Ecology Education Outreach Program

Bring the outdoors into your classroom this year with an environmental education outreach program presented by River Bend Nature Works. Our trained staff members bring these ecology education programs to your classroom.

Presentations available include:

• On the Wing!(grades 3-6, 50 minute presentation)
  This interactive exploration guides students through all aspects of avian life: eating styles, nest-building, egg-turning, communication and adaptations for survival
• We All Need Trees (grades 1-6, 50 minute presentation)
  Learn about the many uses of trees and create-your-own-leaf clay activity. Explore a decomposing log, identify different types of trees and follow the life cycle of a tree from seed to soil.
• Wild Life in the City (grades 1-6, 50 minute presentation)
  Investigate the animals we have in our community, discover where they live, what they eat, how they reproduce and how they adapt to the North Texas environment by doing several hands-on activities.
• Worm Bin Magic (grades Pre-K-3, 35-40 minute presentation)
  Explore the fascinating world of the lowly earthworms. Learn worm anatomy, life cycle facts, and how worms compost waste into topsoil, a process called vermiculture.
• The Mystery of Butterflies (grades K-6, 50 minute presentation)
  Discover the fascination of butterflies. Study their life cycles and metamorphosis, methods of defense and the unique facts of their five senses.
• Texas Freshwater Fish (grades 3-6, 50 minute presentation)
  Learn how to identify the fish that inhabit the lakes, rivers and streams of Texas. Study the key features of fish and participate in "fish printing".
• Kids are for the Birds (Pre-K - K, 25 minute presentation, 15 minute activity)
  Designed for children in Pre-K through Kindergarten, this traveling exhibit illustrates what makes a bird a bird. Children see and touch a variety of bird's nests with eggs and feathers. Following the presentation, children make a simple birdfeeder to take home.
• Nocturnal Animals (K-4, 45-50 minute presentation)
  Explore nature's night life. Discover the special adaptations animals develop for nocturnal living. From insects to mammals, creatures that are active at night live very different lives. With hands-on teaching materials and activities, children begin to understand what goes bump in the night

Teacher Guide to the River Bend Educational Outreach Program

1. Each presentation is tailored to meet the amount of time per classroom period.
2. Allow 40 - 50 minutes per program.
3. Each presentation will need a desk or table area and a little floor space.
4. The RBNW instructor and aide will arrive with materials 15 - 30 minutes prior to the requested time to prepare for the presentation. The classroom teacher should remain in the classroom during the presentation and provide assistance as needed.
5. The presentations may be given to any school within a 25 mile radius of Wichita Falls.
6. The cost for this program is $35.00 per classroom presentation.
7. The programs for Pre-K through 3rd grade are designed for 22 or fewer students per presentation. The programs available for 4th - 6th Grade are most effective with a class size of 30 or less. Please do not exceed these audience numbers. Call the River Bend Nature Works to schedule your presentation today.