Field Station Explorers: Dragonfly Curriculum
Join Dana Dragonfly as we study the following topics:
September: Awakening the Senses
Students will begin the school year by using their senses to explore the habitats around the Field Station. These activities include blindfolded walks, identifying mystery objects using the sense of touch, scavenger hunts, and various teambuilding games.
October: Preparing for Winter
Learn how animals, plants, and people prepare for the change of seasons. We will learn about how animals shed their summer coats and often change the color of their coat to blend into the changing landscape. We will attend the Autumn Harvest National Park program at the Chellberg Farm to learn how early settlers stocked up for the winter. We will also learn about migration, hibernation, and active over-wintering as the students play games and create art that shows which animals stay and which go.
November: Exotic Ecosystems
This month the students will get a glimpse of life around the world in tropical places. Students will begin by studying life in the tropical rainforests. We will learn about unique plants and animals such as the bromeliad and how it supports the poison dart frog. Students will also play a game where they act as leaf cutter ants moving their food in long chains across the rain forest. Next we will study mangrove swamps and learn how the mangroves shelter animals and protect the land from storms. Students will play a game where they have to find cover from the storm waves in the mangroves. They will also create a painting that depicts the tangled roots of the mangroves and the fish seeking shelter. Finally, the students will learn about coral reefs and study different shapes and sizes of corals. They will learn about coral cay islands and how they form in partnership with the reef. We will also play a predator prey tag game to act out the reef food web.
December: The Great Lakes
Instead of learning about National Parks far and wide this month, we will focus on a resource close to home: the Great Lakes. Using the story, Paddle to the Sea by Holling Clancy Holling, we will learn about each lake and the industries and wildlife they support. Students will create their own clay sculpture of the character in the book, Paddle, and make a map of the Great Lakes that shows the route that Paddle traveled.
January: Food Webs
Students will learn how herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores interact in this study of food chains and food webs. Beginning at the bottom of the food chain, we will first study herbivores. Students will perform grinding experiments to see how flat teeth help herbivore mammals eat and will look at special tools that other herbivores use to collect food. As we study omnivores, the students will play a game to race for insects and will learn about special adaptations that ocean animals have to filter small animals from the water. Finally, we will focus on carnivores and play a game of predator-prey. We will also create a three part painting that shows these three levels of the food web. We will also attend the NPS program Reflections on Snow this month to learn about tracking, predation, and winter habitats.
February: Nocturnal Life
Everyone loves to learn about animals that are active at night. We will begin our studies with bats and will learn about the many species around the world. Students will play a matching game to study the features of different species and match them to the prey they catch. They will also play a game of Bat and Moth to learn how some bats use echolocation to hunt. Next we will study owls and will learn about their eyes and ears and special adaptations they have to hunt silently. We will listen to owl calls and create paintings of owls. Finally, we will have a special evening program in lieu of one day-time class to allow the students to experience a night hike. They will explore a trail near the Field Station without the use of flashlights, fully experiencing nocturnal life. We will also cross country ski this month if we have sufficient snow.
March: Biodiversity
This month we will learn how genes work and how differences in genes lead to a diverse collection of plants and animals on the planet. We will create a key to show differences and similarities among our classmates and play a game where the children witness changes to a population of white tail deer as their genes change over time. We will also learn about interdependence and how plants and animals rely on each other for survival. We will create a web of life that highlights these relationships and will learn a little about endangered species and some recovery efforts. We will also learn about conserving habitats and play a game to learn what happens to species when they don’t have enough space to live.
April: Invertebrates
We will begin by learning about the parts of an insect as the students dress one of their classmates up in an insect suit. Then all the students will race to see if they can get all the parts correct in an active relay race. They will play a game of “Butterfly Says” to act out the different stages of metamorphosis and go on a life cycle obstacle course to act out these changes. They will also learn how camouflage and mimicry can help insects hide from predators and seek prey. They will play some games and make projects that depict these characteristics. They will also learn about insect jobs in soil tillage, decomposition, pollination and food processing and will divide insects into groups based on these traits. We will also travel to the Douglas Center to take part in a NPS Discover program focusing on the Karner Blue butterfly, an endangered species in the National Lakeshore.
May: Explorations
Students will participate in their stewardship project during the first week. Projects are chosen as needed in the area near the school. They will also hike along the Little Calumet River in a long adventure on over 2 miles of trail. The Explorers school year will conclude with the annual Build-a-Boat day where the students create boats from natural objects and race them on the creek near the school.
September: Awakening the Senses
Students will begin the school year by using their senses to explore the habitats around the Field Station. These activities include blindfolded walks, identifying mystery objects using the sense of touch, scavenger hunts, and various teambuilding games.
October: Preparing for Winter
Learn how animals, plants, and people prepare for the change of seasons. We will learn about how animals shed their summer coats and often change the color of their coat to blend into the changing landscape. We will attend the Autumn Harvest National Park program at the Chellberg Farm to learn how early settlers stocked up for the winter. We will also learn about migration, hibernation, and active over-wintering as the students play games and create art that shows which animals stay and which go.
November: Exotic Ecosystems
This month the students will get a glimpse of life around the world in tropical places. Students will begin by studying life in the tropical rainforests. We will learn about unique plants and animals such as the bromeliad and how it supports the poison dart frog. Students will also play a game where they act as leaf cutter ants moving their food in long chains across the rain forest. Next we will study mangrove swamps and learn how the mangroves shelter animals and protect the land from storms. Students will play a game where they have to find cover from the storm waves in the mangroves. They will also create a painting that depicts the tangled roots of the mangroves and the fish seeking shelter. Finally, the students will learn about coral reefs and study different shapes and sizes of corals. They will learn about coral cay islands and how they form in partnership with the reef. We will also play a predator prey tag game to act out the reef food web.
December: The Great Lakes
Instead of learning about National Parks far and wide this month, we will focus on a resource close to home: the Great Lakes. Using the story, Paddle to the Sea by Holling Clancy Holling, we will learn about each lake and the industries and wildlife they support. Students will create their own clay sculpture of the character in the book, Paddle, and make a map of the Great Lakes that shows the route that Paddle traveled.
January: Food Webs
Students will learn how herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores interact in this study of food chains and food webs. Beginning at the bottom of the food chain, we will first study herbivores. Students will perform grinding experiments to see how flat teeth help herbivore mammals eat and will look at special tools that other herbivores use to collect food. As we study omnivores, the students will play a game to race for insects and will learn about special adaptations that ocean animals have to filter small animals from the water. Finally, we will focus on carnivores and play a game of predator-prey. We will also create a three part painting that shows these three levels of the food web. We will also attend the NPS program Reflections on Snow this month to learn about tracking, predation, and winter habitats.
February: Nocturnal Life
Everyone loves to learn about animals that are active at night. We will begin our studies with bats and will learn about the many species around the world. Students will play a matching game to study the features of different species and match them to the prey they catch. They will also play a game of Bat and Moth to learn how some bats use echolocation to hunt. Next we will study owls and will learn about their eyes and ears and special adaptations they have to hunt silently. We will listen to owl calls and create paintings of owls. Finally, we will have a special evening program in lieu of one day-time class to allow the students to experience a night hike. They will explore a trail near the Field Station without the use of flashlights, fully experiencing nocturnal life. We will also cross country ski this month if we have sufficient snow.
March: Biodiversity
This month we will learn how genes work and how differences in genes lead to a diverse collection of plants and animals on the planet. We will create a key to show differences and similarities among our classmates and play a game where the children witness changes to a population of white tail deer as their genes change over time. We will also learn about interdependence and how plants and animals rely on each other for survival. We will create a web of life that highlights these relationships and will learn a little about endangered species and some recovery efforts. We will also learn about conserving habitats and play a game to learn what happens to species when they don’t have enough space to live.
April: Invertebrates
We will begin by learning about the parts of an insect as the students dress one of their classmates up in an insect suit. Then all the students will race to see if they can get all the parts correct in an active relay race. They will play a game of “Butterfly Says” to act out the different stages of metamorphosis and go on a life cycle obstacle course to act out these changes. They will also learn how camouflage and mimicry can help insects hide from predators and seek prey. They will play some games and make projects that depict these characteristics. They will also learn about insect jobs in soil tillage, decomposition, pollination and food processing and will divide insects into groups based on these traits. We will also travel to the Douglas Center to take part in a NPS Discover program focusing on the Karner Blue butterfly, an endangered species in the National Lakeshore.
May: Explorations
Students will participate in their stewardship project during the first week. Projects are chosen as needed in the area near the school. They will also hike along the Little Calumet River in a long adventure on over 2 miles of trail. The Explorers school year will conclude with the annual Build-a-Boat day where the students create boats from natural objects and race them on the creek near the school.
