Discover the Wonder
An Environmental Education Adventure
No Screens. Go Green!
How a Field Trip Works
Half the class explores. Half the class time-travels. Then they switch.
In the Garden
A nature scavenger hunt
- Teams of 4–6 students rotate through four garden loops with their own Dino Diane’s Field Journal, drawing and recording what they find.
- Plant ID and interpretive signs guide them through xeriscaping, pollinators, native plants, and Indigenous uses of agave, yucca, and prickly pear.
- An Adventure Guide travels with each small team, answering questions, pointing out cactus spines, and keeping the wonder going.
In the Classroom
300 million years in one hour
- Students solve the mystery of why Sedona’s rocks are red, meet the real Dilophosaurus, and discover the ancient sea beneath their feet.
- They learn how KSB transformed “honky-tonk, cluttered Sedona” in 1972, and what they can do to respect, protect, and enjoy nature!
- It all wraps up with the high-energy Leave No Trace Game Show, where teams compete to master the 7 Principles.
Every student takes home a completed field journal, a free Dino Diane’s Adventures book, and a mission: an hour a day in nature, off screens.
What Students Learn
One garden, a whole curriculum
Teachers say the program connects naturally to science, history, reading, writing — even math. Topics include:
Sedona’s Geology
Why the rocks are red, how the Schnebly Hill Formation records ancient seas, dunes, and floodplains — and which dinosaurs really roamed Arizona.
Indigenous Use of Plants
How the Sinagua, Yavapai, and Apache turned agave into food, sandals, needle and thread — even chewing gum.
Water-smart Gardening
Xeriscaping principles, and how natural rainfall and native plants keep a desert garden thriving.
Pollinators & Wildlife
Why bees, bats, butterflies, and hummingbirds matter, and how to build a pollinator garden at home.
Leave No Trace
The 7 Principles for protecting trails, wildlife, cryptobiotic soil, and ancient sites — taught as a game show kids don’t forget.
Hiking Smarts
Lightning awareness, hiking courtesy, and trail safety from monsoons to rattlesnakes.
The inaugural session with Camp Verde Middle School brought 40 students to the EcoHub garden. Students arrived with limited familiarity with their natural surroundings — and left with expanded knowledge, enthusiasm, and a sense of wonder about their home landscape, many had never articulated before.
Afterward, we asked what stuck with them:
“Sedona was once a sea, and the rocks are red because of rust.” – Leana
“I liked the dinosaurs and how they roamed Arizona.” – Reagan
“That environmental sustainability means using nature responsibly.” – Joshua
“All of the cool plants outside and the diversity.” – Sierra
“I liked learning about the Arizona barrel cactus and the Fendler’s hedgehog.” – Kiara
“About the 7 Leave No Trace rules.” – Brien
The Discover the Wonder field trip “was perfect for our 6th graders, even the lower level readers and writers were engaged with the sturdy colored printed materials and they could follow along and do the sketches. I was a little worried that our 6th graders might lose interest quickly since ecology isn’t something they seemed all that interested in before the trip. But the quality materials, as well as the small groups with an adult to guide them, really kept their interest and kept them engaged at each of the four loops. They really enjoyed seeing the cool pollinating moth that looked like a hummingbird, as well as the somewhat elusive dinosaur footprint.” – Eric Hansen – Camp Verde Middle School
“I would 100% recommend this program to other teachers. The students were engaged in learning about Sedona’s history. The fun continued with a game about how to be a steward of the outdoors using kinesthetic and collaborative learning. Then there is the garden! Knowledgeable and kind guides took students around to learn about native plants. Students learned their uses and how to look at them in a different way. This is one of the best field trips I have ever been on! It was well thought out and organized. We had a blast and learned so much!” – Arielle Engle – Cottonwood Community School
“Our 5th graders study botany, geology, and all about Arizona. [The program] fits across our curriculum perfectly.” – Amy Harris – Desert Star Community School, Cornville
Watch a Fascinating Interview with DJ Kristoff
Jack Canfield, the author of the very successful and renowned “Chicken Soup of the Soul ” series interviewed Dino Diane in April of 2022. You can watch the interview at THIS LINK.
In addition to discussing her interest in dinosaurs and her passion for teaching young students about the wonders of nature, Jack and D.J. talked about her books, Saddlebags of Gold and The Secrets of the Five Rays of Light.
He describes them as “An enjoyable read for all ages, this extraordinary blend of fiction and nonfiction delivers the pure joy of adventure and important secrets of the heart that are timeless.” —Jack Canfield, Coauthor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series
The Adventure Continues
Two ways to keep the wonder going – with your help
Volunteer as an Adventure Guide
Adventure Guides are the heart of every field trip. You’ll guide a small team of 4–6 young explorers through the garden loops — no teaching degree required, just curiosity and a love of nature.
- Field trips run 2 hours; Adventure Guides arrive 30 minutes early
- Guide one small group at a time — easy, personal, and fun
- The field journal and garden signs do the heavy lifting; we’ll show you the rest
Email ksb@keepsedonabeautiful.org or call 928-282-4938 to join the Adventure Guide team.
For more information, click here.
Fund a field trip
Field trips are free for schools — and they run on the support of volunteers and donors like you.
- Printed full-color field journals — every student keeps theirs
- Covers busing so any Verde Valley school can attend, regardless of budget
- Puts a Dino Diane’s Adventures book in every student’s hands
- Sustains the program for years to come
Keep Sedona Beautiful is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible.
Donate to Discover the Wonder