Dow Wetlands

The Dow Wetlands are located on the San Joaquin River in Pittsburg. These wetlands are a nationally registered wetlands preserve. The Dow Wetlands have the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse living in the area as well as other interesting plants and animals. Field trips can be arranged by calling Sheryl Sturges in Dow Chemical Community Outreach at (925) 432-5576. Tours of the wetlands are available Monday through Friday, and last approximately 1 1/2 hours. Small class sizes are preferred. Activities are led by a docent from the Lindsay Museum. Cost for the field trip is $175. However, schools in East Contra Costa County will not be charged a fee for the field trip, as Dow Chemical will pay the fees for the docent.

Standards: First grade standard 2 of the life sciences: This standard states, "Plants and animals meet their needs in different ways. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know different plants and animals inhabit different kinds of environments and have external features that help them thrive in different kinds of places.
b. Students know both plants and animals need water, animals need food, and plants need light.
c. Students know animals eat plants or other animals for food and may also use plants or even other animals for shelter and nesting.
d. Students know how to infer what animals eat from the shapes of their teeth (e.g., sharp teeth: eats meat; flat teeth: eats plants).
e. Students know roots are associated with the intake of water and soil nutrients and green leaves are associated with making food from sunlight.”

Second grade life sciences standard 2 states, "Plants and animals have predictable life cycles. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know that organisms reproduce offspring of their own kind and that the offspring resemble their parents and one another.
b. Students know the sequential stages of life cycles are different for different animals, such as butterflies, frogs, and mice.
c. Students know many characteristics of an organism are inherited from the parents. Some characteristics are caused or influenced by the environment.
d. Students know there is variation among individuals of one kind within a population.
e. Students know light, gravity, touch, or environmental stress can affect the germination, growth, and development of plants.
f. Students know flowers and fruits are associated with reproduction in plants."

Life sciences standards for third grade state,"3. Adaptations in physical structure or behavior may improve an organism's chance for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know plants and animals have structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.
b. Students know examples of diverse life forms in different environments, such as oceans, deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands.
c. Students know living things cause changes in the environment in which they live: some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or other organisms, and some are beneficial."

Third grade social sciences standard 3.1 states," Students describe the physical and human geography... to organize information about people, places and environments in a spatial context. 1. Identify geographical features in their local region (e.g., deserts, mountains, valleys, hills, coastal areas, oceans, lakes). 2. Trace the ways in which people have used the resources of the local region and modified the physical environment (e.g., a dam constructed upstream changed a river or coastline)."
Standard 3.3 says, "Students draw from historical and community resources to organize the sequence of local historical events and describe how each period of settlement left its mark on the land. …3. Trace why their community was established, how individuals and families contributed to its founding and development, and how the community has changed over time, drawing on maps, photographs, oral histories, letters, newspapers, and other primary sources."

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	Mare Island museums national parks regional parks state parks wetlands zoos contact me home links	The Dow Wetlands are located on the San Joaquin River in Pittsburg. These wetlands are a nationally registered wetlands preserve. The Dow Wetlands have the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse living in the area as well as other interesting plants and animals. Field trips can be arranged by calling Sheryl Sturges in Dow Chemical Community Outreach at (925) 432-5576. Tours of the wetlands are available Monday through Friday, and last approximately 1 1/2 hours. Small class sizes are preferred. Activities are led by a docent from the Lindsay Museum. Cost for the field trip is $175. However, schools in East Contra Costa County will not be charged a fee for the field trip, as Dow Chemical will pay the fees for the docent. Standards: First grade standard 2 of the life sciences: This standard states, "Plants and animals meet their needs in different ways. As a basis for understanding this concept: a. Students know different plants and animals inhabit different kinds of environments and have external features that help them thrive in different kinds of places. b. Students know both plants and animals need water, animals need food, and plants need light. c. Students know animals eat plants or other animals for food and may also use plants or even other animals for shelter and nesting. d. Students know how to infer what animals eat from the shapes of their teeth (e.g., sharp teeth: eats meat; flat teeth: eats plants). e. Students know roots are associated with the intake of water and soil nutrients and green leaves are associated with making food from sunlight.” Second grade life sciences standard 2 states, "Plants and animals have predictable life cycles. As a basis for understanding this concept: a. Students know that organisms reproduce offspring of their own kind and that the offspring resemble their parents and one another. b. Students know the sequential stages of life cycles are different for different animals, such as butterflies, frogs, and mice. c. Students know many characteristics of an organism are inherited from the parents. Some characteristics are caused or influenced by the environment. d. Students know there is variation among individuals of one kind within a population. e. Students know light, gravity, touch, or environmental stress can affect the germination, growth, and development of plants. f. Students know flowers and fruits are associated with reproduction in plants." Life sciences standards for third grade state,"3. Adaptations in physical structure or behavior may improve an organism's chance for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept: a. Students know plants and animals have structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction. b. Students know examples of diverse life forms in different environments, such as oceans, deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands. c. Students know living things cause changes in the environment in which they live: some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or other organisms, and some are beneficial." Third grade social sciences standard 3.1 states," Students describe the physical and human geography... to organize information about people, places and environments in a spatial context. 1. Identify geographical features in their local region (e.g., deserts, mountains, valleys, hills, coastal areas, oceans, lakes). 2. Trace the ways in which people have used the resources of the local region and modified the physical environment (e.g., a dam constructed upstream changed a river or coastline)." Standard 3.3 says, "Students draw from historical and community resources to organize the sequence of local historical events and describe how each period of settlement left its mark on the land. …3. Trace why their community was established, how individuals and families contributed to its founding and development, and how the community has changed over time, drawing on maps, photographs, oral histories, letters, newspapers, and other primary sources." top