Environmental Education Center Kindergarten 3Rd Grade Programs

Environmental Education Center Kindergarten – 3rd Grade Programs

Kindergarten Programs / TEKS
Science / Program Description
All About Animals / K.1 (A),
K.2 (A, C),
K.3 (C),
K.4 (A,B)
K.7(C),
K.8(A),
K.9 (A, B),
K.10 (A,B) / Students will learn about animals from the traditional children’s song “Over in the Meadow”, using counting, observation, classification and identification skills. The characteristics of different classes of animals, stages of growth and development, ways of caring for the young, homes and food will be explored. Students will meet many of the animals from the song as live or preserved specimens. Field experiences will include a walk along the pond and prairie trail using hand magnifiers for observations and/or a visit to the domestic animals at the barn.
Discover Water, Weather and Wildlife / K.1 (A),
K.2 (A, C),
K.3 (C),
K.4 (A,B),
K.7(C),
K.8(A),
K.9 (A, B),
K.10 (A,B) / A great diversity of earth and life science discoveries await the curiosity of young naturalists as they explore the Pond and Prairie Trail. Birds, reptiles and invertebrates are especially easy to observe along this trail. The edge of the pond always offers an array of tracks, feathers, shells and other fascinating discoveries. Field experiences will include measurement of wind and temperature, observation of clouds and identification of signs of the season in plant and animal life. Students will use a hand lens to make observations and the teacher may make a collection of natural objects to take back to the classroom for further study.
Trees from
Tiny to Gigantic / K.1 (A),
K.2 (A, C),
K.3 (C),
K.4 (A,B),
K.7(C),
K.8(A),
K.9 (A, B),
K.10 (A,B,C,D) / Young naturalists will explore the lives of trees, from tiny seedling to tall maturity to fallen giant, as they walk the trails of the Post Oak Preserve. Students will observe the parts of the tree and trees at different stages of growth and decay. They will compare trees to other kinds of plant and discover the many animals that depend on trees for food and shelter. Field experiences will include observation, classification and identification skills. Students will use hand lenses to make observations and the teacher may make a collection of natural objects to take back to the classroom for further study.
Secrets of the Woods and Meadows / K.1 (A),
K.2 (A, C),
K.3 (C),
K.4 (A,B),
K.7(C),
K.8(A),
K.9 (A, B),
K.10 (A,B) / Many exciting discoveries await students as they explore the deep forest and sunny prairie meadows along the Woods and Meadows Trail. Young naturalists will search for burrows, tracks, nests and other clues that reveal the secret life of the largely nocturnal animals that call these habitats home. Field experiences will include observation, classification and identification skills. Students will use hands lenses to make observations and the teacher may make a collection of natural objects to take back to the classroom for further study.
First Grade Programs / TEKS
Science / Program Description
Mammals
and More / 1.1 (A),
1.2 (A),
1.3(C),
1.4 (A),
1.9 (A, C),
1.10(A,C) / Mammals are the animals most familiar to young children, and of course, humans are mammals too. Students will learn the defining characteristics of our fellow mammals and compare them to other common animals such as birds and reptiles. Students will explore the adaptations of different kinds of animals to various habitats and niches. Field experiences will include a trail walk using hand lenses to search for signs of animals and/or a visit to the domestic animals at the barn.
Signs of the Seasons / 1.1 (A),
1.2 (A),
1.3(C),
1.4 (A),
1.7(B),
1.8(A,C),
1.9 (A, C),
1.10(A,B) / This program focuses of the changes that the different seasons bring to the land, water, sky, animals and plants. Students will look for signs of the seasons as they observe plants and animals on a trail walk along the Pond and Prairie Trail. Field experiences will include observation and identification skills. Students will use hand lenses to make observations and the teacher may make a small collection of natural objects to take back to the classroom for further study.
Forest Food Chain / 1.1 (A),
1.2 (A),
1.3(C),
1.4 (A),
1.7(B),
1.8(A,C),
1.9 (A, C),
1.10(A,B) / Young naturalists will explore the shady forest and sunny prairie meadows of the Post Oak Preserve to find evidence of the food chain in action. Students will search for chewed leaves and nuts, burrows, scat and other clues that reveal the secret life of the largely nocturnal animals that call these habitats home. Field experiences will include observation and identification skills. Students will use hand lenses to make observations and the teacher may make a collection of natural objects to take back to the classroom for further study.
Sensational
Seeds / 1.1 (A),
1.2 (A),
1.3(C),
1.4 (A),
1.8(C),
1.9 (A, C),
1.10(B) / Seeds are nature’s surprise packages. Inside each seed is the future plant, so seeds are crucial to the survival of most plants. Many animals, including humans, depend on the high energy food found in seeds. This program will focus on understanding the importance of seeds for plants and animals, observation of the life cycle of plants, and exploration of various seed dispersal strategies. Students will use hand lenses for outdoor observations and make a collection of seeds for further study.
Second Grade Programs / TEKS
Science / Program Description
Amazing Arthropods / 2.1(A),
2.2 (A, C),
2.3 (C),
2.4 (A),
2.9 (A, B,C),
2.10(A,C) / Young entomologists will explore the fascinating world of the arthropods, using live and preserved specimens to discover the similarities and differences between spiders, insects and other arthropods. Students will discover connections between plants, arthropods and other animals. Students will practice classification and interpretation skills using live and preserved specimens. Field experiences will include collection and observation of arthropods in the gardens and natural areas using insect nets and hand magnifiers.
How’s the Weather? / 2.1(A),
2.2 (A, C),
2.3 (C),
2.4 (A),
2.8(A,B,C),
2.9(B) / Explore the science of meteorology and the relationship of weather and climate to the environment. Learn about the roles of the water cycle, wind and sun in the ever-changing Texas weather. During the field experience, young meteorologists will learn to use various instruments related to observing, measuring, recording and predicting the weather. Outdoor investigations will explore the effects of seasonal and weather changes on the lives of plants and animals.
Our Green World / 2.1(A,C),
2.2 (A, C),
2.3 (C)
2.4 (A),
2.9 (A, B,C),
2.10(A,B,C) / Plants make life on earth possible. Young botanists will discover the many ways animals, including humans, depend on plants, as well as the ways plants sometimes depend on animals. Field experiences will include observation, classification and identification of plants in the gardens and natural areas using hand magnifiers. Students will make a collection of plant material, observe that collection with a microscope and preserve the collection for further study and classroom projects.
Web of Life Discovery Walk / 2.1(A),
2.2 (A, C),
2.3 (C),
2.4 (A),
2.9 (A, B,C),
2.10(A,B,C) / Many exciting discoveries await students as they explore the deep forest and sunny prairie meadows along the Woods and Meadows Trail. Young naturalists will search for burrows, tracks, nests and other clues that reveal the secret life of the largely nocturnal animals that call these habitats home. Field experiences will include observation, identification and classification skills. Students will use hand magnifiers to make observations and the teacher may make a collection of natural objects to take back to the classroom for further study.
Third Grade Programs / TEKS
Science / STAAR / Program Description
Leaf Litter
Detectives / 3.1(A),
3.2(A, C, D),
3.4(A),
3.9(A) / 3.9A-SS / Students will explore the fascinating, but often ignored, world of the forest floor, where fungi, termites and others are busy recycling the nutrients that keep the forest alive. Students will discover the importance of decomposition in the cycle of life and observe the organisms involved in this process. Field experiences will include hands-on investigation of the layers of the forest floor and the observation of samples using hand lenses and microscopes.
Water, Wind
And Wildlife / 3.1(A),
3.2(A-F),
3.3 (A,B),
3.4(A),
3.9(A-C) / 3.9A-SS
3.10C-SS / Young naturalists will participate in the study of the pond ecosystem. Students will investigate relationships between the ponds populations and the environment in which they live. Students will explore the concepts of niche, habitat, and adaptations. Students will also investigate how components of day to day weather changes affect the pond ecosystem.
Discover the Woods & Meadows Ecosystems / 3.1(A),
3.2(A-D),
3.3 (A),
3.4 (A),
3.8 (A),
3.9 (A-C),
3.10(A-C) / 3.9A-SS
3.10C-SS / Many exciting discoveries await students as they explore the deep forest and sunny prairie meadows along the Woods and Meadows Trail. Young naturalist will search for burrows, tracks, nests and other clues that reveal the secret life of the largely nocturnal animals that call these ecosystems home. Field experiences will include observation and identification skills. Students will use hand magnifiers to make observation and the teacher may make a collection of natural objects to take back to the classroom for further study. Students will visit a weather data site where they will record current weather data that may have an effect on these ecosystems.
Feathered Friends / 3.1(A),
3.4(C),
3.9 (A,B), / 3.9A-SS / Birds are one of the easiest and most rewarding animals to observe. Young ornithologist will discover the fascinating adaptations that distinguish birds from other animals and explore the important role of birds in the ecosystem. Beaks, feet and feathers will be examined for clues to each bird’s particular niche and behavior. Food, homes and stages of development will be explored. Field experiences will include a trail walk using binoculars and field guides to observe and identify birds.
Discovering Our Solar System / 3.1(A),
3.2(B,C),
3.4(A),
3.8 (B,C,D) / 3.8D-SS / Comprehending the distance, arrangement &complexities of the celestial bodies in our vast solar system is a challenging & exciting journey of learning. This program focuses on helping students to understand the differences between the planets, inner/outer planets, their distances from the sun, & characteristics of the sun itself. Some activities will be conducted outside in order to allow students to understand the relative distances involved in the size of our solar system.
Exploring Earth Systems / 3.1(A),
3.2(A),
3.4(A),
3.7 (A,B,D) / 3.7B-SS / This program focuses on the importance of soil as a natural resource and the process of soil formation. Students will understand the differences between rock types and the reasons sedimentary rock is found in north Texas. They will explore the components of soil and the process of soil formation through mechanical and chemical weathering of rock and decomposition of plants and animals. Lab and field activities will include collection, observation and comparison of soil samples from different sites at the EEC.