WATER

Rolling Rivers Trailer (K-6) This is an 8' x 10' trailer that is set up to mimic various environmental processes of a watershed.  It is used to teach erosion, flooding, healthy riparian areas, ground water pumping and recharge and pollution due to run off.  This takes about 45 minutes per class, depending on what is to be taught.

Meet Wally Water Drop (K-2) Follow Wally W. Drop's adventures through the water cycle with this interactive felt-board story, and reinforce vocabulary and concepts when students make up their own skits to continue Wally's saga. (45-60 minutes)

Incredible Journey (K-6): a game in which "water drops" circulate through different stations in the water cycle After students collect colored beads at each station they visit, we discuss the different paths that each has taken, and the reasons for water scarcity on a wet planet that is constantly recycling.

Groundwater Flow Model (K-12): Using a see-through cross-section of an aquifer, explore how water moves in the ground and learn about water conservation issues including groundwater pollution, recharge, and how wells work.
 
 

WILDLIFE

Bats of Arizona (2-6) Learn fascinating natural history, test your knowledge of common bats myths versus facts, and make a bat puppet or glider.(45 minutes)

Arizona Animal Sounds (K-6) Students learn about the habitats of Arizona wildlife, matching clues, pictures and taped animal sounds while playing audio bingo. (45 minutes)

Creepy Critters (K-4) The desert seems full of animals which bite, stick, and sting. Which are dangerous and which just look that way? Slides and photos enhance this program. (45-60 minutes)

Endangered Species (2-8) Colorful slides show students some rare and interesting characters in Arizona, with some discussion of what we can do to make sure they stick around.(45 minutes)
 

ECOLOGY

Schoolyard Safari (K-3) Use observation skills on a field trip to the wilds of your playground! We'll look for animal signs, learn how seeds travel, and play games to relate to urban wildlife. (45 minutes)

Web of Life (K-6) Students develop conservation vocabulary and create a web to learn about food chains and habitat needs in the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, from the rocks to the mighty lion. (45 minutes)

Adapt, Survive, and Find Your Niche (2-6) This game shows how living things are adapted to survive in different habitats, with unique roles in the ecosystem. Students experience how different types of bird beaks shape predator/prey relationships. (45 minutes)

Tropical Forests (3-6) Slides introduce this discussion of tropical forests and their inhabitants, with an emphasis on human impact and solutions for preserving these uniquely important ecosystems. (60 minutes)
 

NATURAL RESOURCES

The Lorax (K-3) This furry little puppet teaches what happens when we don't take care of our environment. This interactive program includes an introduction to conservation vocabulary and felt board characters that bring this Dr. Seuss classic to life. (45 minutes)

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (2-6) Beginning with the story "Just a Dream" by Chris Van Allsburg, we use a Venn diagram indefining the 3 R's and discuss ways to conserve resources. (45 minutes)

Renewable or Not? (4-8) In a series of games and simulations students learn about the importance of sustainable management of renewable and non-renewable resources, and which are recyclable or reusable.

Arizona Resource Geography (4-8) In this interactive activity each student will complete a map with legend showing Arizona's major features and resources and their locations.

Multiple Use Public Lands (4-8) Using maps and role playing, students learn about the roles of agencies that manage public lands, and about responsibly enjoying the land's many uses. (60 minutes)

Closing the Loop (4-12) Students learn how resources are used by matching recyclable materials with products they can become, emphasizing the need to support recycling at the market.

Paper-making- Students make their own paper, shredding, pulping, screening and pressing to get a final product that shows how resources can be recycled.
 
 

EXTENDED LEARNING UNITS- Here are some examples of units we have developed that involve an extended period of study on a topic.

Where Does Your Garbage Go? (4-6) This unit includes a variety of activities such as simulations, games, and paper-making, modeling landfills and groundwater pollution.

It could also include a video or slide presentation, or a field trip to a landfill, recycling center, or hazardous waste collection site. Some topics covered are landfill construction, groundwater pollution, resource conservation, reducing waste, reusing and recycling, and other waste management issues.
 

National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA)

This unit may include a field trip to a mine, and culminates in students playing roles in a simulated public hearing to address biological, cultural and social land use issues that need to be resolved when a new mine is proposed.
 

PUBLIC EVENTS

Don't forget to look for us on Earth Day, and at KidFest!

We can also come to your school events, such as Family Science Night.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips are most productive when tied into pre- and post-visit activities to make sure that students get the most out of their experience.

Our programs have included field trips to:
Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Pima County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Site
Speedway Landfill
Friedmann Recycling
Tucson Water's Sweetwater Wetlands, Recharge Basins, and Udall Treatment Plant