Kalamazoo Nature Center: Carnivore and Herbivore
Week
Task
To create a week’s worth of lunchtime activities
to be delivered by Nature Center staff at local elementary schools
To evaluate the program's effectiveness and revise it
as needed
Goals
Recognize and describe the physical characteristics common
to most carnivores
Recognize and describe the physical characteristics common
to most herbivores
Be able to classify previously unseen animals as carnivores
or herbivores with an accuracy of 80%
Challenges and Limitations
30 minute daily time slot
Short attention spans of students
Encouraging retention of learning
Varying grade and prior knowledge levels (1st-6th grades)
Must address multiple modes of learning (visual, auditory,
kinesthetic)
$50 budget for materials; materials must be durable
and reusable
Solutions
Lessons are focused on two to three concepts and move
quickly
Lessons build in practice and review of previous days
to encourage retention
Lessons have extra, optional, detail for older students
but can be understood by students at many age levels.
Includes one day of active play; two days of instruction
using real skulls, pictures, and verbal descriptions; one
art project; and a quiz game with both visual and
verbal cues.
Completed on time and within budget; most materials
were drawn from existing Nature Center collections; only art supplies
and the optional “class treat” need to be replenished.
In the quiz game at the end of the week, classes
are generally able to classify skulls as carnivore or herbivore
skulls (for both mammals and birds) with an accuracy of 75-90%.
The kids love to see and handle real skulls - the skulls hold
their attention like few other activities.
The bin is popular with Nature Center instructors
because it contains an entire week's worth of diverse activities
and, most importantly, the bin includes clear instructions on
how to use every item in the bin.
