These programs are appropriate for Fourth and Fifth Grade classes. Some are seasonal; others are offered throughout the school year. When choosing chaperones, keep in mind that our insurance does not allow tag-a-longs of any age, including babies in backpacks, front carriers or strollers.
Autumn Nature Adventure: (October)
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Provide your students the unusual opportunity of visiting a protected nature sanctuary where they participate in the sights, sounds and scents of autumn. While on a
hike and
hayride through various habitats, students observe how native plants and wildlife are
adapting to seasonal changes. This program concludes with the always fun selection of the perfect "take home"
pumpkin. What a great tool for measuring and graphing weight and circumference! Do larger pumpkins have more seeds? Thicker walls? Weekdays, October 11 - October 29, 10:00-11:30 AM or 12:00-1:30 PM. Cost: $7/person, $70.00 minimum/class.
This program must be paid in full in advance.
Many stones in our walls are encrusted with fossils
Fossil Hunt (December-March)
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Students examine
fossils from the Owl's Hill collection, learn about
common fossils in Middle Tennessee, consider what it means to be
extinct, then hike Owl's Hill trails in search of the remains of ancient creatures like this
brachiopod . Should we expect to find dinosaur bones or a mammoth tusk? Why or why not? Cost: $5/person, $50 minimum/class. Limit two classes per visit.
Sharp eyes may spot a Scorpion Fly.
Interpretive Habitat Hike: (August through May)
Trained guides lead your class on an interpretive hike through varied habitats. Look for examples of forest succession, animal homes, and examples of many of our Tennessee State symbols. Autumn hikes abound with fruit, seeds, spiders and insects. Winter provides a close look at burrows, fossils and tracks, and spring offers nesting birds, mating amphibians, and an abundance of wildflowers. Designed to encourage observation, stimulate curiosity and increase sensory awaremess as well as impart information about our local plants and animals. Cost: $5/person, $50.00 minimum/class.
Sugar Maple on South Ridge.
Byron Jorjorian
Forest Habitat: (September - March)
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Explore forest habitats in different stages of succession. Learn to identify common Middle Tennessee trees. Cost: $5/person, $50.00 minimum/class. Limit three classes per visit.
Boomerang, our blogging Great Horned Owls with his associate.
Owls: Top of the Food Chain: (August through May)
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Owl's Hill is honored to offer a home to several owls which have recovered from injuries that render them unable to survive in the wild. These owls represent the four owl species that are year-round residents in Middle Tennessee: Bubo virginianus, the Great Horned Owl; Strix varia, the Barred Owl; Tyto alba, the Barn Owl; and Otus asio, the Screech Owl. Bring your class to meet these beautiful creatures and see first hand the adaptations of each to its habitat. Hike through owl territory and learn how owls affect and are affected by the food chain. The program includes a discussion of the concerns, both practical and legal, involved in caring for injured and orphaned animals. Cost: $5/person, $50.00 minimum/class. Limit of 2 classes per visit.
Exploring the pond.
Pond Ecology: (Through September 30 and after April 15)
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Do all tadpoles look alike? Can water bugs bite? Students participate in a hands-on study of an
aquatic habitat as they wade into the pond and collect specimens for identification. This is an excellent opportunity to study the
life cycles of amphibians and insects and to learn some basic
insect classification. Activities include an introduction to
watersheds and basic
water chemistry, with an emphasis on prevention of
groundwater pollution. Cost: $5/student, $50.00 minimum. Limit one class per visit.
Pollination!
What do Bees Make? ( through September, April and May)
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Find out how honey from a beehive ends up on your biscuits. An observation bee hive, Hymenoptera display and discussion help students understand the life cycle of honeybees and the products we get from these social insects. Enjoy a taste of honey, comparing flavors made from nectars of different flowers, then hike through the orchard and meadow in search of different kinds of bees and other pollinators. Cost: $5/person, $50 minimum/class. Limit two classes per visit.
