field research Archives - Headwaters Science Institute

Bay Area January Recap

Feb 12, 2026 | Home Page Featured, School Programs, Bay Area Region, School Field Days

January was a busy month for the Bay Area team! We served over 225 students in Richmond, San Pablo, and El Cerrito.

We kicked off 2026 with a field trip to the Marin Headlands with Richmond High School. Throughout the field trip, students asked thoughtful questions about the site’s soil, plants, insects, water, and animals. We then returned to the classroom, where students were guided through a data analysis lesson, created graphs using DataClassroom, and developed presentations to share their findings with classmates. We were so impressed with everyone’s final presentations!

We also completed our second round of expeditions with Summit Tamalpais Middle School in San Pablo. Over 9 days, we guided students through our full research process, from brainstorming questions to collecting data and communicating their findings. Each group spent three days in the field collecting data at a park within walking distance of their campus. We’re excited to return for the final round of expeditions with this school in March.

Finally, we wrapped up two programs with Fairmont Elementary School in El Cerrito. We worked with one 5th-grade class in a three-day program and a 5th/6th-grade split class during a one-day, on-campus field experience. Both programs were designed to prepare students for success in their science fair. By the end of our time together, students left not only better prepared for their science fair, but more confident and excited to think like scientists.

Overall, this January was filled with some truly great projects from our Bay Area students as they learned to follow their curiosity through the process of science. We are looking forward to seeing what questions they ask next!

Get Ready For 2026 Summer Camps

Jan 27, 2026 | Home Page Featured, Truckee/Tahoe Region, School Programs

In the midst of these chilly winter days, it’s easy to start daydreaming about warmer and sunnier days ahead. Luckily, that just got a whole lot easier, as we’ve just announced the dates and themes for the 2026 Headwaters Summer Science Camps!

This summer, Headwaters Science Institute is offering a full lineup of hands-on, research-based science camps across the Truckee–Tahoe region. Give your child a summer where science is an adventure, learning happens outside, and every day is full of wonder!

Camp Sessions For Every Young Learner

At Headwaters, science isn’t about memorizing facts. It’s about asking questions and experiencing the discovery process firsthand. Whether your child loves splashing through streams, observing buzzing insects, or identifying unique plants, there’s a camp session designed to spark their imagination! This year’s themes include Animals & Insects, Water Week, and Plants & Wildflowers.

We also offer two overnight camps for students ready to take their learning to the next level and make lasting memories. Our All-Girls Science Camp aims to empower young scientists through community, mentorship, and hands-on field research, while our Intro to Research Camp offers a deeper dive into ecology and field science with multi-day investigations at Webber Lake.

For a full list of dates and details, head on over to our Summer Camps page.

Experience the Stunning Sierra Nevadas

At Headwaters camps, nature is the classroom. In incredible locations including Serene Lakes, Truckee Springs, North Lake Tahoe, Webber Lake, and Kirkwood, campers learn by doing. Students will take notes at the lakeside, spot vibrant insects tucked among the foliage, and identify plants by the shapes of their leaves.

Every day, our campers explore the ecosystems that make the region so unique, from rippling lakes and buzzing wetlands to high-elevation forests bursting with life. In the process, they discover how closely connected they are to the world around them.

Memories That Last

Students will leave with more than just a learning experience; they’ll make true connections and lasting memories! Campers join lakeside chats with real scientists, experience the thrill of discovery in nature, and build confidence in asking questions and solving problems. Every day is a chance to connect with peers, mentors, and the wild landscapes around them, all while making memories that last long after the campfire stories end.

Give Your Child a Summer of Discovery

With the Headwaters Summer Science Camps, your child will experience a safe, supportive, and engaging environment to explore nature, build scientific thinking skills, and create unforgettable summer memories. Spots fill quickly, so don’t wait to register!

Registration Opens February 1

Headwaters Heads to the Coast

Dec 12, 2024 | Bay Area Region, Home Page Featured, School Programs

We were incredibly impressed by the passion, dedication, and teamwork displayed by the students from Latitude High School and LPS Richmond during their research trips in Santa Cruz.

In the weeks leading up to the trip, students dove into their research projects, learning essential skills in research methods and hypothesis development. Working in groups, they crafted thoughtful hypotheses and set the stage for a hands-on scientific adventure.

The students kicked off their fieldwork at Natural Bridges State Beach, where they fine-tuned their data collection methods while exploring the local habitats that would serve as the focus of their studies. Despite the chilly winds and massive waves from the Bomb Cyclone, students pushed forward, embracing the challenge. The day ended with a cozy campfire, delicious s’mores, and a fun card game that sparked personal connections and team bonding.

Thursday was all about immersive, hands-on research. Students ventured to multiple locations—including the beach, creek, forest, and pond—to gather data and deepen their understanding of the local ecosystem. After a productive afternoon, they relaxed with some free time at the lodge before taking part in a night vision demonstration and engaging in interactive games. Another campfire and more s’mores rounded out the evening, strengthening both friendships and scientific curiosity.

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On Friday, students dedicated their time to analyzing the data they had collected, applying statistical methods to uncover insights and draw meaningful conclusions. They wrapped up the trip by starting to build their presentations, excited to share their findings with their peers and teachers when they returned to school.

I felt really free. Being there was a really unique experience. I’ve never been an outdoor person but I really enjoyed being in nature and having nature around me. It was very therapeutic and it made learning fun.

We were also thoroughly impressed by the hard work and enthusiasm displayed by the students from Leadership Public School – Richmond during their overnight trip to Santa Cruz!

In preparation for the trip, students began their research projects by learning about research methods and hypothesis formulation. They worked in groups to develop hypotheses and set the stage for their field research.

On Tuesday, students focused on refining their hypotheses and finalizing their research at Natural Bridges State Beach. There, they explored the local habitat that would serve as the focus of their studies. We were fortunate to visit during low tide, giving the students the opportunity to explore the tide pools and observe a variety of fascinating marine life, including sea stars, sea urchins, and sea anemones. The day wrapped up with an exciting observation of monarch butterflies migrating for the winter. In the evening, students learned about night vision and enjoyed some fun, interactive games.

Wednesday was filled with hands-on research as students diligently collected data from multiple locations, including the beach, creek, and forest. After gathering their measurements, students enjoyed some free time at the lodge, where they encountered local residents—banana slugs! The day concluded with a lively campfire, tasty s’mores, and a musical performance by one of the talented students.

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Being outside the classroom helped me to explore my curiosity more than I would have in a typical school setting. I learned how to channel my energy to get specific scientific findings in a timely manner.

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On Thursday, students dedicated their time to analyzing the data they had collected. Using statistical methods, they worked hard to interpret their findings and draw conclusions. The trip concluded with students creating presentations to share their research results before heading back to school.

In the weeks after the programs, groups of students presented their findings to their classes, practicing presentation skills as they communicated complicated scientific information.

Headwaters Science Institute is thankful to to the California Coastal Commission for a Whale Tail Grant to make these trips possible. Being able to bring these students to Santa Cruz, allowing them to explore the amazing complexity of California’s coast and experience something completely new, was incredible.

That’s a Wrap on Spring Semester School Programs!

Jun 20, 2024 | Home Page Featured, Truckee/Tahoe Region

That’s a wrap on the spring semester! As thoughts turn to summer exploration, summer camps, fun events, and vacations, we want to take a moment to recap some of the local Tahoe Truckee school programs we did this school year.

With a huge thank you to our local community with grants from Powdr Corp Community Foundation, Martis Camp, Donner Party Charitable Fund, Tahoe Mt. Resorts, Truckee Airport Foundation, Truckee Rotary, North Tahoe Kiwanis, and Tahoe League for Charity. Thank you for all your support.

Alder Creek Middle School

Late this spring, we worked with ACMS 7th graders to create research projects focused around human impacts in Donner Memorial State Park! We began the week by joining students in class to talk about question asking and planning to collect data. Students were interested in the various ways that humans may impact the park, ranging from investigating water quality, to looking at trash and litter, to measuring plant and insect biodiversity. In order to test these questions, students collected data at the park during the middle of the week. Each group was able to collect data at various locations across the park, while also observing wildlife like frogs and lizards outside of their projects!

Thanks to the support of Tahoe Mountain Resorts Foundation, Martis Camp, and the hospitality of Donner Memorial State Park, this adventure was a wild success!

Truckee High School

Thanks to the incredible support of the Tahoe Mountain Resorts Foundation and the Martis Camp Foundation, we ran an amazing field program with Truckee High School for over 40 students! From formulating questions in the classroom to hands-on fieldwork at Donner Creek, students explored macroinvertebrate populations, measured stream pH and temperatures, and even discovered unexpected surprises like fish and a large crawfish! Back in class, they analyzed their data and delivered insightful presentations. A huge thank you to our sponsors for making this enriching experience possible!

Student questions were mostly centered around organisms within the stream, including fish, crayfish, and macroinvertebrate insects. Some groups were also interested in plants around the stream, and looked at biodiversity found in the area, as well as chemical composition of leaves.

Truckee Afterschool

This year, we received $5,000 from the Truckee Tahoe Airport District that we put towards a six-week after-school program with the Truckee Elementary School. This was a twice-weekly program that focused on grades 3rd through 5th. The program had a bird theme where students were introduced to new bird-related knowledge, games, and science activities each session. Each session was independent so that students could join without feeling left behind while those who attended multiple sessions could continue to ask questions about birds and expand their knowledge.

Students explored bird adaptations, migration patterns, behaviors, anatomy, and more. One activity we did every day was monitoring bird feeders to see what species were in the area and observing how that changed throughout the semester as our own citizen science project! However, our most popular activity was our owl pellet examination, where the students could see what the owls were consuming and reconstruct their skeletons.

Sierra Expeditionary Learning School

Projects focused on snow science, and how chemical and physical properties of snow are affected by location, depth of the snow pack, and presence of insects. Each groups’ question was inspired by a tour at the Central Sierra Snow Lab, where students got to learn about the large-scale climate and snow monitoring happening at the lab, before conducting their own smaller scale research.

Students were able to work in the area around the lab, collecting data, and also having fun playing in the snow and playing some group games.

La Fuerza Latina Truckee

Thanks to funding from Truckee Rotary, a group of La Fuerza Latina Truckee students from Truckee High School came with us to tour the Central Sierra Snow Lab and to start data collection. The students had really insightful ideas on what their data meant, and why they saw the trends they did, and it was great to see the students engage in that discussion around data visualization.

Donner Trail Yuba River Day

It was a great, warm, sunny October Day on the South Yuba River. Headwaters spent the day in the river teaching the kids about water speed and gradient in the river, as well as algae growth and water quality. The students loved using the ducks and meter sticks to measure the flow. They learned how increased gradient means increased water speed. They also learned how where in the river you are measuring changes the water speed. For example when the bank or logs/sticks jet out into the river they block the water and decrease the speed that is flows. Truckee Tahoe School district media was there and are interested in doing more stories with us.

King’s Beach Elementary

During this program, we developed hyper-local, sustainable food programming to engage with over 60 fifth-grade students, including varied paths to science, the importance of a sustainable diet, and creating a healthy meal from the local 7-Eleven.

Over three sessions, students learned about Headwaters’ program manager Courtney’s background, her master’s thesis, and how to make a healthy meal based on what you can find at the local 7-Eleven.

Students learned about the components of a healthy diet including understanding the role of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. During this discussion, students were able to cook themselves from boiling water, create salads, or pass out cut fruit. The students were surprised to see how much fruit and vegetables were available at the local 7-Eleven and how they could make healthy choices for their diets, no matter their access.

Field Notes from East Bay Area Programs

Apr 26, 2024 | Bay Area Region, Uncategorized

This school year, Headwaters was thrilled to partner with East Bay Area schools for a number of school programs, field days, and even a program at the Claire Tappaan Lodge thanks to grant funding from the Lesher Foundation, Sandia National Labs, and the Joseph and Mercedes McMicking Foundation.

As we strive to expand access to hands-on science programming and foster curiosity through science, grant funding is extremely important to help us keep programming at low or no costs to schools and students!

Lighthouse Charter

We had a fantastic time working with 11th and 12th-grade students from Lighthouse Community Charter School! Thirty-five students arrived at Clair Tappaan Lodge to a dusting of snow on the group, an exciting sight for many students who had never seen snow before! Right away, they got to work coming up with research questions inspired by the forest around the lodge. Groups were interested in insect biodiversity, water quality, tree size and age, and the effects of snow on the ecosystem.

One student reflected on their outdoor experience: “I had a wonderful time! It was beautiful because of all the nature. I had a lot of bonding time with people and learned a lot about trees. This was one of my best experiences and I just loved it.”

Projects focused on the forest environment around Clair Tappaan Lodge. Students collected data ranging from plant and insect biodiversity, tree age and size, water quality in a seasonal stream, and much more. We even found some unexpected animals, including a salamander!

At the end of our program, students were able to explore their data even more through Google Sheets. Students created data visualizations and performed statistical tests to determine if their results were statistically significant. Students compiled their results, explored their creativity in putting together a presentation, and presented their findings to their classmates.

LPS Oakland

On Thursday, February 15, Headwaters hosted LPS Oakland for a field day at Redwood Regional Park. The students had the opportunity to collect data on different research questions, such as plant species diversity, the water temperature of the creek, and the correlation between the size of a log on the ground and the number of animals underneath it. For most of the students, it was their first time at the park, so we also spent some time exploring and enjoying the outdoors. After the field day, many expressed their desire to return to the area and explore more!

We were impressed by the hard work the students exhibited while planning out their projects and working through the scientific process. They were challenged to design a testable research question and develop a scientific method for collecting data. They applied what they learned in the classroom to the field to collect data at Redwood Regional Park in East Bay Despite the steep terrain students remained positive and collected high-quality data. Projects focused mainly on human impacts and water quality of the lake; students collected data ranging from plant diversity to pH and dissolved oxygen measurements.

Upon returning to the classroom, students were able to dive deeper into their data. Students created data visualizations and worked to determine if they saw any correlations with the variables they tested.

LPS Richmond

Headwaters staff took a group of students from the Richmond area to the Miller Knox Regional Shoreline. The students were split into multiple groups and divided between Headwaters staff to collect data. Half of the groups spent the morning collecting samples from the lagoon to study the impact different water quality tests have on aquatic biodiversity. The other half spent the morning participating in citizen science and collected hundreds of images of local organisms. We uploaded observations to the citizen science database iNaturalist to be used by anyone. After a nice lunch break, the groups switched so everyone could participate in both activities! The day ended with a rock-skipping competition and a walk back to school!

We were so excited to be able to host this group and help get them engaged with hands-on science experiments in their local area.

Making Waves

Before we met at the field site, students worked in groups to come up with testable questions that they could collect data on. The questions the students developed were thoughtful and engaging and included how the biodiversity of plants may be different closer to and further from redwood trees or the number of flower species that live closer to the hiking trail.

Our field day, thankfully, turned out gorgeous and proved perfect for data collection. Students learned to use quadrats, d-nets, and how to measure the height of a tree, even when it was over a hundred feet tall.

Upon returning to the classroom, students were able to explore their data even more and used google sheets to graph their data. Students will use all their knowledge gained and data as part of their final class project in which they will develop a field guide. We look forward to seeing their final products!