Education Programs

The Coyote Trails' Jefferson Nature Center (CTJ Nature Center) offers a variety of Science and Nature Education Programs throughout the school year. All programs include content aligned with State Standards in Science.

In the fall, Salmon Watch is an experiential environmental education program centered around fieldtrips to observe wild salmon spawning. CTJNC coordinates this Freshwater Trust statewide program locally at sites along the Rogue River.

Winter Natural History Programs bring the outdoors into the classroom. 1½ hour programs engage the students in hands-on lessons about mammals, reptiles and amphibians, terrestrial macro-invertebrates, and ethno botany. Students work in small groups as they rotate through stations.

"The format is effective because there is 100% student participation with a variety of activities. The student to teacher ratio was 8:1 which I am unable to deliver without Jefferson Nature Center."

Spring Riparian Zone Science Inquiry
This four hour program emphasizes the science inquiry process while investigating Bear Creek's riparian environment. Teachers can choose a site that is easy for them to access using RVTD or walking with the students from school. Popular sites include The CTJ Nature Center, Blue Heron Park in Phoenix, and Bear Creek Park in South Medford. Students work at stations learning about stream flow, plant diversity, wildlife and aquatic macro-invertebrates, soils, and methods of scientific measurement.

"As a teacher I liked the varied small-group hands on activities. The high participation rate combined with activities that are based on science standards make this program more effective than anything that I could provide alone."

Riparian Outdoor School is an all day collaborative program offered by CTJ Nature Center, Klamath Bird Observatory, Audubon Society, Bear Creek Watershed Education Partners, and Bear Creek Watershed Council. Two classes from one school can be a part of this field day (held at the Jefferson Nature Center site) at the same time. Students choose a morning and an afternoon session from a list of topics: Mammals and Reptiles; Bird Watching; Bird Banding; Creek Study; and Site Restoration. Each in-depth session working closely with experts in the field lasts approximately two hours.