Online Learning Opportunities
Education
Our educational programs cover a myriad of topics related to our natural resources. Programs can be customized for classroom teachers, students and home schoolers while meeting the Indiana State Standards. Many of our programs are appropriate for families and organizations such as scouts, 4-H, gardening groups, service groups, etc. If you would like a program on a topic not listed below, contact us and we may be able to meet your needs!
Our Conservation
Education Programs
If you have requested a program and have not heard back from us within two business days, please give our office a call, 765-349-2060. Thank you!
A Goose Named Gilligan
Grades 2 – 3 • 40 Minutes
Students role play, A Goose Named Gilligan written by Indiana author Jerry M. Hay and learn about life on a river. Following the story, students can reflect on conservation concepts.
E-Cycling: Life Cycle of a Cell Phone
Grades 3 - 7 • 45 Minutes
Fall - Spring
Students learn about e-cycling, the stages (from material extraction to end-of-life) required to produce a cell phone and recycle it, what resources are extracted from the earth, the parts of a real cell phone, why & where we should recycle cell phones, understand BIG numbers, & inventory their homes for electronics.
Journey of a Water Drop
Grades 3 – 6 • 50 Minutes
Fall - Spring
Students will learn or review the many different paths a water drop can travel in the water cycle. After brief review, the students become a water drop traveling through the water cycle creating a bead bracelet as they travel. At each activity station, the student will earn a bead to place on their water cycle bracelet. Following the bracelet activity, the students will describe their travels by sharing their bracelet’s journey.
Parts of a Flower
Grades 4 - 6 • 60 Minutes Fall - Spring
Students will observe the floral structures that help make pollination possible. By dissecting a flower and identifying its parts students will better understand the mechanics of pollination. Program will wrap up with a foldable for students to color, cut, paste and study to learn flower parts.
Rock Cycle
Grades 4 – 6 • 60 Minutes
Fall - Spring
Program reviews with students the different stages in the rock cycle (igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary). Students will work with Starburst candies and transform the candy into different types of rock in the rock cycle. Teachers provide : 1) Three individually wrapped Starburst candies for each student. 2) One clear small baggie for each student. Each student will need: 1) scissors and 2) clean hands and desk, for this activity.
Students learn about the parts of a seed and the unique features of several different seeds. Discuss how seeds travel and how they sprout to become plants. Learn the different parts of a plant and the functions of each. Fill a reused container.
Seeds & Plants
Grades K – 3 • 45Minutes
Fall - Spring
Watershed
Grade 3 • 60 Minutes
Fall - Spring
Students discuss and learn the definition of ‘watershed’. Students are then divided into 3 teams to build a model watershed. Program vocabulary words include: watershed, runoff, erosion, topography, point sources and non-point source pollution. With this model the students learn what we do as residents that impact (soil erosion, water pollution, etc…) our watershed.
Our programs are readily available for you to schedule. We do reserve time on Mondays from 8 am to 12 (noon) as "previously scheduled" to allow the staff office time to prepare for the upcoming week. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with us, so that we may provide the best service to you!
Cookie Mining
Grades 4 - 6 • 45 Minutes Fall - Spring
This program is a series of 2 (two) 45 minute sessions in the classroom. The program includes discussion of local mining (coal and limestone) and the process used for mining. After discussion students will then become cookie miners working to seek as much profit from mining chocolate chips. Student will experience mining expenses, profits, violations and fines. The cookie mining experience will wrap up with a brief discussion and reclamation processes. Teachers Provide for each classrom: 1 package of soft batch chocolate chip cookies and 1 package of regular or original chocolate chip cookies.
Farmer’s Market Economics
Grades 5 - 7 • 30 Minutes
Fall - Spring
It’s all about the Math! Students follow a packet of seeds from the shelf of the store to the Farmer’s Market table while monitoring costs of inputs, losses from insects and disease, sales of plants and produce, etc. to figure Profit and Loss Margins.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
All Grades • 30 Minutes Fall - Spring
Let’s take the garbage out! Students, Schools and Clubs in Morgan County, will learn where waste goes in Indiana and then use “trash items” to make decisions about reducing and resizing waste.
Santa Claus Is Green!
Grade 1 • 45 Minutes December ONLY
Seasonal Class. Students will learn how to have an eco-friendly Christmas. Santa is dreaming of a Green Christmas! By changing his ways, he shows boys and girls around the world that they can have a festive holiday filled with decorations, presents and treats - all while giving back to the Earth.
Water Cycle
Grade 4 • 50 Minutes
Aug – Nov
Through discussion and activities, students learn about the hydrologic cycle and the importance of water conservation. During the program students take notes and draw pictures. Students will need paper and pencil (journal works well). Water Cycle poster contest is available for students to enter.
Worms Eat My Garbage
Grades 1 - 3 • 50 Minutes Fall - Spring
Composting 101: Students learn how to change garbage into treasure through composting, ways to recycle household and lawn waste and begin to understand the biological process that occurs when tiny, microscopic organisms break down old plant and animal tissues and recycle them to make new, healthy soil.
Water Cycle Poster Contest
