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NEW FROM
THE ECHO BLOG |
DISCOVERING ECHO: AN INTERN'S PERSPECTIVE |
POSTED MAY 13 AT 3:28 PM |
The instructions… |
READ MORE + |
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SCHOOL
PROGRAMS
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ECHO Education programs model inquiry-based teaching by facilitating student activities, prompting investigations, and encouraging dialogue during intentional exhibit exploration. And, of course, they’re lots of fun! |
ECHO TEACHER'S CHOICE PROGRAM OPTIONS
ECHO provides teachers with a broad range of
topics for deeper immersion and clearer connection to their curriculum
for students in grades K-12. All ECHO programs are linked to Vermont
Science or Social Studies Standards and Grade Expectations and are
taught by ECHO Education Staff. Our goal is to use the lens of environmental stewardship of the Lake Champlain Basin as students grasp and apply science and socials studies concepts to the real world.
Signing up for Teacher’s Choice Programs
- Using the chart below, review programs for students in grades K - 6. See below for the range of opportunities for upper grade level students in middle school and beyond.
- ECHO will match your program choices to
an appropriate ECHO Inquiry Trek for a complete program experience.
- For trips of more than 25 students, the
group will be divided into sessions and the same program will be
repeated so all students can participate in the same experience using a
session rotation. ECHO will assist you with planning the number and
length of programs for a well-orchestrated experience with ample time
for exhibit exploration, ECHO Encounters, lunch, and
visits to the gift shop.
- Preschool
Programs for children 3-5 years old are led by ECHO’s Youth
Education Specialist. Pre-registration is required by contacting the
front desk.
|
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| Program Title (PDF
desc.) |
Grade
Range |
Duration
|
Description |
| Wetland
Wonders |
K - 3 |
45 min |
It’s a sponge, it’s a filter, it’s a nursery… it’s a wetland! Explore the living and non-living elements of the unique habitat as we build a life size wetland together. |
| Creature Feature |
K - 3 |
45 min |
What makes a fish a fish or a frog a frog? Investigate five vertebrate groups and meet one of ECHO's live animal ambassadors. |
| Amphibians
All Around |
K - 3 |
45 min |
Explore life cycles, characteristics, and behaviors of amphibians found in the Lake Champlain watershed. Call and hop your way to understanding this unique group of invertebrates, some of the dangers they face and what you can do to help them survive. |
| Lake Champlain in a Bag |
K - 6 |
45 min |
How is Lake Champlain like a bathtub? Your students will play key parts in a flowing watershed human diorama. |
| Rock and Roll Geology
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3 - 6 |
45 min |
Explore 10,000 years of geologic history in the Lake Champlain Basin. Discover the forces that shaped the land we see today and perform rock tests to identify some common local rocks. |
| Native American Artifact Inquiry |
3 - 6 |
45 min |
Use scientific inquiry and games to illuminate the sophistication of Native American ingenuity, learning styles and values. |
| Properties
of Water in the Lake Champlain Basin |
3 - 6 |
45 min |
Explore density, suspension, surface tension and states of water. Investigate how the unique properties of water effects Lake Champlain and the surrounding landscape. |
| Zoom
in on Zebra Mussels |
3 - 6 |
45 min |
Uncover characteristics that allow invasive species to adapt to conditions in the Lake Champlain Basin. We will focus on Zebra Mussels to understand how some adaptations for survival can cause havoc in the watershed. |
ECHO SELF-GUIDED PROGRAMS
Experience all the learning at ECHO with
support from ECHO’s Volunteer Education Interpreters:
- Movie shorts, games, crafts, experiments,
and hands-on activities.
- Daily Animal Feedings and Demonstrations.
- ECHO Treks: Choose either our
"paper/pencil" ECHO Treks that guide student exhibit exploration
gathering data, estimating, drawing, etc. (we provide the clipboards
and pencils!) OR and ECHO Inquiry Trek that guides student exhibit
exploration through small group inquiry question prompts and discussion.
LAKE CHAMPLAIN BASIN PROGRAM RESOURCE ROOM
- Dive deeper into Lake Champlain at the Resource Room, located
on the top floor of ECHO.
- An excellent teacher and student resource
for Lake and watershed curriculum or project planning across
disciplines using website links, maps, charts, pamphlets and multimedia.
- A quiet space for small group preschool
stories, games and puzzles.
UPPER LEVEL MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGES
ECHO is happy to customize a visit for middle school, high school, college, and university students. We welcome the opportunity for more advanced exploration and discussion . For more information, please contact Linda Bowden, Lifelong Learning Coordinator at lbowden@echovermont.org.
Suggested Presentations and
Discussion Topics
- What are the benefits of partnering with
a science center?
- Orientation to informal education in
science centers.
- What is inquiry-based science all about?
- What goes into making an
exhibit?
- What are the barriers and solutions to
reaching under-served populations in a science center?
Opportunities for Personal Growth
at ECHO
- Get
involved through internships, work-study, service learning,
or as a volunteer.
- Link field work, lab work, or research
results to informal learning in a science center.
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1.802.864.1848
