Museum in a Suitcase
Traveling Science and Natural History Programs

Junior programs: Gr 4 to 6

Field Studies ~ Biodiversity in Action!
(all ages - all year)

Complement a Suitcase program or your own teaching unit with a guided field trip to a habitat of your choice. Learn to interpret this place for your students and to enjoy using it across the curriculum.

Bugwatch / Insecta ~ The Biodiversity of Arthropods
(gr: K to 10 - spring, fall)

Explore the wonderfully alien nature of arthropods: anatomy; life cycles; adaptations for survival; behaviour in communities and interactions within ecosystems. Ideally combined with a field outing to a natural habitat.

Preparation for Winter ~ The Biodiversity of Survival
(gr: K to 10 - fall, winter)

Understand the uniquely effective survival strategies of warm -and cold -blooded animals in response to Canadian winters -- from migration, through torpor and hibernation to the biochemistry of freeze-tolerance. Lots of drama with the young ones.

Secret Life of the Forest ~ The Biodiversity of Decomposition
(gr: 3, 4, 7 & 10 - all year)

Appreciate the roles played by bacteria, fungi, micro-invertebrates and small mammals in the physical and chemical decomposition of organic matter - food for new and growing plants. Review the Carbon and Nitrogen cycles, understand the nature and function of healthy soils and the need to control erosion.

Climate Change ~ Biodiversity and Global Warming
(gr: 5, 10 and 11 - all year)

Review the nature of global climatic forces and the natural greenhouse effect. Discuss the effects of weather extremes. Uncover the origins of fossil fuels and the implications of their unchecked burning. In a world where change is a constant, develop questions to analyze proposed responses to the phenomenon of global warming. Take action.

Introduction to Taxonomy ~ The Classification of Biodiversity
(gr: 6 and 12 - all year)

Define the four levels of biodiversity and acknowledge the intricate nature of the biosphere. Practice classifying taxa that inhabit eastern Ontario using a variety of systems and keys, comparing characteristics of specimens in-hand. Assess the costs and benefits of symbiosis and parasitism and discuss the implications of genetic modification.

PD ~ Make the most of your Outdoor Classroom
(for teachers - all year)

Take a hike and practice interpreting outdoor spaces near the school.

Also with Museum in a Suitcase:

Related links:

Contact:

Andrea Howard,
Teacher by Nature
(613) 269-7975
ahoward@superaje.com

Regular Program Cost:

$150 per half day; $250 per full day