Field Trip Programs and Standards

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Animal Families

• Animal Families come in all different shapes and sizes. Find out how animals adapt to live in these families and survive in their habitats.
  • Children will meet a MCM animal up-close and personal.
  •  Children will learn to identify and classify what makes up an animal family.
  • Children will learn about adaptations and what animals need to survive in their habitat.
  •  Standards (Program best suited for students in grades K-3.)
    • LS.2 Describe and compare the physical features of common living plants and animals.
    • LS.3 Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
    • LS.3 Classify living organisms according to variations in specific physical features (i.e. body coverings, appendages) and describe how those features may provide an advantage for survival in different environments.

Science of the Seasons

• Take a trip to our Outdoor Learning Center to discover how the seasons change and what those changes affect. Explore the how, what, where, when and why of the world around us. Topics change with each season. (Programs best suited for students in grades K-3.)

Life Cycles (March-May)

• Children will learn the importance of spring by studying the life cycle.
  • Standards
    • LS.1 Describe and compare the growth and development of common living plants and animals.
    • LS.1 Develop representations to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
    • LS.2 Compare and contrast details of body plans and structures within the life cycles of plants and animals
    • LS.2 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the basic needs of plants to grow, develop, and reproduce.
    • LS.3 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction

Solar Science (June-August)

• Children will use different gadgets to explore many uses for the sun.
  • Standards
    • ESS.1 Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface and use tools and materials to design and build a structure to reduce the warming effect on Earth’s surface.

Animal Migration (September-November)

• Children will learn how animals prepare themselves for winter.
  • Standards
    • LS.3 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive
    • LS.1 Determine patterns and behavior (adaptations) of parents and offspring which help offspring to survive.
    • LS.4 Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.

Weather Investigations (December-May)

• Children do experiments to discover how weather changes.
  • Standards
    • ESS.1 Record detailed weather observations, including cloud cover, cloud type, and type of precipitation on a daily basis over a period of weeks and correlate observations to the time of year. Chart and graph collected data.
    • ESS.2 Investigate the severe weather of the region and its impact on the community, looking at forecasting to prepare for, and respond to, severe weather.
    • ESS.3 Investigate the local weather conditions to describe patterns over time
    • ESS.4 Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.

Learn Not to Burn

• Fire can be a scary thing to children, especially if they don’t know how to be safe. Learn Not to Burn teaches children what to do if there is a fire in their house and how and where to get help.
  • Children will learn how to escape a structure fire with the most up-to-date safety instructions.
  • Children will participate in a fire simulation complete with smoke and heated doors.
  • Children will know how to get help in case of a fire through 911 simulators.
  • Standards (Program best suited for students in grades K-3.)
    • 2.1 Give examples of people who are community helpers and leaders and describe how they help us. Example: Parents, teachers, school principal, bus drivers and policemen

Stuffee

• Discover the MyPlate way to eat while playing the meal matching game. Take a look into the body with help from Stuffee, see how food is digested and why it is so important to eat well.
  • Children will explore how food breaks down and travels through the body.
  • Children will learn why it is important to stay healthy.
  • Children will learn to read food labels and pick appropriate portions of different foods.
    • Standards (Program best suited for students in grades K-3.)
      • 1.2 Identify that physical health is one dimension of health and wellness. Example: Identify that a healthy person exercises, eats well, and goes to the doctor
      • 1.1 Tell how healthy behaviors impact personal health and wellness.
      • 7.1 Describe healthy practices to maintain personal health and wellness
      • 1.1 Identify that healthy behaviors affect personal health.
      • 7.1 Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve personal health.
      • 1.1 Identify the link between healthy choices and being healthy