Programs for Grades Pre K - 2
Classes begin October 1, 2008
Story Book Animals (Grades Pre-K- K)
Storybook animals come to life as young children and adults journey together into the world of a favorite nature story, enjoy an exploration activity and visit with a live animal. Choose from one of these stories:
- Log Hotel
- What Do I Do With a Tail Like This?
- My Five Senses
Possible Animals: Dependent upon story
Lesson Format: Exploration (30 min.)
Oviparous Animals (Grades Pre-K- K)
This interactive class introduces students to egg-laying animals like insects, amphibians, birds and reptiles. Students will learn about oviparous animals through the investigation of the physical characteristics of different types of eggs and observation of a living example.
Possible Animals: Cockroach, millipede, snake, toad, and/or newt.
Lesson Format: Exploration (30 min.) or Inquiry & Investigation (45 min.)
This program can travel to your site!
Program Length: 45 min.
Max Class Size: 20
Fee: $155 (travel fee may apply)
Days/Times: Mon.-Fri. 9:30am – 2:00pm
Fur, Feathers, Scales or Exoskeletons (Grades Pre-K-2)
Explore the basic coverings of mammals, birds, reptiles and/or insects. Students can touch and talk about similarities, differences and possible functions of each type of covering, plus see some wonderful live examples of animals that are covered in fur, feathers, scales or exoskeletons.
Possible Animals: Rabbit, rat, bird, snake, Blue-Tongued skink, tarantula, cockroach, and/or millipede.
Lesson Format: Exploration (30 min.) or Inquiry & Investigation (45/60 min.)
Devouring Detritivores (Grades K-2)
Bugs, worms, snails and spiders - are they pests or pals? Roll up your sleeves and get ready to get your hands dirty as we look at the beneficial role these critters play in our daily lives. Students learn about how detritivores aid in decomposition by observing earthworms, using magnifiers to get a larger look at smaller animals, and meeting animal guests,
Possible Animals: Earthworms, cockroach, millipede, and/or snails.
Lesson Format: Exploration (30 min.) or Inquiry & Investigation (45/60 min.)
Interesting Invertebrates (Grades K-2)
What’s the difference between an insect, “bug,” and spider? Study the unique characteristics and get a magnified look at the parts of a living invertebrate. Observe and spend some quality time with our land animals lacking a backbone.
Possible Animals: Cockroach, banana slug, millipede, and/or tarantula.
Lesson Format: Exploration (30 min.) or Inquiry & Investigation (45/60 min.)
This program can travel to your site!
Program Length: 45 min. (K); 60 min. (1st-2nd)
Max Class Size: 20 (K); 30 (1st-2nd)
Fee: $155 (travel fee may apply)
Days/Times: Mon.-Fri. 9:30am – 2:00pm
Weather Watchers (Grades 1-2)
What is the weather today? Investigate natural phenomena such as light, wind, rain, and fog that are common to the area in which we live. Make fun tools for measuring the weather, discuss how and why we have different seasons, and observe some animals and how they are adapted to survive the weather.
Possible Animals: Rabbit, desert tortoise, rat, and/or snake
Lesson Format: Inquiry & Investigation (60 min.)
Growing Green (Grades 1-2) New in February 2009!
Plants are a major group of life forms on earth. Plants provide people with wood to build things, food for us to eat, and oxygen for us to breathe. This class explores plants through seed investigations, studying water and sunlight, and exploring the Museum’s gardens as we enter the fascinating world of plants.
Lesson Format: Inquiry & Investigation (60 min.)
Adapted for Survival (Grades 1-2)
Wings for flight, patterns for mimicry, and specialized body parts for capturing food are all examples of adaptations that aid in an animal’s survival. This program looks at several different categories of adaptations including camouflage, mimicry and patterns; herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore; and the special features of predators or prey. This program includes small group discovery stations, outdoor exploration, engaging observation and investigation and live animal ambassadors that exemplify different adaptive strategies.
Possible Animals: Invertebrates, reptiles, birds, mammals, and/or amphibians
Lesson Format: Discovery Adventure (1.5-2hrs.)
“Sense” of Space (Grades 1-2)
What do you see, hear, smell and feel? In this program, students explore and learn about an animal’s niche in nature. Discover what animals need to survive, where they find it in their “space”, and how individual organisms are connected to each other. Outdoor exploration is a must as we engage our senses to find what all plants and animals need for survival: food, water and space.
Possible Animals: Invertebrates, reptiles, birds, mammals, and/or amphibians
Lesson Format: Inquiry & Investigation (60 min.) or Discovery Adventure (1.5-2hrs.)
This program can travel to your site!
Program Length: 60 min.
Max Class Size: 30
Fee: $155 (travel fee may apply)
Days/Times: Mon.-Fri. 9:30am – 2:00pm
