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Naturalist guided programs are conducted for school groups during the academic school year. The 2011-2012 field trip programs will be posted to the website on August 1st. The on-line registration form will be available for Orange County teachers on August 15th. Registration for Orange County teachers begins at 7:00am on August 15th. Registration for teachers outside of Orange County begins at 7:00 a.m. on September 1st.
Class Schedule and Information for 2011-2012 School Year
Here We Grow!
Grade Level: Pre-K
During this 1 1/2 hour lesson, students will use all five senses to experience our Children’s Garden. Students will plant a seed to take home with them, water the garden, and explore the wonderful plants growing there. This program does not include a boat tour.
We have a working beehive in our Garden!
Please take this into consideration if any of your students have bee allergies. Make sure the student carries his/her Epi-pen with them at all times.
Habitat Hop
Grade Levels: K, 1, 2
During this 2-hour lesson, studentswill take a boat ride to an Outpost Pavilion where they will explore three components of a habitat: food, water, shelter. As we venture from swamp, to forest, to meadow, students will meet some plants and discover some animals in these different habitats.
TEKS in this lesson:
K: Sci 1-4,9; ELAR 1,5,16,19,21-23; SocSt 5; M 1,5-8,10-11
1st: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 4, 14, 27-29; SocSt 4, 6; Art 1
2nd: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 28-30; Art 1
What’s the Weather?
Grade Levels: 1, 2, 3
In this 2-hour lesson, students will learn to use various instruments to measure and record the weather. We’ll discuss temperature, wind conditions, precipitation, clouds, and more! This lesson may or may not include a boat ride on Adams Bayou. (The season and water level will dictate this.)
TEKS in this lesson:
1st: Sci 1-5,8; ELAR 4,14,27-29; M 2,4,7,9-13
2nd: Sci 1-5,8; ELAR 28-30; M 2,10,13
3rd: Sci 1-5, 8; ELAR 22, 29-31; M 12-13
Winter Ecology
Grade Levels: 2, 3, 4, 5
This 2-hour lesson will get students outside to observe some changes that happen during winter. Various games and investigations will help students understand where the animals go and how they survive the cold weather. This lesson includes a 1-2 mile slow hike, but does not include a boat ride. Please make sure students are dressed for the cold!
TEKS in this lesson:
2nd: Sci 2-5, 7-10
3rd: Sci 2-6, 8, 10
4th: Sci 2-5, 8, 10
5th: Sci 1, 2, 4, 8-10
Busy Bees
Grade Levels: 2, 3, 4
Students will experience various aspects of our gardens during this 2-hour lesson. They will learn about the relationship between plants and pollinators as they plant seeds, study our working beehive, sample some goodies from the garden, and more! This program does not include a boat tour.
We have a working beehive in our Garden! Please take this into consideration if any of your students have bee allergies. Make sure the student carries his/her Epi-pen with them at all times.
TEKS in this lesson:
2nd: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 28-30; Art 1-2; M 12
3rd: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 22, 29-31; M 3, 14, 16
4th: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 20, 27-29; M 3, 9, 14, 16
Birds, Birds, Birds
Grade Levels: 2, 3, 4
Students become “eco-tourists” during this 3-hour lessonas they learn about our feathered friends. They will observe birds nesting in our heronry. We will focus on adaptations that allow birds to thrive in their ecological niche. A boat ride along Adams Bayou will let students observe some of our birds foraging for food!
TEKS in this lesson:
2nd: Sci 1-4; ELAR 28-30; Art 1; M 9, 11-14
3rd: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 29-31; M 13-15
4th: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 20, 27-29; M 14-16
Soil: Get the Scoop
Grade Levels: 3, 4, 5
This fast-paced, 4 1/2 hour lesson will include hands-on examinations of soil color, soil texture, permeability, weathering, and erosion. We’ll make ribbons and rainbows, test different soils for permeability, and then we’ll do the erosion shuffle. Students should bring a sack lunch - we will stop for a ½ hour lunch break during this lesson. This lesson may or may not include a boat tour; the season and water level will determine this.
TEKS in this lesson:
3rd: Sci 1-4, 7; ELAR 22, 29-31; M 11-15
4th: Sci 1-4, 7; ELAR 20, 27-29; M 11-15
5th: Sci 1-4; ELAR 20, 27-29; M 5, 11, 14-15
Squid Dissection
Grade Levels: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
In this 2-hour lesson we will introduce students to the wonders of dissection. Students will learn external and internal anatomy, with a focus on what makes squid unique. Among other things, the students will extract the beak, the “pen,” and the lenses from the eyes. They will use the ink in the ink sac to write their name! This lesson does not include a boat tour.
TEKS in this lesson:
4th: Sci 1-4, 10; ELAR 20, 27-29; M 14-15
5th: Sci 1-4, 10; ELAR 13, 20, 27-29; M 14-15
6th: Sci 1-4, 12; ELAR 12-13, 26-28
7th: Sci 1-4, 11-13; ELAR 12-13, 26-28
8th: Sci 1-4, 11; ELAR 12-13, 26-28; M 14
Scat, Skins, and Skulls
Grade Levels: 4, 5, 6
Students will observe how animals survive within their habitat during this 4 ½ hour lesson. We will search for and examine tracks, skulls, scat, and other signs of different animals. Students will critically examine physical and behavioral adaptations of animals. Students should bring a sack lunch - we will stop for a ½ hour lunch break during this lesson. This lesson may or may not include a boat ride; the season and water level will determine this.
TEKS in this lesson:
4th: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 20, 27-29; M 11, 15-16
5th: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 13, 20, 27-29; M 10-11, 14-16
6th: Sci 1-4, 12; ELAR 26-28; M 8, 11
What is a Watershed?
Grade Levels: 5, 6, 7
In this 4½ hour lesson, we will use games and hands-on exploration to teach students about our local watershed. We will build our own watershed, and then board a boat for a ride to an Outpost Pavilion. Students will test the water for dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, and more. Students should bring a sack lunch - we will stop for a ½ hour lunch break during this lesson.
TEKS in this lesson:
5th: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 20, 27-29; Math 11, 13-15
6th: Sci 1-4; ELAR 26-28; Math 8, 10-12
7th: Sci 1-4, 8, 11, 13
Beneficial Bugs
Grade Levels: 4, 5, 6
During this 4 1/2 hour lesson, students will discover that humans cannot live without bugs! Students will collect insects in two different habitats, conduct a bee study, release beneficial insects into our Children’s Garden, and more! Students will discuss the pros and cons of camouflage coloring, and play a game to demonstrate insects in a food web. This lesson may or may not include a boat tour; the season and water level will determine this.
Bees really like our Gardens! Please take this into consideration if any of your students have bee allergies. Make sure the student carries his/her Epi-pen with them at all times.
TEKS in this lesson:
4th: Sci 3,4,5,8
5th: Sci 5, 6,9,10
6th: Sci 3,10,12
Winter Ecology
Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
This 2-hour lesson will get students outside to observe some changes that happen during winter. Various investigations will help students understand plant and animal adaptations for cold weather. This lesson includes a 1-2 mile slow hike, but does not include a boat ride. Please make sure students are dressed for the cold!
TEKS in this lesson:
6th: Sci 1-4, 12
7th: Sci 1-5, 10, 11, 13
8th: Sci 1-4, 7, 11
Scat, Skins, and Skulls
Grade Levels: 4, 5, 6
Students will observe how animals survive within their habitat during this 4 ½ hour lesson. We will search for and examine tracks, skulls, scat, and other signs of different animals. Students will critically examine physical and behavioral adaptations of animals. Students should bring a sack lunch -we will stop for a ½ hour lunch break during this lesson. This lesson may or may not include a boat ride; the season and water level will determine this.
TEKS in this lesson:
4th: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 20, 27-29; M 11, 15-16
5th: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 13, 20, 27-29; M 10-11, 14-16
6th: Sci 1-4, 12; ELAR 26-28; M 8, 11
What is a Watershed?
Grade Levels: 5, 6, 7
In this 4½ hour lesson, we will use games and hands-on exploration to teach students about our local watershed. We will build our own watershed, and then board a boat for a ride to an Outpost Pavilion. Students will test the water for dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, and more. Students should bring a sack lunch -we will stop for a ½ hour lunch break during this lesson.
TEKS in this lesson:
5th: Sci 1-4, 9-10; ELAR 20, 27-29; Math 11, 13-15
6th: Sci 1-4; ELAR 26-28; Math 8, 10-12
7th: Sci 1-4, 8, 11, 13
Beneficial Bugs
Grade Levels: 4, 5, 6
During this 4 1/2 hour lesson, students will discover that humans cannot live without bugs! Students will collect insects in two different habitats, conduct a bee study, release beneficial insects into our Children’s Garden, and more! Students will discuss the pros and cons of camouflage coloring, and play a game to demonstrate insects in a food web. This lesson may or may not include a boat tour; the season and water level will determine this.
Bees really like our Gardens! Please take this into consideration if any of your students have bee allergies. Make sure the student carries his/her Epi-pen with them at all times.
TEKS in this lesson:
4th: Sci 3,4,5,8
5th: Sci 5, 6,9,10
6th: Sci 3,10,12
Winter Ecology
Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
This 2-hour lesson will get students outside to observe some changes that happen during winter. Various investigations will help students understand plant and animal adaptations for cold weather. This lesson includes a 1-2 mile slow hike, but does not include a boat ride. Please make sure students are dressed for the cold!
TEKS in this lesson:
6th: Sci 1-4, 12
7th: Sci 1-5, 10, 11, 13
8th: Sci 1-4, 7, 11