Saturday Safari - Animal Defenses

On February 26th, the Saturday Safari group learned all about animal defenses. From raccoons to the glass lizard; the kids even had a chance to meet Bandit, the Honduran Milk Snake. Bandit defends himself with his patterning; he looks like a coral snake. The craft that we worked on were sock puppets, the kids made an animal that they had learned about. We concluded watching an episode of the Magic School Bus that was about sneaky spiders and how they survive. This next week will be all about Butterflies.

Emilie, museum educator

Saturday Safari - Biggest & Smallest Animals

On February 19th, we spent Saturday Safari learning about the biggest and smallest animals. Did you know that the coconut crab grows up to be three feet long, with legs that are three feet long as well? We learned about elephants, squids, and tarantulas, with a special visit from our very own tarantula MJ. Our craft was very fun. We had paper plates, and the kids were able to make their paper plate look like an animal that they learned about. There were some very creative art projects. This Saturday we will be learning about Sneaky Animals and Their Defenses. It will be a blast!

Emilie, museum educator

Saturday Safari - Animal Fur

On January 29th, we had a wonderful Saturday Safari Adventure! We learned all about fur and how it helps animals survive. We were able to go up to the Education Collection in the museum, there the kids pet animals like the Arctic Fox, Bobcat and the Porcupine. They also had a chance to feel many different kinds of fur. After that, we did a wonderful craft! The kids made up their own animal and the environment that they would be living in, then, with the ever so wonderful items we have in the craft room, they were able to give that animal many different “fur” textures. This Saturday we will be learning about animals without teeth.




Emilie, Museum educator

Saturday Safari - Camouflage

This last Saturday Safari we learned all about camouflage; from the mimic octopus which can change into any color and imitate shapes of other sea animals for protection, to the chameleon which changes its colors because of territorial purposes and emotions. We then, watched the special Eric Carle animated movie, “The Mixed up Chameleon.” After that, we took a tour of the museum, and looked at all of the different ways in which animals camouflage themselves; the kids even had a chance to pet a Horned Owl and an Arctic Owl. After the tour we went up to the craft room and made our own animal camouflage shirts. The kids had such a fun time with this Saturday Safari. Next week we will be learning all about animal fur.



Emilie, museum educator

Saturday Safari - Looking into the Past

On January 15th we spent Saturday Safari by looking into the past. This year we are learning about different animal adaptations, and what better a way to start it than with prehistoric animals? We learned about the Mososaur and its modern day relative the monitor lizard (special appearance by Shi Shi). We also learned about all of the different animals that adapted well in prehistoric times, and the ones that did not quite make it like that Wooly Mammoth. We participated in a small craft, and ended with watching The Land Before Time. This Saturday Safari was so much fun, and next week will be even cooler! We are learning about camouflage!

Emilie, museum educator

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