Virtual Tour Overview
Grade: 1st-5th
Time: 20 minutes
Adult support needed? No
Native plants are an important part of the San Lorenzo River. Join CWC staff Whitney Reynier and Mollie Behn on this interactive virtual tour to learn more about the local plants that call the San Lorenzo River home and why they are so important to protecting the health of the San Lorenzo River.
Supports Next Generation Science Standards:
- 1-LS3-1. Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
- 4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans.*
- 5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.
Materials Needed:
- Blank paper
- Pencil
Additional Activities Related to Native Plants:
- Interactive Virtual Tour: What Makes a River Healthy?: The San Lorenzo River is an important part of the Santa Cruz community for wildlife, plants and humans. A healthy San Lorenzo River is important for the well-being of our entire community. Join CWC staff Whitney Reynier and Mollie Behn on this interactive virtual tour to learn what makes the San Lorenzo River healthy. You’ll have a chance to learn a bit about the history of the river, observe important features of the river that help make it healthy, and share your ideas either in writing or by drawing.
- Activity: The River Ecosystem: Get to know the different types of native plants that support a healthy river ecosystem. Want to know which plants help steelhead? You’ll learn that! Want to know which plants are pollinator favorites? You’ll learn that too! Many of these plants can also be found elsewhere in Santa Cruz County – maybe you will recognize plants that also live in your neighborhood
- Learn more about some native plants that help make a healthy river ecosystem like Yarrow, Lupine, Rush, and Willows.
- More coming soon!
To all of the Watershed Rangers students, teachers and program partners, although we will not be able to see you in classrooms, field trips and after school programs right now, we hope to provide you and your loved ones with online resources and activities during this time. We know that parents, teacher and lifelong learners are seeking ways to stay engaged and active, and we’re going to be working to bring activities to you through the Coastal Watershed Council blog. Please share these resources and activities with friends, neighbors and parents groups and stay tuned for more.
Additional resources:
- Santa Cruz County Office of Education News & Food Programs: Parents are encouraged to call or email their child’s school or district prior to visiting the site in person if they have questions or need services beyond the food program available to their student or to pick up distance learning materials. Please find a master list of all Santa Cruz County food service distribution locations at http://sccoe.link/food_service. Please find an interactive map of all the food distribution locations and service times at http://sccoe.link/food_service_map.
- Speaking with your child about COVID
- Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency
- Santa Cruz County 211