Field Trips

Tiny & Mighty: Elementary Life Science

Grade Level:
Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
Subject:
Science
State Standards:
Colorado Academic Standards (CAS 2020) aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS 2020). Grade Level Expectations (Disciplinary Core Ideas): LS1.A, B, D. LS2.A, C, D. LS3.B. LS4.B, C, D.

Topics in this Program

  • Life Cycles and Stages
  • Adaptations, Structure & Function
  • Habitats, Ecosystems
  • Seasonal Change

For a multiple-classroom field trip:

Students will rotate in small groups between four 35-minute stations, centered at Devils Kitchen Picnic Area (Grand Junction side).There will be a 25-minute lunch break at 11:45am, followed by a brief "recess" and clean-up before the next activities. Stations for this program include:

  1. Hiking to Serpents Trail & back (about 0.4 miles), using magnifying lenses to look closely at life cycle stages and consider seasonal effects
  2. Playing a game that models relationships between soil crust and the high desert ecosystem
  3. Observing structures of natural items (feathers, leaves, soil crust, etc.) through field microscopes and discussing potential functions
  4. Exploring an area using binoculars to consider sensory adaptations like sight among different animals

Essential Questions

  • What can life at a small scale teach us about life on the big scale in the Grand Valley? (addresses Grade Level Expectations) 
  • In what ways does shifting our perspective change what we can learn? (addresses Social Emotional Learning) 

Duration

3.5 hours (10am to 1:30pm)

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Last updated: December 31, 2024