Lone Star Week-- Natural History of Texas
We are going all the way back to learn how our Lone Star State came to be! This week we will dive into the natural history of Texas, learning how Native Americans lived and changed the land, how Texas is home to multiple and varying ecosystems, and how geology affects both human civilizations and other animal populations. How do resources affect migrations? What caused Texas’ gold rush? What is the Balcones Escarpment? Why do we find aquatic animal fossils hundreds of miles from the ocean? We’ll investigate these questions and many more as we travel through the geologic timeline.
- Geology, rock layers, rock cycle, fossils
- Native plant and animal species, wild edible plants, local wildlife
- Migration
- Natural resources, conservation
- Climate, biomes
Astronomy
We will learn that even in the daytime, you can make key observations about the solar system and beyond. We will learn how ancient civilizations told time, as well as learn some of the constellation stories from across the globe. The investigations of questions like these will lead to even more questions about the sky above and our little corner of the universe.
- Sundials, the solstice
- Gravity in space-time, orbits, seasons
- Time travel in physics vs. in the movies
- Black holes
- The moon, tides, ancient calendars
Camping 101
We’ll practice basic outdoor skills one would need to safely and confidently camp in a park or natural area, such as setting up tents, starting and managing campfires, hiking and navigating, tying useful knots, and more. We’ll also learn how to be good stewards of the environment by practicing Leave No Trace principles. By the end of the week, we won’t quite be ready to tackle the Appalachian Trail, but we will be able to safely enjoy any city, state, or national park!
- Camping, tents, knots, fire safety
- Outdoor cooking
- Leave No Trace, hiking, wilderness first aid
- Hydration, water filtering
- Emergency preparation
Water Week
From the Pacific ocean to our backyard creeks, we are jumping in! Did you know whales used to walk on land? Or that diamonds originally were found in riverbeds? This week we will learn about many different types of wildlife in our waterways, as well as what makes up riverbeds and ocean floors and how why we should protect our water sources.
- Water quality testing, aquatic invertebrates
- Mammals vs. fish, ocean vs. river wildlife
- Evolution of whales
- Riparian zones, watersheds, fresh vs. salt water
- Basic safety near moving water
