Classroom Programs

A park ranger engages students in a classroom.

NPS Photo

 

Program Requests for the 2025-26 Academic Year Are OPEN

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 is open.

Program requests will be accepted until 9 am on December 23, 2025.

In-class programs will be scheduled Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from January 21 through May 1.

 

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.

 

 

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 open from December 12 to December 23.
• To request an in-class program, review the available programs below and fill out a Program Request Form.
• All requests must be submitted using the current online Program Request Form. Emailed requests, requests using previous versions of a request form, or requests submitted outside of the open period will not be accepted.

 

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.

 

Ranger-in-the-Classroom Program Request Form

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

Teachers and educators who would like to schedule a Ranger-in-the-Classroom program for their students should carefully review the information above and below before completing the Program Request Form at the bottom of this page.

Program Request Open Period

The request period for winter and spring 2025–2026 in-classroom programs is open from December 12 at noon through December 23 at 9 am.
During this window all requests must be submitted using the online NPS Program Request Form below.

Important Information About Making Requests

• In-class programs will be scheduled Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from January 21 through May 1.
• On the Program Request Form below, teachers should request a specific date (top choice) and add two alternative dates (second and third choice) in order of preference.
• Education staff can typically present up to four one-hour programs per ranger per day. We strongly encourage teachers within the same school to coordinate dates so rangers can present to multiple classes or an entire grade level during a single visit. Ideally, rangers can present to multiple classes in one day, with staggered times for each classroom program.
• When selecting dates, please consider your school calendar, field trips, testing schedules, and any potential conflicts.
• To ensure equitable access, we are currently accepting one program request per classroom. If you would like an additional program, you may submit a separate request form; your class will be placed on a waitlist and scheduled if space allows.

Ranger Travel Limitations  

Due to high demand and significant travel times between schools, priority will be given to schools located within a 50-mile radius of Park Headquarters (near Three Rivers, CA). Schools outside this radius will be added to the waitlist and scheduled if time and staffing permit.

Submitting a Request Does Not Guarantee a Program

After the request window closes, education staff will review all submissions to determine demand and scheduling capacity. If your request can be accommodated, a staff member will reach out with available dates and next steps for confirming your program.

Form Instructions

Before completing the Program Request Form, please review the following guidelines:

• Coordinate with other teachers at your school to avoid duplicate requests and to explore opportunities for same-day grade-level visits.
• Ensure that the individual listed under “School/Organization Contact Information” is the primary person we should contact for scheduling.
• If you wish to include a secondary contact, please enter their information under the “Group Details – Ranger in Classroom Program” menu.
• Under “Program Name or Subject Requested,” enter the title of the classroom program you would like to schedule. Please copy and paste the program title from the Program Descriptions above.
• Enter the total number of students who will participate in the program.
• An education ranger will follow up by email once your request has been reviewed and scheduling options are available.

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228

Learning Accommodations

Does anyone in your group need any accommodations?

Yes No

If yes, describe the accommodation need.

Next Step

School / Organization Contact Information

School / Organization Name (required)

Name of Requester/Contact Person (required)

Title / Position (required)

Contact Email Address (required)

Contact Phone Number (required)
123-456-7890 extension if any

Contact Mailing Address Country

I have a US mailing address

I have a mailing address outside the US

International Mailing Address (required)
Please include building number and street, city, state/province country and Postal Code

Mailing Address (required)

City (required)

State (required)

Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces - Americas Armed Forces - Europe Armed Forces - Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

ZIP (required)
Five digit ZIP code [99999]

Next Step

Group Details - Ranger in Classroom Program

Name of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Title / Position of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Email Address of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Phone Number of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)
Format: 123-456-7890

Program Name or Subject Requested

How much time will the ranger have to conduct the program? (required)

Grade Level(s) of Students (required)

Number of Staff / Chaperones (required)

Number of Students (required)

Preferred Date of Visit (required)
format mmddyyyy

My preferred date has been confirmed by the park (required)

Yes No

Preferred Program Start Time (required)

Alternative Date(s) (required)
Enter one or more dates.

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.

Submit my Education Reservation Request

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NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.