Discover the Flyway Virtual Activities are a collection of live and recorded environmental learning activities for kindergarten through 12th grade students. Its goal is to offer students a meaningful experience that will give them a real connection to the wetlands, agriculture, and wildlife of the Central Valley remotely.
Reservations for the 2022-23 school year are open
Click here to register your class for a
2022-23 Discover the Flyway Virtual Activity
The Discover the Flyway Virtual Activities are available in two formats, live and recorded. Live activities are available with and without hands-on material requirements.
The Teacher Introduction to Virtual Programs is required reading before making a reservation for a Discover the Flyway Virtual Activity.
Discover the Flyway Virtual Activities and Suggested Grade Levels
Science Learning Activities:
Animals
Tracks, Scat and Signs (1st – 6th)
Birds
Feathered Friends (K – 2nd)
Owl Pellets (4th – 12th) *hands-on materials required/strongly recommended
Vernal Pool STEAM Curriculum
Critter Caper (1st -12th grade) – FREE live, virtual program supported through a partnership with Yolo County and a California Department of Parks and Recreation grant. *hands-on materials required
Land Stewardship
Un-Nature Trail (K – 2nd)
Plants
Leaf Identification (K – 2nd) *hands-on materials required
Wetland Plant ID (3rd – 12th) *hands-on materials required
Soil
Sinking into Soil (K – 1st) *hands-on materials required
The Great Percolation Race (2nd – 12th) *hands-on materials required
Water
Wetland Pond Study (K – 12th)
Wildlife Area Tour
Tours available for K – 12th
Social Studies Activities:
Patwin Life (3rd grade)
Autumn: Acorn Season
Summer: Tule Cordage *hands-on materials required
Program Details:
• Available select Mondays from September – May.
• Two learning activity time slots are available per day.
• Reserve learning activities per day, week, or month.
• Cost: $125 per activity.
• Maximum of one class to participate in each learning activity
• Hands-on materials required for certain activities. Required Materials List
Contact Heidi Satter, hsatter@yolobasin.org, for more information.
Recorded Learning Activities
These learning stations are recorded versions of some of Discover the Flyway’s favorite science activities. The videos are approximately 15-20 minutes each and can be watched together as a class or independently by students at any time. Recorded Discover the Flyway learning activities are available for viewing through May 31, 2023.
Rental: $25/activity – for access through May 31, 2023.
Recorded Science Learning Activities:
Animals
Tracks, Scat and Signs (1st – 6th)
Birds
How do I Compare to an Egret? (K – 1st)
Plants
Wetland Plant ID (3rd – 12th)
Water
Wetland Pond Study (K – 12th)
Wild About Wetlands Kits
Wild About Wetlands Kits are available to teachers to prepare students for their Discover the Flyway program or to supplement wetland education. Kits include activities and lessons with all materials provided. Teachers or other youth leaders can check out kits FOR TWO WEEKS.
We are also revising some of the activities to a virtual platform. Here is an example https://www.yolobasin.org/whoseskullisit/
Teachers must pick up and return kits at the Yolo Basin Foundation office. To reserve a kit, email Corky Quirk at cquirk@yolobasin.org.
The program is a partnership between Yolo Basin Foundation and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Since 1997, over 70,000 students from both public and private schools in the Sacramento region have experienced a Discover the Flyway field trip. Starting in the 2020-21 school year, Discover the Flyway extended its reach by providing virtual learning opportunities.
Follow theses links to see the correlation of the California’s Next Generation Science Standards and History and Social Science Framework in Discover the Flyway’s virtual activities.
Next Generation Science Standards Correlation
History and Social Science Framework Correlation
Photos courtesy of Nancy Tyler
