2013 Program details, costs and age levels
• Programs are 50-60 minutes or as noted in their description.
• One school class per program or an audience (up to 30 people) per program.
• Cost: $65/hour. Credit card, invoice or cash. Discounts for multiple programs.
• For larger groups, distant venues and schools, travel costs may apply.
• Check Scheduling Calendar (click here) for availability.
Please call or email me to discuss your request.
wildlife@lifedraw.com, 928-774-4229.
Grades and ages listed are general guidelines; consider your students/audience. Many programs can be enlightening for adults as
well. Call to discuss my adaptations for your younger or older audiences.
If you want multi-class presentations, have
large groups (more than 50) or other needs, I can adjust to achieve your goals. |
Nature Programs for Parks, Campgrounds, Schools and Nature Centers
(each adaptable for 1 hour or a little
more)
PSI: Predator Scene Investigators (ages 7 and up; families)
Active PSI teams of students or participants will conduct observations of 3 predation scenes and 5 Birds of Prey to analyze and hypothosise which species
made each of the killings. Students
will compare the different adaptations (hunting techniques, habits, preferred habitats) and identification of 5 species of
hawks, falcon and vulture. After making their conclusions from the evidence, each team will then communicate their results to the class to compare. This activitie can be conducted outdoors or in a large room. (Guided inquiry; no real birds, feathers or prey; designed to AZ Science Standards).
Birds of Prey: How They Hunt (ages 5 and up; families)
In this lecture style presentation, I talk about the different hunting techniques and eating habits
of eagles, hawks, falcons and other Birds of Prey. With life-size paintings and
a little audience assistance, we'll learn to identify 5-7 birds of prey in a flying
pose and investigate how bird's wing shapes relate to the habitat they hunt in and
prey they prefer. This activitie can be conducted outdoors or in a large room. (Similar lesson as PSI program delivered as a lecture.)
Early Elementary Science Illustrating and Recording (K-1)
The basis of science starts with learning how to record what we see. Even at these young ages, children have a knack for understanding. I will engage students by drawing 1-3 animals based on their input. Children will then each draw their own illustrations, self-assess their own progress and share with others. Parents and teachers may be surprised with what they can accomplish!
Though we will use some art materials, this is not an art class. Teachers - let me know what kinds of live animals you have in your classroom or school that we can have to draw.
Animals and Plants in Local Habitats (K-1)
I wonder what animals & plants we can find in your town's habitats. This activity, children explore and associate native species and habitats in their schoolyard. Students will make a small field journal (unique foldable and collapsable booklet), participate in a short engagement (matching and/or naming pictures), an outdoor group activity (matching animals with habitats), recording in field journals and sharing. With advance notice, this can be customized to suit the teacher's class and standards. This can be set up for non-local habitats too - ocean, polar, Africa savanna, etc. The outdoor space should have fences or walls that I can tape/tie/pin pictures to. If too windy, wet or cold, it can be set up in a gym.
Science Illustration
Illustration techniques will assist students in making realistic 2 dimensional drawings. As time and requests allow, we will investigate materials (pens, graphite pencils, color pencils, watercolors, different papers, scratchboard (with exacto blades.) and different techniques. We will engage in a short activity to engage an understanding of science drawing as a communications and education tool. I can customize a program for your class' available time and your focus. Contact to discuss your preferred topic (mammals, fish, trees, landscapes, etc.), student art abilities, class schedule and cost.
Wondering About Rock Art
Rock Art are symbols and signs made by people hundreds of years ago. Participants
will discuss reasons for this form of communication and how we use similar methods today. They will select flat rocks, make yucca brushes and draw their own rock art. Then we'll
see how well we can communicate and understand each other's rock art signs. (Works best with groups under 20. Currently
only available in Flagstaff, AZ with at least one week notice, unless you have a source of flat rocks - slate, sandstone - 6-10 inches across, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.) |
Engaging & Fun Children's Nature Awareness Activities
for Parks, Schools, Nature Centers
Many of these activities need to be conducted outdoors or in a large room, like a gym. Some are adapted from Joseph Cornell's Sharing Nature with Children. Two activities of your choice included per class or hour. Call me, I can help you decide.
Animal Clue Relay
Players are divided into teams. They will take turns running to retrieve clues to
several mystery animals and bringing them back to teammates to solve all the animals. With advance notice, this can be customized to specific animals, a teacher's lesson and/or standards. This is a good one to give the kids a purposeful and active lesson.
The Animal ID Game
Two teams will design tricky animal clues, each to test the other team's impeccable
wildlife knowledge. Each team will take turns giving clues, and when correctly answered,
will initiate a race for a safe zone. All team members tagged by the answering team
pursuing them will be removed for that round. The team with the surviving players
wins.
Wild Animal Scramble
How well do you know different kinds of animals? In this animal guessing game, try to guess the name of the animal picture taped/clipped to your shirt backs by asking only
yes & no questions of others in the group. Everyone else will be trying to guess
their animal at the same time, too. See if you can concentrate while laughing at the some
of the crazy animal guesses that will surely come up.
Bat & Moths
Although bats can see, in the dark they use their calls as a kind of sonar to locate
flying insects. In this game, we will take turns playing a hungry bat in the dark
and a group of yummy moths. We'll discuss behaviors both bats and moths have developed
to succeed in getting food and to avoid being eaten. Join the fun to see how well
you can evade the bat, or to see how sharp your hearing is!
Frogs Be Hoppin'
By imitating frog calls, children will engage
in a lively activity to learn how frogs recognize and find each other at night by the different calls they make. Children
will then make and color their own folded paper frogs (that actually hop! These are great for fine motor skills). Frog
quiz (custom made for your area's species) and coloring handouts will also be provided.
Unnatural and Natural Nature Walks
Many animals hide or camouflage in plain view in nature because of their color or shape.
We'll talk about different ways animals can hide in view by looking at some examples.
Then the group will walk in a slow single file silently
looking for unnatural I've placed ahead of time along an outdoor trail. When you finish, you'll learn how observant you were. Then we'll walk it
again looking harder to see how your sense of observation has improved. You'll be
surprised how well some things can hide and how your powers of observation improve! Then we'll test your skills with natural items! (Outdoors. Needs natural vegetation or diverse garden edge. Call for advice.)
Duplication Scavenger Hunt
To have fun with your memory and ability to find things, I’ll show you a collection
of objects. But just for a moment! Then you will make a duplicate collection of things.
Without a list written out, your power of observation will show you things you might
have missed.
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Do you have a good eye and imagination? Participants, each or in groups, will seek
out each natural item on a list. The definition of some items may vary with each
participant's point of view, and some will encourage out-of-box thinking and observation.
Eye opening fun for any age in any natural setting.
Meet a Tree
Trees love meeting people and getting hugs. But they also like to be mysterious!
We will pair up and take turns blindfolding our partner, then introducing them to
a tree. After getting to know your tree while blindfolded, you will be led back to
your starting place then the blindfold removed. You will then use your eyes to find the tree
you touched (and hear, and smelled). You'll be surprised how well you already knew
your new friend! (Needs an outdoor setting with access to many touchable trees.)
Let's Get Small and Take a Micro-Hike!
Hikers will each be shown their own short hiking route on the ground in a natural area.
Each hiker will be shrunken down to the size of an ant before starting out on their
trail. After an exhausting hike of a few inches or feet, we will eagerly await your report
of the amazing animals and things you saw! (Hikers will be unshrunken at the
end of the program.)
I Nose A Lot About Animals
Are you good at solving animal riddles? I have many riddles to give, maybe you can
solve them, maybe I’ll trick you. Each riddle will have clues about an animal's food, color, adaptation and other things. I will read one riddle at a time. When you think
you've figured out the animal's name, don't say it out loud - just put your finger on your nose! When everyone ready, we learn the animal's name. With advance notice, I can customized riddles to specific animals, a teacher's lesson and/or standards. This can also be done in teams, and outdoors or inside.
Silent Sharing Nature Walk
Once we begin this nature hike, we will not speak or make any vocal sounds. You will
be immersed into the sounds and sights around us as we walk a trail. We can share
observations with each other, but only by showing others without words or sounds.
I'm sure you will find you will begin to hear the wildlife, the trees, maybe wind or water, in ways you haven't before.
Webbing of Life
Become one of the forest animals & plants in our circle as we learn how interconnected
we are with one another by literally interconnecting ourselves with a simple string!
As new elements are added and/or removed, we'll see how we are all affected, for
better or worse.
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Nature Programs in the works... available soon! Call to preschedule!
Build Your Own Dinosaurs (ages 7 and up; families)
Just like animals today, dinosaurs came in all kinds of shapes. Their fossil bones give clues to their diet, behaviors and habitats. In this group activity participants will stretch their imagination to build dinosaur skeletons while gaining an understanding of animal adaptations (relating to habitat, feeding, moving, behaviors) that we see in living animals as well. You will also get a feel for how Paleontologists decipher fossil clues.
Cottonwood Bosques - Wetland Forest Investigation (ages 7 and up; families)
This 3-stage program, students/learners in small groups will
make introductory associations of various wildlife with cottonwoods, develop questions and test the hydrologic role in shaping the habitat with hand-on stream modeling, and integrate their investigations into a report (with various media options) to the whole group. For an adjusted fee, this activity can be broken up into separate days or I can present along with your field trip to an accessible riparian area. (Science inquiry; optional real animal & plant materials; wet & potentially messy - of course this adds to the fun!)
Progressive Science Illustration Communications
This multi-day presentation (2-3) will have students rendering realistic drawings.
Illustration techniques taught will assist students in making 2 dimensional art suggest
their 3 dimensional subjects. As time and requests allow, we will investigate materials (pens, graphite pencils, color pencils, watercolors, different papers, scratchboard (with exacto blades.) and different techniques. Spacing days of this class out gives students time to work on their own. Contact to discuss your students, class schedule and cost.
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