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SCHOOL PROGRAMS
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This two-part program helps students experience and learn about local flora,
fauna, and habitats. One week, a staff educator visits a teacher's classroom
with activities that complement his/her curriculum and prepares students for
their field trip. The next week, students visit Durango Nature Center for a
morning-long nature walk that continues the work done in the classroom. Volunteer
naturalists guide small groups through a variety of habitats, engaging them
with scientific projects, hands-on activities, and stimulating discussions.
This program takes place in April/May and September/October.
Our curriculum supports the Durango elementary schools' science objectives
and is correlated to Colorado state science standards. Topics by grade level:
- Preschool-kindergarten - Five Senses
Nature Discovery
- Grade 1 - Plants Are Producers
- Grade 2 - Insect Investigations
- Grade 3 - The Watery World
- Grade 4 - Animal Tales
- Grade 5 - Home Sweet Habitat
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Students in grade 4-8 spend
a weekday morning in January or February on snowshoes
learning about wildlife ecology, snow physics, and the
scientific experiment. Students learn snowshoeing basics,
measure snow characteristics, and realize that many animals survive and even
thrive in winter. |
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From November to March, a staff naturalist visits preschool
- 8th grade classrooms, providing 60 minutes of fun,
interactive, hands-on learning on one of the topics listed
below:
- Mammal Mania
- Winter Wilderness
- Snow Physics
- The Buzz on Bees
- Bird Basics
- All About Owls
- Flaming Forests!
The classroom sessions from Children
Discovering Nature are also available as stand-alone
programs during winter months. |
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To schedule a school program or to learn more, contact
Sally Shuffield or call
970-382-9244 x1.
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