​Irvine Regional Park Field Trip - Middle School
​NGSS PE Supported: MS-ESS3-3

How can we monitor and minimize human impacts on the environment? In this 4.5-hour field trip at Irvine Regional Park, sixth-grade students analyze water flow, pollution, and human impacts on wildlife. They engage in the role of engineering to solve ecological challenges and investigate how human activities influence ecosystems. This program promotes environmental stewardship and encourages students to design real-world conservation solutions​.

Activity Stations include: 

• Water Flow Hike - Students will hike around Irvine Regional Park to make look for evidence of human activity and water movement to make predictions of how pollutants may travel through Orange County. 
  
  
• Water Filtration Engineering - In working with small teams, students will follow criteria and constraints to create their own water filtration systems. This process will help students develop problem-solving skills and an understanding of the impacts of pollution on water quality and the environment.
  
  
• Pollution Investigation- Students work together to collect and analyze data on five different types of pollution: air pollution, water pollution, sound pollution, light pollution and plastic pollution, then brainstorm ways to mitigate its impact on the environment.
  
  
• ​Zoo Investigation - Students explore the impact of human activity on native animals by visiting the Orange County Zoo. 

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