POND TO GO
NATURE PRINTING
We'll take a short nature walk to gather different types of leaves. Then, using ammonia printing techniques, your students will capture the intricate shapes of these leaves on a print that they can take home. |
WATER FILTRATION
Water quality and the protection of water resources are some of the most important environmental issues to be addressed. Your students will contaminate a sample of water with such pollutants as oil, soap, acid and trash, then build a multi-stage filtration system to clean up the mess. |
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POND TO GO
Have you ever wondered how much life is in a pond? Plenty! En route to your school, our ecologist will stop to net and collect specimens at an extremely productive local pond. In the classroom, the "catch" will be divided among the students and examined using pond spoons, magnifiers, our pond guide and a micro-projector. This exciting activity provides an excellent introduction to the identification, life cycles, ecology and adaptations of many common aquatic plants, animals and micro-organisms. |
POND LIFE
A thriving New England pond awaits examination by your students. Using nets and strainers, students will be able to collect a large variety of both plants and animals, from the microscopic to "the big enough to be scary." After returning to the Science Center or your classroom, the students will use hand lenses, microscopes, and our TMSC Pondlife Guide to identify and observe the organisms collected. |
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RIVER STUDY
Our watersheds provide a wonderful opportunity to examine an aquatic ecosystem. In order for life to flourish, the river water itself must have certain characteristics, such as proper pH, dissolved oxygen and clarity. Using water samples from local rivers, our ecologist will guide your students through the process of measuring these variables and discussing their impact on river life. Additionally, samples of living organisms will be taken at various river depths to corroborate the observations of physical water characteristics. |
SEED TO PLANT
Even the tiniest seed has an embryonic plant inside just waiting for the ideal conditions to germinate. Dissect seeds and witness the complete life cycle of the growing plant. |
PLANT TROPISMS
Plants express the ability to grow directionally. Growth is affected by factors such as sunlight (phototropism), gravity (geotropism) and touch (thigmotropism). Specimen plants will be brought into the classroom for study, which will include dissection and microscopic examination of the cells affected by these and other tropisms. |
LIFE OF A TREE
How do trees grow? Why do some go dormant during the winter? Investigate these natural wonders by observing patterns in growth rings from various samples. Find out where the largest trees of Connecticut are and how you can help preserve them. |
TREES AND KEYS
Using one of the Science Center's dichotomous guides your students can identify almost any tree in Connecticut. This class will stress observation of the physical characteristics of trees, the largest plants on Earth. |
FOREST
Connecticut is home to some 40 or more species of indigenous trees and our forests support a myriad of astonishing life forms, many of them readily observable . Visit a forest near our Science Center or have one of our scientists come to your woods to show your students the hidden world beneath the forest canopy. |
TERRARIUMS
Build your own ecosystem in a cup! Watch as seeds germinate and follow the life cycle of a plant to fruition. A great learning experience for the young, curious mind. |
FLOWERS
Flowering species have dominated the Plant Kingdom since the early Cretaceous. Learn the deeper beauty of these wondrous organisms by dissecting a large specimen of flowering plant. |
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INSECTS
Did you know that beetles alone outnumber all other animals combined, including all other insects? There are more kinds of insects in Connecticut than you could probably collect in a lifetime. Insect habitats are found everywhere, except where life began, in the oceans. Come to Talcott Mountain during the warm months of the year and collect with ease a thousand insects a day! |
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
Amphibians (about 375-400 million years ago) were the first land vertebrates, closely followed by the reptiles. Temperate Connecticut is not as well represented by these classes of animal, but there are still enough species to collect, some of them in large numbers. Join us in observing these often overlooked and sometimes reviled beauties. (warm weather months only) |
BIRDS
Arguably our most colorful animals, about two hundred species can readily be seen in Connecticut. From the diminutive hummingbirds to the great soaring hawks, avian life can be found in almost any habitat. Preserved specimens can be brought to the classroom for anatomical and physiological study and field trips can be arranged for a truly wild experience. |
ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS
How do animals survive the long, cold New England winters here in Connecticut? Why do some animals migrate and others hibernate? Seasonal changes affect life on Earth in a most dramatic way. Learn the secrets to what animals do to ensure their continued success in the natural world. |
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TRACKS
Learn to identify various creatures of the forest by the footprints they leave behind. Each student will make a plaster cast of an animal of their choice. |