Field Trips | GPS Outreach

Welcome to our library of field trips! Search through our field trips by NGS standard and/or grade. We welcome you to adapt any field trips to your curriculum. Those with a star next to their name have been taught by Caltech GPS volunteers in Pasadena Unified School District classrooms. These field trips are continually being tested and revised.

The Arroyo Seco river flowing over a rocky and sandy floodplain surrounded by sparse small plants.

Fire and hydrology in our foothills

Students will explore geomorphology, and the effects of fires, water and humans on a watershed and landscape. (3.5 hrs)

Download field trip guide here.

A cliff face of dark rock with pink granite dikes crosscutting, with noticeable offsets from faults through the pink layers.

Seismic City

This trip, designed for the Seismolab Earthquake Fellows summer program, is a day-long trip exploring local/regional faults around Pasadena and the local mountains. (8 hrs; 3 hr option to Eaton Canyon only.)

Download field trip guide here.

A simplified geologic map of the Arroyo Seco

Mapping how rivers move mountains

Students will discover how a watershed determines the flow of water and the movement of rocks by matching rock samples to a geologic map. This is a module that can be combined with other field trip modules or adapted to be taught in a classroom. (25 mins)

Download field trip guide here.

Finding the beauty in microbial diversity

Students will visit a local park and learn about the microbial world around them through a hike and four science activities. This field trip can be modified to include any combination of the four science activities. One activity guides students to collect mud samples to analyze in the classroom. A corresponding classroom lesson plan is available on the "Lessons" page. (5 hrs)

Download field trip guide here.

A bright green sycamore leaf illuminated by light from behind.

Trees and water availability

Students will compare and contrast leaves from different local trees and connect their observations to water availability. This is a short module that can be combined with other field trip modules. (25 mins)

Download field trip guide here.

Two children sitting on the ground overlooking a debris catchment basin on a sunny day.

Debris flow safety in our neighborhood

Students will visit a local debris basin and learn about two different ways that humans can manage debris flows to keep our neighborhoods safe. (2.75 hrs)

Download field trip guide here.