For Teachers

Photo of male park ranger wearing grey shirt, green pants, and flat hat, with girl with long brown hair. Ranger is holding a booklet
Whiskeytown is a great place for student learning! Here, a 4th grader and park ranger interact in the Tower House Historic District.

Calling all Educators: enhance your students’ education with a free visit to the ultimate classroom - Whiskeytown National Recreation Area!!! Park rangers offer a series of field trip, in-classroom, and virtual education programs, and we can also potentially cater a program to your specific curriculum and educational needs. See below for our listing of programs or email us at WHIS_information@nps.gov if you are ready to schedule.

Every Kid Outdoors: 4th Grader National Park System Pass

4th Grade, one hour, In-Classroom.
Students will be introduced to the U.S. National Park System during this interactive, in-classroom presentation. At the end of the program, the park ranger will issue each 4th grader a National Park System pass which gives the student and their family carload free entry into almost 430 national park units across the country.

The Wintu of Whiskeytown

3rd Grade, 2 hours, Field Trip program at Tower House Historic District.
During this place-based field trip program, 3rd graders will gain a deeper understanding of the indigenous heritage of the local area. Students will rotate through a series of four interactive activities focused on Wintu geography, Wintu use of native plants (ethnobotany), indigenous use of fire, and the story of Kate Camden. This program was developed in consultation with Redding Rancheria.

California Gold Rush

4th Grade, 2 hours, Field Trip program at Tower House Historic District.
During this hands-on field trip program, students discover how pioneers/prospectors Charles Camden and Levi Tower reshaped the landscape to create a home for their families and an "oasis" for many travelers during and after the California Gold Rush. Students will also try their hands at gold panning and learn about the different types of mining.

Virtual or In-Classroom Programs

In addition to school-aged youth, the following programs are available virtually to adult education groups.

A Climate of Change at Whiskeytown

5th Grade to 8th Grade, 45 minutes, Virtual or In-Classroom program.
Climate change is a sensitive topic. It is also an important topic. During this in-classroom or virtual program geared for 5th graders and above, students will discover how the rise in carbon dioxide emissions is affecting the national recreation area. They will also learn how Whiskeytown is setting an example in sustainability.

Adapted for Fire

5th Grade to 8th Grade, 45 minutes, Virtual or In-Classroom program.
In recent history, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area has experienced a large variety of wildfires - some small, some human-caused, some natural, and one in particular (the Carr Fire) the most destructive fire in National Park System history. Is fire new to the Whiskeytown landscape or has fire been occuring here for millennia? Learn about fire ecology and fire management during this virtual or in-classroom program.

Whiskeytown Rocks: An Introduction to Park Geology

5th Grade to 8th Grade, 45 minutes, Virtual or In-Classroom program.
The national recreation area's geology is complex and Shasta Bally, the park's tallest mountain, is particularly unstable and hazardous. During this virtual or in-classroom program, investigate what sets Whiskeytown geology apart and discover the park's geologic hazards.

Adapt or Survive: Howell's Alkali Grass

5th Grade to 8th Grade, 45 minutes, Virtual or In-Classroom program.
Howell's Alkali Grass, or Puccinella Howellii, is a plant that lives in Whiskeytown and nowhere else on earth. It lives in rough terrain and likes bad water. Explore the adaptations of this unique plant with a park ranger and discover why all native species are important and need to be protected.

Fisher Fundamentals

5th Grade to 8th Grade, 45 minutes, Virtual or In-Classroom program.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is home to numerous wildlife species, among them the Fisher. This weasel-like animal was historically found throughout the western United States but was nearly hunted to extinction. During this virtual or in-classroom program, discover what makes fishers unique, why they were hunted, how they are surviving today and what Whiskeytown employees are doing to help.

Whiskeytown & the Northern Diggins

4th Grade to 8th Grade, 45 minutes, Virtual or In-Classroom program.
Upon the discovery of gold along Clear Creek, Shasta County and current day Whiskeytown National Recreation Area quickly became a hot spot for 49ers searching for gold. Whiskeytown saw it all, from gold panning and miners from all over the world to classic hardrock mining and boom towns. During this virtual or in-classroom program, explore the history of mining, learn how mining occurred, who the miners were and if the search for gold ever stopped.

The Wintu of Whiskeytown

3rd Grade to 8th Grade, 45 minutes, Virtual or In-Classroom program.
Adapted from the field trip of the same name, this program focuses on the indigenous heritage of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Participants will learn about Wintu geography and settlement patterns, Wintu use of native plants (ethnobotany), and indigenous use of fire to maintain and enhance the land.

Academic Entrance Fee Wavier

Groups from bona fide educational institutions are eligible for an entrance fee waiver if they are coming to learn about the park. Requests should be sent at least two weeks in advance of visit using the following form: Application for Academic Fee Waiver.

 
Two girls, one white and one African American, smiling with hands on a white fence.
All smiles during the field trip! These two girls stand in the Camden House front yard during the Wintu of Whiskeytown field trip program.
 
A girl panning for gold
A girl panning for gold in Clear Creek during the California Gold Rush program.
 
Park ranger speaking to group of visitors
An interpretive park ranger speaking to 4th graders at Tower House Historic District during the California Gold Rush program.

Last updated: January 12, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 188
Whiskeytown, CA 96095

Phone:

530 242-3400

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