Educational Curriculum on Migration Exhibit

9/1/11

Our busiest season, the SPRING, meant we were overwhelmed with Public Schools, Community groups, Montessori Schools, After-School Enrichment programs, Home Schoolers, Museums, Kindergartens, Nursery Schools and Pre-schools. All the groups that came to the South Shore Natural Science Center benefitted from Animal Planet’s R.O.A.R. exhibits. The interactive MIGRATION BOARD  showing the routes of local Migrants  and the hands-on color-image/ sounds of NATUREPEDIA’s Bird, Insect and Amphibian noises definitely enhanced the whole learning-about-nature challenge!

Late June, July and August, with school being out, it is a bit more quiet here at the Science Center. The respite only lasted for a few days because on June 20^th Summer Camp began for 400 Elementary and Middle school kids. All 20 summer camp counselors were trained on how to use the two Animal Planet R.O.A.R. exhibits and strengthen the camper’s auditory and visual skills and were great teaching resources.

The mission at the South Shore Natural Science Center ” is to provide natural science experiences that educate, excite and commit every generation to conserve the environment and to encourage responsible use, stewardship and enjoyment of natural resources.”

This mission coincides with the philosophy, to avoid Nature Deficit Disorder at all costs. Nature play stimulates creativity and improves problem solving skills. It increases self esteem and reduces stress.  With these exhibits being regularly used through multiple Programs and by  Drop-ins to our museum, children are inspired to protect nature throughout their lives.

So whether it’s Barn Swallows, Baltimore Orioles, Green Frog’s or Water Snakes the camper’s realized that these animals are not around throughout the year, furnishing opportunities to discuss migration and hibernating.

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Donating to the South Shore Natural Science Center’s  two Animal Planet R.O.A.R. exhibits will allow more TRAINING of  Educator/Naturalists and Summer Camp Counselors to be performed. Funding will also allow specific activities and programs to be developed around these great teaching resources. 

Links:

• www.ssnsc.org

Our development of Educational Curriculum on our R.O.A.R. Migration Exhibits has made some progress both with our LARGE (4’ X 8’) North & South & Central American Map with illuminated  MIGRATION routes of 10 local animals and our Naturepedia Large Screen interactive monitor regarding Backyard Animals and Beyond .

We present many schools with Field Trip Programs here at the South Shore Natural Science Center and as part of  their we always include the ECOZONE (our museum). What we now take advantage of, is the time spent in the Spring talking about the migration of BARN SWALLOWS  and BALTIMORE ORIOLES (on LARGE MIGRATION EXHIBIT) back to this area from areas further south AND we use the Naturepedia  interactive monitor after students push the right buttons for the Green Frog, Baltimore Orioles, Barn Swallows or Bull Frogs……not only does the appropriate natural history about their habitats appear but what they eat is also on the screen in ADDITION to the preceding their noises are played on 2 large speakers part of the exhibit!

Recently one of Naturalist/Educators said “I led a group of 12 first graders (total 2 classes) through four  very different habitats, a Vernal Pool, a Forest, a Field and a Pond. After talking about what the biodiversity was in each habitat and why the animals lived there we kept hearing Baltimore Orioles, and at the Pond we heard over and over again Barn Swallows even a House Wren over and over. I didn’t emphasize what each ones name was but drew their attention to their call each time. Near the end of the program we visited the ECOZONE and after looking at the distance Barn Swallows & Baltimore Orioles migrated on the LARGE MIGRATION EXHIBIT , then some of  the students, taking turns, and reading the appropriate bird button on the NATUREPEDIA monitor and pushing it HEARD the noise of  Barn Swallow, Baltimore Oriole and a House Wren……the whole time looking at a large picture of the bird in question…..and they said ‘that’s what we heard !’ ……….it was an awesome teaching tool!….”  

So as you can see we’ve already made some progress and once all the Per Diem Naturalist/Educators are trained in their usage of the exhibits I’m sure both the LARGE MIGRATION EXHIBIT and the NATUREPEDIA interactive monitor will become a huge asset.