Pre-K through Grade 1

• Bird Chorus – Students will learn about local birds and their songs by pretending to be birds! They may also invent their own birds and songs to share with the group.
• Helping Wildlife at Home – Students will learn how to help birds, butterflies, and other wildlife in their backyards.
• Live Animals – Students will see snakes, pond critters, and bugs up close!
• Nature Walk – Students will gain an appreciation for nature as we walk the trails through our gardens, along the river, and on the mountain.
• Reading programs – LGNC education staff will read a nature-themed book and encourage students to use our children’s nature lending library.
• Wildlife Helpful/Harmful – Students will categorize items as “helpful” or “harmful” for local wildlife. Recommended for grades 2-3.
• Wildlife Hullabaloo – Students will learn about local wildlife (and get some exercise!) through this fun matching game.

Grades 2 through 6

Science Simulation Games

Aligned with 4th Grade PSSA Standards

• Food Chain Game – Food chain/web/pyramid simulation game and lesson (key terms: abiotic, biotic, producer, consumer, decomposer, food chain, food web, food pyramid)
• Oh Deer! – Predator/prey simulation game and lesson (key terms: predator, prey, habitat)
• Water Cycle Game – Water cycle simulation game and lesson (key terms: precipitation, collection, runoff, evaporation, condensation, water cycle)
• Watershed Game – Watershed and land use simulation game and lesson (key terms: forest, spring, groundwater, riparian zone, wetland, lentic, lotic, development, pollution, watershed)

Environmental Education Programs

• Bird Chorus – Students will learn about local birds and their songs by pretending to be birds! They may also invent their own birds and songs to share with the group. Recommended for grades 2-3.
• Bird Migration Game – Students will discover the marvels of bird migration as they pretend to be birds! Recommended for grades 2-4.
• Bird Study – Students will learn to identify birds and discuss bird migration as they practice using binoculars on the refuge. Bird adaptation lessons also available. Recommended for grades 3+
• Bug Safari – Students will collect and study insects in LGNC’s gardens. Nets provided. Recommended for grades 2+.
• Climate Change – Students will learn the science of global climate change and the greenhouse effect through an interactive simulation game. Recommended for grades 3-6.
• Ecosystem Comparison – Students will compare the biotic and abiotic components of four ecosystems as they hike around the Nature Center. Available for two grade levels: grades 2-3 and grades 4-6.
• Forest Ecology – Students will study plants, birds, fungi, geology, and other ecological topics while they hike along the Appalachian Trail. Recommended for grades 5+.
• Geology Hike – As they hike through the Lehigh Gap, students will observe and interpret formations that illustrate plate tectonics, sedimentary rock formation, and weathering/erosion. Recommended for grades 4+.
• Ecology/History Hike – Students will discover the ecology and history of the Lehigh Gap while hiking on LGNC’s trails. Different hikes and trails available for each grade level.
• Leaf Identification – Students will learn to identify trees by matching their leaves. Also includes a discussion of local trees and their importance. Recommended for grades 2-4.
• Live Animals – Students will see snakes, pond critters, and bugs up close! Recommended for all grades.
• Pond Adventure – For small groups only. Students will collect water from LGNC’s ponds and examine water quality in the lab. Recommended for grades 4+.
• Pond Lab – One of our most popular programs! Students will learn to use microscopes and study live pond critters in water samples. They will discover aquatic life at the microscopic and macroscopic scales, and learn about aquatic ecology and water quality. Recommended for all grades.
• Raptors: Birds of Prey – Students will learn about raptor identification, conservation, and migration in the classroom, before experiencing the migration first-hand on a field trip to the Bake Oven Knob Hawk Watch. Data sheets available to track the migration. Recommended for grades 5+.
• Rock Classification – Students will sort and classify rocks based on their observations, and learn how geologists classify rocks .Recommended for grades 2-4.
• Watershed Demonstration – Students will learn about watersheds and human impact with an interactive watershed model. Recommended for grades 4-6.
• Wildlife Helpful/Harmful – Students will categorize items as “helpful” or “harmful” for local wildlife. Recommended for grades 2-3.