in this video from the Sonoran Desert Network.

  Duration:

  4 minutes, 17 seconds

 

Getting To Your Field Trip

 

The Desert Research Learning Center is located at 12661 East Broadway Boulevard, in Tucson. The facility is adjacent to the east district of Saguaro National Park. Drive east on Broadway until the road ends and then turn into the driveway marked with our sign. Visitor parking is available in front of the main building.

Additional parking and bus turnaround is available behind the building.

 

Fall dates open August 1

Request a Ranger-Guided Field Trip