Neighborhood Snakes: Meet your Neighbors

Hands-On Presentation

30 minute hands-on presentation with our educators and live, safe-to-handle snake ambassadors. Bilingual and all Spanish presentations available.

Selected Program Features

  • Introduces science fundamentals including widely applicable concepts and vocabulary including habitats and anatomy

  • Challenges preconceptions about snakes

  • Features live native snakes commonly found in the Bay Area

  • Discusses species traits and how they relate to their environment

  • Teaches safe animal interaction skills, both proper handling of tame ambassador snakes and what to do if encountering wild snakes

Students at Olinda Elementary School viewing the shed skin of a snake.

FREE FOR RICHMOND PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS! The Neighborhood Snakes program has served over 2,000 Richmond Elementary students since 2020. This program is provided at no cost to Richmond public elementary students, educators, or schools. The bulk of our funding to provide these programs comes from Richmond city grants ECIA and RFCY. We welcome donations to grow our programs and make our science programs accessible!

Not a Richmond public school teacher, but want this program to come to your classroom? Schedule your live program below:

Neighborhood Snakes is a one-of-a-kind science education program that introduces Bay Area youth to local habitats and the snakes who share them with us.

Our program introduces scientific concepts foundational to future STEM careers with curriculum in alignment with NGSS and Common Core standards. Interactive presentations engage students with live, safe-to-handle native snakes and experienced educators. Available for K-3rd grade. Now piloting “Neighborhood Reptiles”, expanded for 4th and 5th grades.

Students at Nystrom Elementary School meeting our snakes: Miley, the CA King Snake (top left) and Slinky, our gopher snake (above).

Sample Curriculum Schedule:

Monday: Introduction to Reptiles: Show pre-recorded video: 'What is a Snake?', Hand-out vocabulary page coloring sheets

Tuesday: Meet your Neighbors: Show pre-recorded video: 'Neighborhood Snakes', Hand-out snake list & snake facts pages

Watch now : Video #2: Neighborhood Snakes

Wednesday: Snake Activity: Shows pre-recorded video of a Grade Specific Activity, Associated handouts, Students complete activity.

Thursday: Snake Review

Friday: Live Snake Visit: Meet out snakes in real life or virtually! Our educators and animal ambassadors visit your classroom for a 30 min presentation.