Embedded Files
Observe how organisms “make a living” in a variety of local terrestrial habitats. Study relationships and resources.
Observe how organisms “make a living” in a variety of local terrestrial habitats. Study relationships and resources.
(Morning trip: 9:30-11:30; Afternoon trip: 12:20-2:00)
Units - "No Place Like Home” & “Stick Together"
(Teachers, please feel free to cut and paste this text into a new document to personalize the letter for your class. If possible, please also consider sending the letter digitally to save paper.)
Family Letter Translations (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish)
Students begin learning as soon as they board the bus! Naturalists discuss the basic needs of organisms for survival, characteristics that help animals and plants thrive in a particular habitat, and intersection of many plants and animals within one habitat. Learning to OBSERVE and make a "best guess" or SCIENTIFIC HYPOTHESIS of what is happening in the field is an important aspect of this trip.
Food and water are necessary for survival. Many animals will shift their food sources depending on the time of year. For example, a rabbit will eat leafy green plants in summer, and then shift to the bark of small trees in winter. Water sources can also change depending on the season.
Shelter from the weather and protection from predators are also necessary for survival. Students look for nests, boroughs, thickets and other places of safety.
Examples of nests include (below): goldfinch, hornet, oriole, and squirrel.
Insects are studied, including their connections to various plants and other aspects of their habitats. Below: home of an oak gall wasp, a spittle bug, a garden spider, and a hummingbird moth feeding on a bergamot flower.
Plants and fungi are studied. Below: a carnivorous sundew plant, trillium, cat tails, and aconites, and a Dryad's Saddle mushroom.
For a species to survive, it needs territory large enough to provide food and shelter, plus an opportunity to mate and produce young. Below: frog eggs, a stinkpot turtle hatchling, a leopard frog, and a crayfish "chimney" that is a byproduct of tunnel digging.
Ever heard a strange bird calling "peep, peep" in the night? Chances are, it is not a bird at all. Flying squirrels make a "chirping" or "peep" sound as they call to other squirrels in the same territory. This nocturnal rodent glides from tree to tree at night, often leading people to wonder who, or what, is making that noise. Our trips take place during the day, when the flying squirrels are asleep in their nests - but you can click HERE for a video to learn more about this fascinating local resident.
Proper Trail Etiquette Protects Students and Wildlife
Naturalist guides are positioned at the front of students groups. A calm walking pace and quiet voices mean increased opportunities to observe and learn about plants and animals in the area.
Page updated
Report abuse