Nature Bowl is Back in 2023!
After three years of cancellation due to the pandemic, we are pleased to announce that in-person Nature Bowl games are back this spring!
Gather up your teams of 3rd-4th grade students and/or 5th-6th grade students and prepare to have a fun and educational time learning all about our local and regional ecology and conservation.
Sign up to compete at one of the various Nature Bowl Partner sites across the North Central Region using the 2023 Registration Form (PDF)(opens in new tab). The schedule for semi-final events is below.
Attend the Virtual Workshop for Coaches(opens in new tab) on January 25 from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. which will answer any and all questions you may have about Nature Bowl. If you miss the workshop, contact the Nature Bowl coordinator to receive the recording.
Download the Coaches' Packet (PDF)(opens in new tab) to delve deeper into the Nature Bowl Glossary and each of the five activities: Nature Investigations, Nature Relay, Team Problem Solving, Speedy Ringers and Enviromercial.
For more information, contact the Nature Bowl Coordinator at Genelle.Treaster@wildlife.ca.gov
2023 Event Schedule
Semi-Finals:
- March 22 -- Nimbus Fish Hatchery
- March 29 -- Placer Nature Center
- April 13 -- American River Conservancy
- April 18 -- New Melones (Calaveras/Tuolumne)
- April 20 -- Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
- April 26 -- Yolo Basin
Finals:
- May 6 -- Camp Pollock, Sacramento
Exploration, Critical Thinking, and Fun in Nature!
Nature Bowl is an annual, science-based educational program for 3rd through 6th graders. Through games, problems, puzzles, and exploration, students gain ecological knowledge and conservation literacy. Teamwork and creativity are encouraged as students rotate through stations in a friendly, educational competition.
Natural Bowl curriculum is based on the California Education and the Environment Initiative in conjunction with the Next Generation Science Standards. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife develops the curriculum and works with partners to hold Nature Bowl events.
Watch this 4-minute video for a glimpse of Nature Bowl in action (YouTube)(opens in new tab).
How Does Nature Bowl Work?
Each school or group may enter one team in the 3rd-4th grade division and one in the 5th-6th. Teams are made up of a coach and three to eight children. The coach chooses a semi-final event (see 2020 schedule) (PDF)(opens in new tab) and registers the team. Then the coach and other parents or friends work with the team at least an hour a week until their event.
At the Nature Bowl semi-finals event, up to nine teams are brought together for a fantastic day in the outdoors. Teams will participate in the following challenges: Team Problems; Speedy Ringers; Nature Relay; Enviro-mercial; and Outdoor Investigations. The emphasis is on learning and teamwork rather than winning, and at the end, each team is recognized for the skills and qualities they demonstrated in their tasks. The top-scoring team in each division is also invited to a finals event held in May.
The goal of Nature Bowl is to help children explore, value and understand their local environments. All problems and challenges are based on the natural environments in this region, from the Sierras to the Delta.
How Do I Get Started?
If you’d like to be a nature bowl coach, the first step is attending a virtual 60-minute coach workshop in January. There, you will learn about the activities and the site where your experience will take place. The Nature Bowl coordinator will explain what to expect and give you a glossary and other materials to share with your students. You may even try some of the activities. Seasoned coaches will also have ideas and suggestions to help you succeed.
Next, you’ll need to put together your team and confirm with your school district that they can be released for this half-day or whole day educational event. You’ll want to teach your team the glossary words and if possible, visit a wild place or two. Teams will need to meet for a minimum of one hour per week to be successful.
Coaches may want to purchase the book The Outdoor World of the Sacramento Region, available at the workshops or online. Another good place to start is the California Education and the Environment Initiative website(opens in new tab). Check on the “Curriculum” tab and scroll down to access curriculum, workbooks, flash cards, pictures, posters, and more. Additional resources (PDF)(opens in new tab) are also provided.
What Happens at the Semi-Final?
These events are hosted by our partner organizations including: Yolo Basin Foundation; Sutter Resource Conservation District; American River Conservancy; Tuolumne County Office of Education; Sacramento Audubon Chapter; Sacramento Valley Conservancy; Bureau of Reclamation/New Melones Lake Visitor Center; Placer Nature Center; Friends of Stone Lakes / Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and the Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor Center.
Each host sets a slightly different schedule, but you can expect to spend a whole day at most sites. Currently all the events are held on school days, so check with your school district about their policy on releasing students for this educational activity.
Teams will arrive to find at least four stations set up and a schedule for rotating through them. Teams bring their lunches, and some like to bring a pop-up for the weather or even t-shirts they’ve made to build team spirit. The stations are judged by volunteers and scored, although we de-emphasize the focus on competition.
What is the Finals Event?
The top scoring team from each semi-final site will be invited to a finals event, held on a Saturday in May. At the finals, many of the stations are similar, but the challenges may be harder or require more knowledge. Our goal is still to provide a positive, enriching day for the students. Judges for this event come from all our sites and also includes many CDFW professionals.
Helpful Links
For More Information Contact:
Genelle Treaster, California Department of Fish and Wildlife
1701 Nimbus Rd., Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Call: (916) 542-3869 or Email Genelle.Treaster@wildlife.ca.gov