The purpose of the Discovery Hike is to provide the students with an introduction to the Jones Gulch environment and their new cabinmates. It also allows the Naturalist to get to know his or her cabin group. A focus of this first trail is sensory awareness and exploration of the outdoor environment. The Discovery Hike may also include cooperative group challenges and opportunities for creative expression through theatrics, drawing and writing. The students explore the redwood forest, the oak forest, and the chaparral grasslands.
Students learn about predator-prey relationships, food chains, and population dynamics.
The focus of Green Day lessons are plants and the forest community. Students will learn about photosyntheses, the parts of plants and trees, plant reproduction, and life cycles. They will explore the relationship of plants in the forest including the soil cycle and the air cycle. The organic garden provides a hands-on opportunity for students to plant and harvest vegetables, make natural fertilizers and compost their food waste. The newly renovated Sustainable Living Center includes a renewable energy display featuring photovoltaic solar panels that provide power to the building.