Environmental Education Center 4th & 5th Grade Student Programs

Fourth Grade Programs / TEKS
Science / STAAR / Program Description
Forest Ecosystem Investigation / 4.1(A),
4.2(A),
4.4(A),
4.9(B) / Young naturalists will investigate the ecosystem of the Post Oak Preserve, observing the adaptations of plants and animals for survival in this ecosystem and in their niche. Students will find evidence of the food web in action and trace the flow of energy through the system, identifying producers, consumers and decomposers. They will observe how changes in the system, either seasonal or environmental, affect the food web.
Our Green World / 4.1 (A),
4.2 (A,B,C,D),
4.4 (A),
4.5 (A),
4.8 (A, B) / 4.8A-SS
4.8B-SS / Plants are essential to life on earth. Young botanists will explore the adaptations of plants to the environment and the interconnections between plants and animals. They will explore the needs of plants, the role of plants as producers and their place in the food web. Field experiences will include observations with hand magnifiers and microscopes of plants in the field, including stages in the life cycle of plants. Students will make a plant collection and learn the techniques for preserving plant material.
Animal Adaptations;
Reptiles & Amphibians / 4.1 (A),
4.2 (A B),
4.4 (A),
4.5 (A),
4.9 (A,B) / Young herpetologists will meet our scaly, slimy friends and discover their many fascinating characteristics, behaviors and adaptations as well as their important roles in various ecosystems. They will explore the differences in life cycles and roles in the food web. Field experiences include hands-on observations as students interact with live animals.
Water, Water, Everywhere / 4.1(A,B),
4.2(A,B,D),
4.7(B,C),
4.8(B) / 4.8A-SS
4.8B-SS / Young hydrologists will observe the watershed of our EEC ponds, analyze water samples and investigate solutions to water pollution and water shortage problems. They will use appropriate material and equipment to analyze water samples from a pond on site. The concept of the water cycle will be explored.
Down and Dirty! / 4.1(A),
4.2(A,E),
4.3 (A -E),
4.4 (A),
4.7 (A),
4.10(A)
4.11 (A) / 4.7A-SS / This program focuses on the composition of soil and the process of soil formation through erosion and weathering of rock and decomposition of organic material. Junior pedologists will investigate the layers, or horizons, of soil, explore the types of soils produced in different climates and topographic regions and discover soil’s connection with animals and plants. Student will gather soil samples for experimentation and observation.
Sensing the Future (Weather Forecasting) / 4.1(A),
4.3(A),
4.4(A),
4.8(A) / 4.8A-SS
4.8B-SS / Students will explore the science of forecasting the weather. As young meteorologists they will become familiar with instruments used in measuring weather factors and their use in weather forecasting. Students will learn the 3 major prediction guidelines used by professionals: pressure trends, wind direction and cloud coverage, along with how to interpret a weather map and its basic symbols. Students will use a weather map to make a short term weather forecast.
Fifth
Grade Programs / TEKS
Science / STAAR / Program Description
Animal Adaptations – Birds and Niche / 5.1 (A),
5.2 (B,C),
5.4 (A),
5.9 (A,B,C),
5.10 (A,B) / 5.9A-RS
5.9B-RS
5.9C-SS
5.10A-RS
5.10B-RS / Young ornithologists will explore the characteristics of birds and their adaptations to different habitats and niches. Field experiences will include a bird watching walk using binoculars and field guides to observe and identify birds in a natural habitat.
Walking With Wonder-The Forest Revealed / 5.1 (A),
5.2 (B, C),
5.4 (A),
5.8 (A, B),
5.9 (A,B,C,D) / 5.8A-SS
5.8B-SS
5.9A-RS
5.9B-RS
5.9C-SS
5.9D-SS / Junior naturalists will observe various habitats and discover signs of animals along the trail as it winds through the deep forest and sunny prairie meadows of the Post Oak Preserve. Topics covered will include biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem, energy flow through the food web, cycles in nature, structure and function of species that enable the species to succeed in the ecosystem, and metamorphosis in insects.
Meet the Critters -Predators and Niche / 5.1 (A),
5.2 (B),
5.4 (A),
5.9 (A,B,C,D),
5.10 (A,B) / 5.9A-RS
5.9B-RS
5.9C-SS
5.9D-SS
5.10.A-RS
5.10B-RS / Junior ecologists will discover the important role of predators in the ecosystem and explore their interesting adaptations and niches using live animals. Field experiences will include a trail walk using binoculars and field guides to observe and identify predators in a natural habitat.
Pond Ecology / 5.1 (A),
5.2 (B, C),
5.4 (A),
5.5 (A),
5.9 (A,B,C) / 5.5A-RS
5.9A-RS
5.9B-RS
5.9C-SS / Junior limnologists will observe the pond, collect and identify a variety of organisms and examine themicroscopic life of the pond using microscopes. Students will use appropriate material and equipment to collect and prepare samples for viewing under a microscope. The students will test for pH, temperature, and turbidity in the pond.
Our Changing World * (weathering, erosion, & deposition) / 5.1 (A),
5.2 (A,B,C,D,E),
5.3 (A),
5.7 (A,B) / 5.7A-RS
5.7B-RS / Activities and field experiences are designed to explain the process of weathering, erosion and deposition. Students will be involved in hands-on activities designed to illustrate the constructive and destructive forces affecting the landforms of the earth.
Fossils, A Clue to the Past / 5.1 (A),
5.3 (D),
5.4 (A,B),
5.7 (A,D) / 5.7A-RS
5.7D-SS / Junior geologists will discover how sedimentary rocks and fossils are formed and how they help us learn about the past. Students will practice using science tools (rock hammers, safety glasses, hand lens) to find fossils. They will identify local Texas fossils. The students will learn about careers in geology.
Weather and Our Atmosphere / 5.1 (A),
5.2 (C),
5.3 (D),
5.4 (A),
5.5 (A),
5.8 (A, B) / 5.5A-RS
5.8A-SS
5.8-SS / The junior meteorologists will differentiate between weather and climate, will examine the 3 states of water as they exist on Earth (water, water vapor, and ice), and will explain how the Sun and ocean interact in the water cycle. The students will explore careers in meteorology and use science tools to measure weather.