Discovering Trees

Descanso Gardens offers a unique opportunity for elementary school teachers and their students and parents, from grants received from the Steinmetz Foundation, Ahmanson Foundation, Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation, Rose Hills Foundation and Parson Foundation to support Discovering Trees and other school programs.

Discovering Trees is a yearlong study of seasonal changes in the garden along with the use of Descanso Gardens Adventure Journals designed to assist teachers to connect the garden with scientific investigation and inquiry based instruction in topics such as natural history, ornithology, meteorology, navigation, literature, botany and environmental science.

Schools participating in the program travel to Descanso Gardens during the fall and again in the spring, for on-site investigations as part of the field experience. Parents of participating students are encouraged to join the children in their investigations and receive a newsletter twice during the school year, following each visit to Descanso.

At the close of the school year, families of participating students are invited to attend a “Science Saturday” at the Gardens, where the children act as docents for the day, sharing their learning experiences with their families.

The cost of the program, including bus transportation, student materials and teacher training are supported by a grant. Previous participants in Discovering Trees represented twenty-one schools from nine school districts in Los Angeles County.

Forest Explorers

Forest Explorer workshop for teachers are scheduled from time to time on weekends during the school year. These workshops introduce teachers to the use of the outdoors as a living laboratory for the teaching of environmental science for grades K to 3rd and grades 4th to 8th. Workshops focus on topics related to seasonal changes in plants, interdependence of plants and animals, and an awareness of man’s responsibility for his environment. These workshops are primarily intended for teachers whose classes will be making trips to Descanso Gardens for teacher-guided walks. Investigation materials are introduced for use in the classroom both before and after the field experience at Descanso.

Additional information regarding educational opportunities for teachers is available from the School Programs Office, Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive. La Cañada, CA 91011; 818 949-0120.