Bring your students for an Autumn Adventure at Merry Lea!
Students will learn how animals and plants are adapted to survive winter in Indiana. This program is designed specifically to meet Science Standards for 1st and 2nd grades. The morning of this program will give students a chance to learn these concept through hands-on activities and instruction. After lunch, students will head to the trails to see how these concepts come alive in the forests, meadows and wetlands at Merry Lea.
Morning Teaching Stations:
Seed Hunt - Students will go on a hunt to find seeds. Then they will sort them by whether they are hitchhikers, wind movers, or eaten by animals. They will make careful observations about the differences in the characterstics of these groups and even look at the seeds under a microscope.
Spore Hunt - Some plants never ever bloom. Students will learn about moss, mushrooms and lichens and other plants that produce spores instead of seeds. Then they will head out to look for a spore garden. They will be delighted to find and explore these plants that are all around them and are usually overlooked.
Tree
Investigation -
Trees have a abundance of different features that make them unique. Students
will do a scavenger hunt to see if they can find different tree leaves,
fruits, and other parts. Then they will make
leaf rubbings of tree leaves and investigate the difference in tree leaf
shapes and textures.
Insect
Collecting - Outfitted with insect nets and jars, students will
head to the meadow to collect insects. They will begin to see all
the different kinds of insects that are living in a meadow and think about
insect life cycles and how insects deal with freezing cold winter temperatures.
Insect
Diversity -
Insects might be the strangest living things on the planet. Students
will have a chance to look at an insect collection and sketch several insects. They
will think about why certain insects have different features and what habitats
they might live in.
Mammal Survival - How do mammals survive winter? This station will focus on activities to help students understand concepts like hibernation, migration, and camouflage. They will have a chance to look closely at animal furs and skulls to see how these might also be adapted for an animals survival.
Hibernating
Herps - Students will be thrilled to see and touch a live native
snake and toad. They also can take a close look at a native fish. How
do these cold blooded creatures survive the winter and frozen water? What
do these animals eat and how do they breathe? There is nothing like
a hands-on encounter with a northern water snake to get students thinking
and questioning.
Afternoon Autumn Hike
After lunch students will take to the trails with trained naturalist guides to explore the ecosystems of Merry Lea. Fall is a wonderful time to be out on the trails. The forest is alive with animals preparing for winter, plants are casting their seeds across the landscape, and the colors are stunning. Take an Autumn Adventure with your class this year and enjoy Fall in all its splendor.
