National Park Explorer - Southwest Desert Region

Instructor: Nicole Traicoff

Have you ever wanted to learn about the National Parks from a real Ranger? Do you want to visit all the National Parks, but just don't have the time to travel the nation right now? Then this class is for you!

Join Ranger Traicoff as we explore many of the 63 National Parks of the United States. Nicole has worked for several years in the NPS system as a campground and backcountry ranger at Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Rocky Mountain National Parks, as well as being a life-long Junior Ranger.

This course will be broken into segments by regions. Each park we learn about will have a particular focus. This exploration course will be interdisciplinary as we learn about park history, indigenous cultures, native foods (with taste-testing of course!), geology, geography, biology of the plants and animals, conservation and more!

While the course will be primarily designed for ages 11 to 14, any students or adults are welcome to join! This course will be a great way to learn about National Parks even as an adult!

We hope to take several field trips to local NPS units to expand our knowledge with field-based studies.

Students will need notebook, pen/pencil, various art supplies.

NPS Explorer 8 -Southwest Desert Region (AZ, NM)
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
-Bats
-Cave science
Grand Canyon National Park
-Geology
-Dark skies park – space lesson
-Photography
Petrified Forest National Park
-Fossils
Saguaro National Park
-desert ecology
-fieldtrips

Check out all the units for all the National Parks