California Institute for Biodiversity Store

Ever wonder how California’s mountains were formed? Do you know what a Mediterranean climate is? Why are there so many different kinds of plants and animals in our state? And who were the people who lived in California hundreds of years ago? Cal Alive! Tutorials can help you explore these questions—and much more!

Cal Alive! Tutorials consists of four different tutorials that examine the sources of biodiversity in California: Geology, Climate and Water, Ecology, and People and the Environment. All four contain hours of activities, games and quizzes, and magnificent photos, video footage, and illustrations. Observe the movement of tectonic plates as they create major faults. Follow a drop of rain down a watershed and out to the ocean. Learn about mutualism and how plants and animals can cooperate, and explore the worlds of vaqueros, gold miners, and Native Californians.

Teachers: Cal Alive! Tutorials makes complex scientific, natural history, and social studies concepts come alive for your students through interactive diagrams and explanations that go beyond what textbooks can do.