September 27, 2022 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am
September Homeschool Series: Animal Adaptations
Tuesdays, September 6, 13, 20, & 27, 2022 / 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
For PreK & Elementary aged children
$140 per adult/child pair
Join us at the VINS Nature Center for a Homeschool Series! Each lesson will take place in our Outdoor Classroom or August Pavilion which provide the perfect settings for outdoor exploration and nature play in the company of other families. Feel free to stay on campus after the lessons to enjoy the public programs, exhibits, and hiking trails.
Specific topics include:
- Mammal Adaptations – Hold real mammal feet, pelts, and skulls and make observations and inferences. How do predator mammals hunt and eat and what do prey animals do to survive? Measure yourself against a moose and consider the pros and cons of being BIG.
- Bird Adaptations – Use human tools to mimic how bird beaks work. Is a pair of tweezers like a woodpecker or a hawk? Use your tools to collect as much “food” as possible and compare results. Play the Owl Hunting Game and feel real raptor wings.
- Reptile and Amphibian Adaptations – Meet a turtle ambassador of VINS, and see what she likes to eat. Feel a turtle’s backbone, and learn why a turtle can’t walk out of its shell. Discuss how other reptiles and amphibians stay safe and learn the difference between venomous and poisonous.
- Note: This lesson involves a live animal. Children will need to wash their hands after touching the turtle.
- Habitats and Food Webs – Discover how the animals we have learned about connect and interact. Can a tree be part of a Great Blue Heron or a Great Blue Heron part of a tree? What resources are available in a meadow, forest, or riverbank? Explore the layers of the forest as we hunt for animal cards on the Forest Canopy Walk!