Saturday Safari - Winter Animals

On Saturday December 4th, we celebrated our last Saturday Safari of the year by learning about all of the different winter animals in the world. Then, we went around the museum to try and find all of the animals that we had learned about. We finished up with making a polar bear and a reindeer ornament for the kids to take home. Saturday Safari will continue next year in January. Happy Holidays!

Emilie, Museum educator

Saturday Safari - Aquatic Animals

This week in Saturday Safari, we learned about different aquatic animals including dolphins, otters, and sea snakes. Who knew that a killer whale is actually a dolphin? This is just one of the cool facts we learned on Saturday. We got to meet the Green Iguana Duke, after watching a video about Aquatic Animals. We also make our very own fish aquariums out of paper plates. We had a blast!

Michelle, Museum education

Goodbye Rosie

In recent memory of Rosie (our rose haired tarantula),

Yesterday while on an outreach to an elementary school, a huge gust of wind knocked Rosie's cage off my cart. The lid popped off and Rosie took off, scurrying under a parked car and into a pile of leaves. I searched a while, but that 7 legged spider disappeared into the wind, along with the check from the school. Best of luck Rosie, you don't know how good you had it here.

This is Rosie before she lost one of her legs and before she decided to leave the Bean Museum.

Paige, museum educator

Saturday Safari - Snakes!

November 6th our Saturday Safari focused on the slithering world of snakes! The kids learned about many different snakes from around the world, and they also were able to see and touch five live snakes from the museum! The kids then made snakes out of pom poms, and watched a movie about snakes. It was a very fun day.

Emilie, Museum Educator

Saturday Safari - North American Animals

On October 30th we learned all about Animals that live in North America. The kids were able to play flamingo games and get treats, they had the chance to meet Petey the kingsnake, and they were able to learn all about the new bee exhibit at the museum. The kids drew a beehive to take home, and we closed by watching the Magic School Bus.



Emilie, Museum Eduator

Halloween Night October 25, 2010

On October 25^th, we had a Halloween night at the museum. The museum was filled with kids dressed as lady bugs, monsters, and sharks. The evening was filled with creepy crafts, a spooky animal show, and a scavenger hunt to find our missing tarantula Rosie! But enough of me talking about it look at the pictures below to see the fun had by all:

Emilie, Museum Educator

Nature Experienceship - Role of Aspens in Western Forests with Sam St. Clair

Saturday, October 16, 2010

We had about 12 participants for this field trip. We drove up the Alpine Loop and made 2 stops looking at the Aspens. Dr. Sam St. Clair taught us about the importance of Aspens and how connected we are to this ecosystem. He also helped everyone understand that the process of doing science starts by making observations. It was a beautiful morning and very enjoyable.

Date Night

Saturday, October 16, 2010

The murder mystery date night was a blast! Featuring suspects like Llyod Lunchbox, Beauty Fading, and Mavis Cheek in the murder of Sir Hamish Hogwash. There was LOTS of pizza, pumpkin pie, and suspense as the murder mystery unrolled. After the murderer was discovered, we started the "scary animal show" talking about vampire bats, werewolves, and . . . penguins?

Paige, Museum Educator

Saturday Safari - Endangered Animals

Saturday October 16, 2010

This Saturday Safari focused on the endangered animals that are living in Europe. The lovely educator Michelle taught the kids about the difference between endangered animals and extinct animals, she then taught them about different ways in which we can protect the animals that are endangered. Saturday Safari finished with a fun activity where the kids (and educators) made a brown bear out of a brown paper bag. The kids were also given a packet of Europe’s endangered animals that they could take home and educate their families.



Emilie, Museum Educator

Saturday Safari - African Safari

Saturday October 9, 2010

We went on a wild African Safari in the museum. The kids learned about all of the different African animals that are on display in the museum, after they completed this Safari, they won a special prize. The kids were able to play charades as they acted out their favorite African animal. They even had the chance to meet the African Ball Python Monte, and the Spurred Tortoise Oatis. It was a day filled with facts and fun!

Emilie, museum educator

Nature Experienceship - Birding with Merrill Webb

We had another successful bird watching trip with Merrill Webb on Saturday, September 18th.

We saw the following birds:

American Kestrel

American White Pelican

American Wigeon

Black-billed Magpie

Black-capped Chickadee

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Cattle Egret

Gadwall

Great Blue Heron

Killdeer

Mallard

Snowy Egret

Spotted Sandpiper

White-crowned Sparrow

Nature Experienceship - Birding with Merrill Webb

We saw the following birds on Saturday, July 17, 2010:

Osprey
Great-tailed Grackle
Barn Swallow
Yellow-headed blackbird
Great Blue Heron
Western Kingbird
Killdeer
Starlings
American Kestrel
American Pelican
American Avocet
Black-necked Stilt
Ring-necked Pheasant
Caspian Tern
Tree Swallow
Green-winged Teal
Raven
Canada Goose
Franklin's Gull
White-faced Ibis
Wilson's Phalarope
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Common Yellowthroat
Long-billed Dowitcher
Cinnamon Teal
Sandhill Crane
Ring-billed Gull
Western Sandpiper
Goldfinch
Swainson's Hawk
Cattle Egret

Here are some photos:





American Avocet in flight

Pelicans, Stilts, Avocets, and a gull (either ring-billed or Franklin's)


Black-necked Stilt

Killdeer

Photos courtesy of Becky Witt