Education

The programs below may be offered at your school or other convenient natural area, depending on the grounds and existing communities on site. 

 For all off-site programs, except where indicated,                                                                        an additional fee of $1.50/participant will be charged to cover preparation costs.   

Please call 610-793-1090 for details. 

 Elementary School  |  Middle School  |  High School

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Adventure Team
Grades 4-5; 2 hours; $6.25/participant
Can you untangle a human knot? Can two groups create an identical piece of art while whispering down the lane? Students will participate in a variety of problem solving experiences that require group cooperation and physical activity. Activities are designed to break down barriers, foster teamwork and identify leadership potential among students. This program is recommended at the beginning of the school year or prior to group projects or problem-solving activities.

All About Owls
Standards: 3.3.4/3.3.7/4.7.4/4.7.7
Grades 3-6; 1.5 hours; $6.00/participant OR 2 hours; $8.50/participant with owl pellet dissection (one pellet per student pair included)
What makes an owl a great nocturnal predator? Can an owl really turn its head all the way around its body? Learn about the fascinating lives of owls through an exploration of their amazing adaptations. Get a close look at taxidermy mounts of at least two different species of owls that live in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Amazing Adaptations
Standards: 3.3.4/3.3.7/4.6.4/4.7.4
Grades 3-5; 2 hrs; $6.25
Observe a variety of structural and behavioral adaptations of plants and animals at the Myrick Center or other location of your choice. Students will play games and go on a hike to see examples of how plants and animals have adapted in order to survive.

At Home in Your Habitat
Standards: 4.3.4/4.4.4/4.6.4/4.7.4
Grades K-3; 1.25 hours; $5.25/participant
Search for signs of wildlife while learning the four basic components of a habitat. Students discover a variety of animal homes while understanding how specific habitats provide food, water, shelter and space.

Common Sense
Standards: 4.7.4
Grades K-4; 1.5 hours; $5.25/participant
Test your sense of touch, smell, sight and hearing in the outdoors during an exploratory walk. Students will learn to use their "tools" to become more aware of the world around them.

Ecosystem Explorations                                                                                                
Standards: 3.1.4/3.1.7/3.3.4/3.3.7/4.1.4/4.2.4/4.3.4/4.6.4/4.7.4
Grades 4-5; 2 hours; $6.25/participant
Explore a pond, stream or field/forest ecosystem while discovering how its inhabitants interact and adapt. During each ecosystem study, students collect organisms and examine their interdependency through the transfer of energy. Small groups may request which ecosystem they would like to explore. Due to property limitations, large groups will need to be divided so that each student explores only one ecosystem.

Findings of Fall
Standards: 4.6.4/4.7.4
Grades K-2; 1.25 hours; $5.00/participant Available Sept. 4 - Nov. 16, 2012
Discover how plants and animals change in the fall to prepare for the upcoming winter. Observe the beautiful variety of autumn colors; learn how different animals plan ahead, migrate, and hibernate and investigate the adaptations of special seeds.

Lenape Sense
Standards: 4.7.4
Grades 1-2; 1.5 hours; $5.25/participant
Travel back in time to learn about the life of the Lenape people. Through various games and hands-on activities, students will gain an insight into how animals and people use their senses to survive. Students will experience the importance of living in harmony with nature like the indigenous peoples lived. This lesson is designed as an introduction to the Lenape Lore programs and does not include a visit to the Lenape Village.

Pebbles, Sand and Silt
Standards: 4.6.4
Grades 1-3; 1.25 hours; $5.50/participant
Based on the FOSS kit of the same name, this program brings the inquiry based approach outside. Students will observe rocks and other earth materials interacting with water in a stream, learn about some of our local rocks and sort a river rock mixture by particle size. Students will also learn what soil is comprised of by dissecting it using soil sorter charts. Use this program as an introduction to the kit or as a general overview of earth materials!

Pond Sense
Standards: 4.1.4/4.7.4/4.8.4
Grades K-3; 1.5 hour; $5.25/participant
Complete a sensory journey around the pond. Discover how a frog is adapted to survive in a pond and learn the different stages of its life. Collect and look at other animals and plants that live in ponds. Compare animals and plants that live in the pond to those that live around the pond.

Signs of Spring
Standards: 4.6.4/4.7.4
Grades K-2; 1.25 hours; $5.00/participant Available Mar.25-June 14, 2013
Watch spring unfold as buds and wildflowers pop up, hibernators emerge from their winter shelters and activity picks up again as the days grow longer and warmer. Students will learn how and why plants and animals change with the season.

Stream Sense
Standards: 4.1.4/4.6.4/4.7.4
Grades K-3; 1.5 hours; $5.50/participant
Practice using your senses as you explore a stream and its surroundings. Students will discover what lives in and near a stream and how the plants and animals that live near a stream are different from those that live in a field.

Wonderful Wetlands
Standards: 4.1.4
Grades 3-5; 2 hours; $6.00/participant
Take a wetland walk along a stream corridor and participate in hands on activities to see how wetlands soak up water, act as filters and help to slow runoff. Search for animals and their signs and discover the unusual adaptations of wetland plants. Discover the biological diversity of the wetland environment and why the protection of wetlands is important.

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Amazing Adaptations
Standards: 4.6.7/4.7.7
Grades 5-6; 2 hours; $6.25/participant
Observe a variety of structural and behavioral adaptations of plants and animals at the Myrick Center or other natural area. Students will learn about the color of worms, play games to learn about adaptations and go on a hike to see examples of how plants and animals adapt to survive.

 

Brandywine Watershed Tour
Standards: 4.8.7
Grades 6-8; 2-4 hours; by special arrangement ($1.50/participant fee waived)
Most residents of the Brandywine Watershed know very little about where their water comes from, what happens after they have used it, and where their garbage goes. Students will tour your choice of a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment plant or a landfill to understand traditional resource management. They will also view farms with conservation practices, a spray irrigation site and/or a recycling center. The tour is designed specifically for your students. This is a great program for students in environmental problems, conservation or community planning courses. Maximum of 45 students.

Canoeing Water Quality Program
Standards: 4.1.7/4.3.7/4.6.7/4.7.7/4.8.7
Grades 7-8; 4 hours; $30.00/participant (transportation included)

Available Sept 4-Oct. 12, 2012 and April 15-Oct 11, 2013 ($1.50/participant fee waived)
Search for aquatic organisms in a stream and learn how to use them as indicators of stream health and change. Students stop at water quality testing sites along the Brandywine Creek. Canoeing experience is not necessary. Basic instruction will be provided. An east branch or west branch trip is available; please indicate which trip at the time of registration. Organizing adult canoes for free. Additional adults cost $15 each.

Human Impact on the Environment

Standards: 4.2.7/4.3.7/4.8.7/4.9.7
Grades 6-8; 2 hours; $6.50/participant
Learn about natural resources and play games about population change and carrying capacity. Use aerial photographs to see how the local area has changed over time. Compare American use of natural resources and waste generation with other parts of the world.

Pond Study

Standards: 3.3.7/4.1.7/4.3.7/4.6.7/4.7.7
Grades 9-12; 3 hours; $10.25/participant
Analyzing the physical, biological and chemical parameters of a pond, students will determine the health of the system. They will then hypothesize how to fix the problem(s). This program can be done at the Myrick Center or a pond closer to your school.

Stream Study
Standards: 3.3.7/4.1.7/4.3.7/4.6.7/4.7.7
Grades 6-8; 2 hours; $6.25/participant
Explore a stream while collecting, identifying and categorizing vertebrates and invertebrates found in this community. Evaluate the physical and chemical parameters of the stream and learn how scientists determine water quality.

Working Watershed
Standards: 3.5.4/4.1.7/4.3.7
Grades 6-8; 2 hours; $6.25/participant
Learn about the water cycle, why water is so precious and why it must be protected. Students will see how a watershed is defined by topography and how watersheds are affected by human development. Students will pollute a water sample and build a filter to attempt to clean it up.

 

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Brandywine Watershed Tour
Standards: 4.8.10
Grades 9-12; 2-4 hours; by special arrangement ($1.50/participant fee waived)
Most residents of the Brandywine Watershed know very little about where their water comes from, what happens after they have used it, and where their garbage goes. Students will tour your choice of a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment plant or a landfill to understand traditional resource management. They will also view farms with conservation practices, a spray irrigation site and/or a recycling center. The tour is designed specifically for your students. This is a great program for students in environmental problems, conservation or community planning courses. Maximum of 45 students.

Canoeing Water Quality Program
Standards: 4.1.10/4.3.10/4.6.10/4.7.10/4.8.10
Grades 9-12; 4 hours; $30.00/participant (transportation included)                         

Available Sept 4-Oct. 12, 2012 and April 15-Oct 11, 2013 ($1.50/participant fee waived)
Search for aquatic organisms in a stream and learn how to use them as indicators of stream health and change. Students stop at water quality testing sites along the Brandywine Creek. Canoeing experience is not necessary. Basic instruction will be provided. An east branch or west branch trip is available; please indicate which trip at the time of registration. Organizing adult canoes for free. Additional adults cost $15 each.

Pond Study
Standards: 3.5.10/4.1.10/4.1.12/4.3.10/4.7.10/4.7.12
Grades 9-12; 3 hours; $10.25/participant
Analyzing the physical, biological and chemical parameters of a pond, students will determine the health of the system. They will then hypothesize how to fix the problem(s). This program can be done at the Myrick Center or at a pond closer to your school.

Stream Study
Standards: 3.5.10/4.1.10/4.1.12/4.3.10/4.7.10/4.7.12
Grades 9-12; 3 hours; $10.25/participant
Students will analyze the physical, biological and chemical parameters of a stream to determine its health. Students will then strategize how to turn a red stream blue. This program can be done at BVA's Saalbach Farm or at a stream closer to your school.