Education Program

LSCA supports Sandhill Crane conservation by introducing the public to Sandhill Cranes and providing information about this magnificent bird. Education takes place through our fall festival, special events, social media, our website and blog, newsletters, and other forms of communication. Area students are further supported through collaboration with San Joaquin County schools, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other local groups.

lodi sandhill crane association education kids woodbridge ecological reserve

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Classroom Tours

The Lodi Sandhill Crane Association supports classroom tours at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve by providing funding for transportation. The tours are led by WER docents and are available between October and February.

These tours are specifically designed for intermediate grade and middle school students, but arrangements can be made to accommodate high school programs. Students will be involved in hands on activities, role plays, and discussions.

Teachers who are interested in taking their students on a field trip to the reserve should email the crane program docent at CraneTours@wildlife.ca.gov. The Lodi Sandhill Crane Association education coordinator will be notified so arrangements can be made to pay for transportation.

Please note that a Lands Pass is required for adults 16 years or older who will be accompanying the students. For more information, go to https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Lands-Pass.

Art in the Classroom

Through this program, we support teachers who wish to incorporate an art lesson into their study of Sandhill Cranes. The association arranges for an art instructor and provides art supplies for the lesson.

These lessons last 30 to 60 minutes and can be spread over more than one class session. The art teacher will lead discussion about local Sandhill Cranes to give context to the art project.

Teachers who are interested in scheduling an art lesson for their classroom about Sandhill cranes should submit a request at art@lodisandhillcrane.org. Include your name, contact information, name of school, student grade level, dates and times requested for the lesson. Briefly describe how the art lesson will be integrated into your instructional planning.

Resources for Teachers

There are several main places that sandhill cranes congregate in the Lodi area. Three of these locations have educational resources for teachers such as online resources, pamphlets, training, student programs, and personnel.

The Woodbridge Ecological Reserve background information online.
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-visit/Woodbridge-ER
The Cosumnes River Preserve has online resources, pamphlets, a visitor center, tours, classes, and a volunteer coordinator.
- https://www.cosumnes.org/
Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge has student programs and other resources.
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/stone_lakes/

There are numerous sites where lesson plans and student activities about Sandhill Cranes can be found.

The International Crane Foundation
- https://www.savingcranes.org/education/activity-packets/
Study.com
- https://study.com/academy/lesson/sandhill-crane-facts-lesson-for-kids.html
The National Wildlife Federation
- https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Birds/Sandhill-Crane
Save our Sandhill Cranes
- http://soscranes.org/visit-the-cranes/for-teachers/

Virtual Learning

In the future, we plan to create virtual learning opportunities for teachers to use in their classrooms. They will be posted here. To begin with, here are some locally produced videos.

Cranes and Agriculture on Staten Island
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-N3zbyQvgU

Wetlands Management at Cosumnes River Preserve
https://youtu.be/8RzE5odVF-0

Additional Online Resources

https://www.savingcranes.org/education/activity-packets/

https://study.com/academy/lesson/sandhill-crane-facts-lesson-for-kids.html

http://soscranes.org/visit-the-cranes/for-teachers/

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Birds/Sandhill-Crane

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/sandhill-crane