PROGRAM
LISTINGS:
ECOVENTURES BEACH BLAST**
Grades K-12
What better way to reward your students than with a fun day on the beach?
Students will learn to boogieboard and skimboard all while learning about the dynamic processes that take place along the beachline. Learn about tidal movments and beach erosion while enjoying a fun day in the sun! EcoVentures staff will meet your
class at the beach and will have all the supplies waiting.
Students should wear bathing suits and prepare to get wet!
SHORELINE
EXPLORATIONS**
Grades K-12
Get ready to spend the day working as a marine biologist.
Students will explore a saltwater coastline conducting field
work including taking water chemistry readings, pulling a
seine net to discover shoreline biodiversity, and observe
the shoreline inhabitants. EcoVentures staff will meet your
class out in the field and will have all the supplies waiting.
Students should wear appropriate clothing and be prepared
to get your legs wet!
WETLANDS
WALKS**
Grades K-12
Coastal wetlands are among the most important and productive
ecosystems on Earth. In this field study program, students
will enter the wetlands to experience them first hand while
observing and identifying the plants and animals that inhabit
the wetlands through use of a field guide. The field guides
will provide a visual match to the plants and animals in the
wetlands while also providing some background information
and historical importance for the area’s original inhabitants,
the Lenni-Lenape Indians. Students should wear appropriate
clothing and be prepared to get muddy.
WOODLAND
WANDERERS**
Grades K-12
Students will enter the forest to observe and identify trees
and birds, with the occasional sighting of animal tracks.
Using a field guide, students will work in groups to find
and identify birds and trees, while recording their findings
in their field manuals. Students will also learn about the
history and geology of the site, including historical importance.
Students should wear sturdy shoes and be dressed in comfortable
clothing.
SQUID
DISSECTION
Grades
2-12
Squid are a critical part of the marine ecosystem all over
the world—they also possess several extremely unique biological
adaptations that allow them to thrive in oceans all over the
world. Students will observe and identify the inner and outer
workings of this incredible mollusk while learning about their
one-of-a-kind organs and anatomical parts. Students will work
in groups to dissect their squid using scissors.
GYOTAKU
Pre K-Grade 3
Gyotaku (ghee-Oh-ta-koo) is an ancient Japanese art
form that allowed some of the earliest fishermen to keep a
visual record of their prize catch before cameras were invented,
while also enabling them to eat their catch for dinner. Literally
translated, gyotaku means “fish rubbing" in Japanese.
In this arts and crafts based lab, students will receive a
model fish then identify the various body parts of the fish,
all while making their own gyotaku. After the fish printing,
students will create their own habitat for their fish and
have a beautiful work of art to take home with them!
BIRDS
OF A FEATHER
Pre K-Grade 5
There are almost 1,000 species of birds that can be seen in
the United States but there are about 10,000 species of birds
found throughout the world! Students will learn about some
of the more unique birds in the world as well as the birds
that they may be able to find in their own backyard. This
hands-on program will include education on avian adaptations,
migratory routes, and the importance of the Delmarva region
in relation to bird stop-overs. Students will also learn how
to attract various bird species to their own yard.
OWL
PELLET DISCOVERY
Grades 2-12
Owls are just one of the many birds of prey that inhabit the
Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Like many birds,
owls often swallow their meals whole. Because of the owl’s
inability to digest all of the animal parts, like bones and
fur, the owls must regurgitate the parts that they cannot
digest before eating their next meal. The regurgitated part,
called an owl pellet, contains all sorts of information that
scientists can use to study owls. Students will work in groups
to pick through their owl pellet, and then use a dichotomous
key to identify what their owl had for a meal based on the
small bones found in the pellets. ($9.50/student)
AMPHIBIANS
AND REPTILES
Grades Pre
K-5
From snakes and alligators to frogs and salamanders, this
program will show students how these resilient animals have
survived so long. The interactive program will provide examples
of multiple types of amphibians and reptiles, including biofacts,
and will teach students about cold blooded animals. Students
will also learn what the difference is between a reptile and
amphibian and will go through several identification activities
to see how well they can identify some of the assorted species
found in our area.
TERRARIUMS
Grades 3-12
In the terrarium lab, students will learn about the importance
of plants in nature and the interconnectivity of all organisms
in a given ecosystem. Using simple household items, students
will create their own take-home terrarium to provide a hands-on
lesson in the life cycle of plants and their importance within
our world. Each student will create their own model terrarium
in a water bottle to care for and then replant outside when fully grown. With
any luck, their plants will be pollinated, create seeds, and
they can start a new terrarium on their own!