Facilitated Field Trips
Facilitated Programs for San Francisco Schools
Applications for the 2026-2027 school year are now open!
We currently offer two facilitated programs to complement your Garden visit, open to all Kindergarten–3rd grade classes from San Francisco schools, whether public, private, or parochial. These 50-minute sessions are led by our staff and take place before or after your self-directed Botanical Garden or Conservatory visit.
We especially encourage SPED/inclusion classes, newcomer classes, and classes taught in a language other than English to join us. Let us know your needs, and we will do our best to customize our activities for your students.
Tips for Planning Your Visit
- Each Kindergarten-3rd grade class in San Francisco may receive one free facilitated program each school year. Application form below.
- Learn more about accessibility, transportation, and other FAQs here.
Kinder & 1st Grade: Leafing Out!
Join us in the Children’s Garden of San Francisco Botanical Garden, where our educators provide a hands-on exploration of leaf shapes, colors, textures and scents. This lesson can be offered in English or Spanish.
This lesson supports Next Generation Science Standards: K-LS1-1 and 1-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants need to survive. Specifically, students will:
Observe and compare plants with different shapes, colors, textures, and scents.
Use prompts such as “I notice…”, “I wonder…”, and “It reminds me of…” to make observations and ask questions.
Describe similarities and differences among plants using evidence from their observations.
Make connections between the plants they investigate and the plants they encounter in gardens, parks, and the foods they eat.
Field trip Logistics
- Offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, up to 60 students.
- We will meet your group at Mother’s Meadow in Golden Gate Park at 10:30 for the walk to the Children’s Garden, after snack and restroom use.
- Each class gets a 50-minute Garden Staff facilitated lesson starting on your arrival in the Children’s Garden.
- After your facilitated lesson, your class can spend time on their own exploring the Botanical Garden.
Printable activities and resources:
- Children’s Garden Map
- More information about the Botanical Garden
Looking for TK opportunities? Check out our special TK day in May!
2nd & 3rd Grade: Plants Communicate!
The Conservatory of Flowers Classroom is the site of this investigation of how plants communicate with the animal world. Using plant and animal models, student scientists make observations, collect data, and test hypotheses. This lesson has materials in English, Spanish and Traditional Chinese.
This lesson supports the Next Generation Science Standard: 2-LS2.2 Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal pollinating plants. Specifically, students will:
- Carry out an investigation by making firsthand observations to help collect data which can be used to make comparisons.
- Construct an argument with evidence, data, and/or a model.
- Identify structures on a plant that function to attract specific pollinators.
Field trip Logistics
- Offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, up to two classes per day.
- Each class gets a 50-minute Garden Staff facilitated lesson starting at the reserved time that you select.
- Before or after your facilitated lesson, your class can spend time on their own exploring the galleries of the Conservatory.
- Your group may enter the Conservatory from 10am onwards.
Printable activities and resources:
- More information about the Conservatory of Flowers
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