Elementary Program

Every year, local teachers choose one of our six structured educational programs to offer as a field trip for their students. Teachers, children, and parents come to the canyon, in groups of up to 40 students, to learn from our naturalists through hands-on lessons, field activities and a nature walk. Many teachers elect to keep their classes in the canyon after the program for picnic lunches.

The Elementary Program has been in existence for over 40 years and is aligned with the Arizona Department of Education Science Standards and Social Studies Standards. The Program conducts field trips for grades 1 through 6, five days a week (Mon-Fri).
Each field trip lasts approximately two hours.

We will begin accepting field trip requests for the ’25-’26 school year at 12:01 a.m. (midnight) on August 1st.

Please check back here at that time.

Elementary Field Trip Evaluation

Please help us out by completing this evaluation of your Elementary Field Trip

Now You See It

Students discover how predators and prey hunt, hide and survive.

(Recommended for grades 1 & 2)

Pollinator Picnic

Students discover the connection between some of the pollinators and plants in Sabino Canyon.

(Recommended for grades 3 – 5
& for 2nd graders with some
knowledge of plants/pollinators)

Web of Life

Introduces students to the idea that all forms of life are interconnected.

(Recommended for grades 3 – 5)

Critter Scene Investigation
(Creek and Desert)

Introduces students to the arthropods that live in Sabino Canyon.

(Recommended for grades 1 – 6)

Strike It Rich

Introduces the geologic relationships between Sabino Canyon,
the Santa Catalina Mountains, and the Tucson Basin.

(Recommended for grades 1 – 6)

Back to the Past

Students discover the life of the Hohokam, who inhabited this area over 1000 years ago.

(Recommended for grades 1 – 6)