The Mayor Vagle Nature Center lies in the scenic Jurupa Hills.
Throughout the year, the Mary Vagle Nature Center at 11501 Cypress Avenue
introduces thousands of area children to the wonders of our natural environment through the
Urban Ecology Program.
Nestled in the Jurupa Hills with a duck pond at the entrance, complete with
cattails and roaming residents, the Nature Center is a hidden treasure in an urban world.
It is here that children and adults learn about the delicate relationship
humans have with the environment. While some simply come and visit for an afternoon looking
at the museum displays or wandering the paths surrounding the Center, there are dozens of
opportunities for students to participate in a series of workshops that have been designed
for grades K-12 and each conforms to the California State Teaching Guidelines.
The Urban Ecology Program
The Urban Ecology Program brings students outdoors for real life studies.
For only $5.00 per student, groups of students in grades K-12 spend a school day at the Nature
Center studying anything from soil, rocks, and pond life to other natural habitats.
“We can accommodate up to sixty students per day,” says Rick Dean, community
services coordinator, adding “most of the classes come from schools but we do have a lot
of home school families who we will schedule with other home-school groups to create one
large class for a field trip.”
Our Hidden Backyards is a study of the natural
world. The workshop offers students in grades K-4 an opportunity to explore the soil, insects,
grasses, plants, and other species that contribute to their immediate environment.
From the Ground Up is a study for grades 1-4 and
includes an analysis of dirt, soil, insects and animals. Students learn about plant and animal
classification through experiments and exercises.
Eco-Art for grades K-3 offers an opportunity to
learn about the similarities ecology has with art. The students create rubbings, study details
of flowers, the ecosystem, and learn to identify these traits in their own artwork.
Studying comes naturally at the Nature Center.
The Wonder of Rock introduces students to rocks,
sediment layers, and classifications. The program is for grades 2, 4, 6, 7, and high school
and becomes increasingly more advanced and difficult with each school level.
Pond Ecology for grades 5 to 12 is an outdoor lab
that gives students an opportunity to study pond ecology as well as monitor the health of
the Mary Vagle pond. Classes break out into small groups and test the temperature, water
quality, and more. The class is a practical concrete way to teach the scientific method.
Burning Questions is for middle and high schools
students. The class studies our Mediterranean Life Zone. Students break out into
smaller groups and collect plant samples for analyzing the native “born to burn” southland
habitat.
Artists in Nature and Other Summer Programming
The Mary Vagle Nature Center is preparing for an exciting summer ahead. Discovery
Camps, a sell-out from spring to fall, have been enhanced by a partnership with the
City of Fontana Cultural Arts program to create an introduction to the fine arts to include
a study of artistic expression through natural mediums.
“The series is about discovery of the natural world and the self. The students
will have an opportunity for some natural exploration, and hopefully through the artistic
expression piece, they will find new talents and interests,”
says Dean.
Artists in Nature a lesson in Fine Arts and Ecology.
The Artists in Nature: Fine Arts and Nature Activity Program series
takes the Discovery Camp to a new level as students continue to enjoy nature hikes, live
animals, and environmentally focused activities and incorporate them with art projects.
As in summer’s past, field trips will be offered at each camp session but
this year, the tours will alternate between nature trips and artistic excursions.
The Artists in Nature Series are an affordable $50 per week per
participant and run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. Participants should register
early. The Nature Center camps usually sell out and waiting lists are long.
Other Programs
Winding paths and native plants are a few of the special features at the Nature Center.
This summer, the Mary Vagle Nature Center will feature new events that include Outdoor
Evening Movies, Nature Walks, Evening Star Parties, scouting programs, and birthday
parties.
“The movies will have a theme based on the natural environment,” explains
Dean, “We will show documentaries and animated features that the whole family will enjoy
and will learn about the environment.”
Nature Walks and Evening Star Parties are offered to residents,
at no cost, intermittently throughout the summer months. The Nature Walks are held on Saturday
mornings for families and individuals while the Evening Star Parties, co-hosted
by the Riverside Astronomical Society, are held on weekday evenings every quarter.
Scouts earn badges and learn about the environment.
Scouts and youth will enjoy spending the day at the Mary Vagle Nature Center
earning scout merit badges, pins, and belt loop requirements for $5.00 per badge. Still others
will experience the birthday of a lifetime by sharing time with friends visiting the live
animals and working on two hands-on activities. The incredibly unique experience is only
$150 for up to 25 friends.
A calendar of events will be available soon. To find out more or to register
for Urban Eco News, the Nature Center newsletter, or the upcoming Artists in Nature
summer camp, please contact the Mary Vagle Nature Center at (909) 428-8386 or visit online
at www.fontanarecreation.org.
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