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School Program

Providing Plenty

The Natural Resources of San Mateo County

How did natural resources contribute to the growth of San Mateo County?

Tour

Visit a tule house, learn about mission outposts, and see a lumberjack’s tools as you discover Nature’s Bounty. The tour depicts the experiences of the different people who have been a part of the county’s history.

Students discover how the Ohlone, Spanish, Mexican, and American used the natural resources they found in the county to support their daily lives and to build San Francisco.

Two students view a display at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Discover the natural resources on a Spanish mission farm.

Ohlone Activities

After the tour, students “live” the Ohlone lifestyle as they try some of the following activities:

Preparing an acorn meal
Using a pump drill to make shell beads
Twining cordage
Playing Ohlone games
Allergy Alert: Nuts and furs are used during program

Young girl with a pump drill at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Objectives

Students will be able to identify natural resources of the area used by the Ohlone, Spanish and Mexicans.
Students will be identify the changing use of natural resources as inhabitants moved from the Ohlone hunter‐gather lifestyle to the Spanish agrarian lifestyle.
Students will be able to identify the importance of natural resources to the rancho economy.

Online Registration

Online registration for the 2024-2025 school year is ongoing.

Online registration for the 2025-2026 school year starts April 15. Requests received before that date will not be processed.

Payment

You now have the option to pay for your school program online.

Pay Now

For more information, call 650.299.0104 or email us.

Program Details

Geared to third and fourth graders.
History-Social Science Content Standards: 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 4.2, 4.3, 4.5.
2024-2025 Fee: $115 per class. There is an additional charge of $6 per student for every student over 30.
Fees apply to ONE CLASS PER PROGRAM
A double program is charged for two programs.

Resources

Double Program Option

Due to the size of the galleries, the regular Providing Plenty program is limited to one class per program. With the double program option, it is possible to schedule two programs to occur simultaneously. One class will start with the tour and the other with the activities. The classes will switch half-way through the program.

Each class is charged the regular program fee. If your class has more than 30 students, we require an additional $6 fee for each student over 30. Fees apply to one class per program.

Hands-On History

Young girl explores an interactive display at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Young girl uses a mortar to ground acorns at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Students interacting with Ohlone materials at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Young girl uses two sticks to pick up a stone at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Students use a mortar to ground acorns at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Students throw traditional sticks at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Kids try using a pump drill to make a hole in a shell in Nature's Bounty.

Students explore an interactive display at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Students listen to a staff member at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Young boy with a pump drill at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

A young student plays with a loom at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

Students view a display with a staff member at Providing Plenty school program at the San Mateo County History Museum

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