NYSI allows students to discover how predators and prey use characteristics, adaptations and behaviors such as camouflage, mimicry, coloration, and protective stillness to hunt, hide and survive.
Students hide and hunt selected animal models and learn the importance of predator-prey relationships.
Students are encouraged to communicate ways that changes in environment and habitat can affect these relationships.
This activity is recommended for grades 1 and 2.
Click here to download the NYSI – Grade 1 Standards
Life Science
- Students develop an understanding that Earth has supported, and continues to support, a large variety of organisms. These organisms can be distinguished by their physical characteristics, life cycles, and their different resource needs for survival. Different types of organisms live where there are different earth resources such as food, air, and water.
Core Ideas
- L1: Organisms are organized on a cellular basis and have a finite life span.
- L2: Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they often depend on, or compete with, other organisms.
- L3: Genetic information is passed down from one generation of organisms to another.
- L4: The unity and diversity of organisms, living and extinct, is the result of evolution.
Standards
- L2U1.7 – Develop and use models about how living things use resources to grow and survive; design and evaluate habitats for organisms using earth materials.
- L2U1.8 – Construct and explanation describing how organisms obtain resources from the environment including materials that are used again by other organisms.
- L4U3.11 – Ask questions and explain how factors can cause species to go extinct.
Social Studies
- The content areas of civics, economics, geography, history, and disciplinary skills and processes.
Standards
- SP3.5 – Ask and answer questions about explanations given.
- C1.2 – Follow agreed upon rules for discussions when responding to others and making decisions including consensus building procedures.
- C1.3 – Compare one’s own thoughts and opinions with others’ perspectives.
Click here to download the NYSI – Grade 2 Standards
Life Science
- Students develop and understanding that life on Earth depends on energy from the Sun or energy from other organisms to survive.
Core Ideas
- L1: Organisms are organized on a cellular basis and have a finite life span.
- L2: Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they often depend on, or compete with, other organisms.
- L3: Genetic information is passed down from one generation of organisms to another.
- L4: The unity and diversity of organisms, living and extinct, is the result of evolution.
Standards
- L2U1.9 – Obtain, analyze, and communicate evidence that organisms need a source of energy, air, water, and certain temperature conditions to survive.
- L2U1.10 – Develop a model representing how life on Earth depends on energy from the Sun and energy from other organisms.
Social Studies
- The content areas of civics, economics, geography, history, and disciplinary skills and processes.
Standards
- SP3.5 – Ask and answer questions about explanations and arguments.
- SP4.1 – Generate possible reasons for an event or development.
- SP4.2 – Select which reasons might be more likely than others to explain an event or development.
Click here to download the NYSI – Grade 3 Standards
Life Science
- Students develop an understanding of the flow of energy in a system beginning with the Sun to and among organisms. They also understand that plants and animals (including humans) have specialized internal and external structures and can respond to stimuli to increase survival.
Core Ideas
- L1: Organisms are organized on a cellular basis and have a finite life span.
- L2: Organisms require a supply of energy and materials for which they often depend on, or compete with, other organisms.
- L3: Genetic information is passed down from one generation of organisms to another.
- L4: The unity and diversity of organisms, living and extinct, is the result of evolution.
Standards
- L1U1.5 – Develop and use models to explain that plants and animals (including humans) have internal and external structures that serve various functions that aid in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction.
- L2U1.6 – Plan and carry out investigations to demonstrate ways plants and animals react to stimuli.
- L2U1.7 – Develop and use system models to describe the flow of energy from the Sun to and among living organisms.
- L2U1.8 – Construct and argument from evidence that organisms are interdependent.
Social Studies
- The content areas of civics, economics, geography, history, and disciplinary skills and processes.
Standards
- SP4.1 – probable causes and effects of events.
Please tell us about your Field Trip experience
Thank you for participating in the Sabino Canyon Field Trip Program. We are constantly striving to make our program valuable for children and teachers. Could you help us evaluate our performance by completing this quick survey?
We apologize profusely for not having the scheduling form enabled on time. It is now working as it should, and you may submit your field trip requests as usual.
Schedule a Field Trip
Field trips are offered from mid-October through mid-April.
At this time, a maximum number of 50 students can be accommodated per day. Multiple classes may come together as long as the maximum is not exceeded.
Trips must begin between 9:00 and 10:30am. Allow 2 hours and 15 minutes for the program, and add an additional 30 minutes if your class(es) will be staying for lunch.
***Notice for SCVN Field Trips in the 2026–2027 school year***
To maintain safety for all users of Sabino Canyon, the U.S. Forest Service limits field trips to one bus and one lead vehicle driven by a naturalist; no other private vehicles are allowed into the Canyon. We strongly prefer that you not arrive in private vehicles in addition to your bus. However, if it’s absolutely necessary to do so, private vehicles will be led to an overflow parking lot, where everyone must board and ride in the school bus to the teaching site.
New transportation option available ONLY for private schools and home schools without access to buses:
Last year, many of you could not participate in our field trips because of the Forest Service policy restricting private vehicles in the Canyon. We’ve found a solution — as long as your total number of students, teachers, and chaperones does not exceed 30 people. Sorry, no exceptions to that number. Just arrive in a maximum of seven private vehicles. A naturalist will meet and lead you to an overflow parking area (not the main Sabino Canyon Visitor Center parking lot). You will then all board a shuttle for your trip to the teaching area. The shuttle will also return you to the parking lot. This may add extra time to your field trip. Once you are contacted by your coordinating naturalist (usually about six weeks before your scheduled trip), please work with that person regarding time issues. We are looking forward to welcoming back private schools that do not have access to buses.
To schedule a trip:
Step 1:
Check the CALENDAR to identify available dates. Those dates that are currently available will be identified as AVAILABLE FOR ELEMENTARY FIELD TRIP. For your convenience, the calendar now appears on the request form itself.
Step 2: ***The following links will be enabled on Saturday, August 1st at 12:01 a.m.***
Complete a request form for the date you have selected. Be sure to provide an accurate estimate of the number of students.
Double check your school’s academic calendar to avoid any scheduling conflicts. Given the program’s popularity, it can be difficult to reschedule.
REQUEST AN ELEMENTARY FIELD TRIP
To add your school to our wait list:
If none of your desired dates are currently available, you may add your contact info to our Wait List. We can then contact you as soon as there is a possible opening in the schedule.