Intensive Study Units
For teachers looking for a more involved experience to incorporate into an overall curricular unit, our two-hour intensive study units include both classroom and field work as well as pre- and post-visit downloadable activities to reinforce learned concepts. These units are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. The price for each program is $50.
Intensive Study Unit Topics
Birds at the Gardens (K-6th) (spring only) – Students will be introduced to inland and coastal birds of Maine and their adaptations. Students will study bird calls, learn mnemonics to help remember them, and gain experience using binoculars to identify birds. Through exploration and observation of two different habitats, students will be able to make connections between a bird’s habitat and their unique adaptations. (Overview and NGSS)
Pollinators (K-6th) – Students will be introduced to our different pollinators and their flower preferences, knowledge reinforced through observations in the garden. Students will have the opportunity to dissect a flower to understand its parts, while also gaining a better understanding of the process of pollination and the critical role pollinators play in a plant’s life cycle. (Overview and NGSS)
Wetlands (K-6th) (spring only) – Students will learn what makes wetlands unique ecosystems by investigating the plants and animals that depend on them for survival. Through exploration and observation of two wetland habitats, including a vernal pool, students will gain an understanding of the forest food chain, metamorphosis, and the life cycles of the spotted salamander and wood frog. (Overview and NGSS)
Plant Adaptations (3rd-8th) – Students will gain an understanding of plant adaptions by learning about Earth’s ten biomes. Through in-depth classroom investigations and field explorations, students will be able to identify the physical traits that help plants survive in nature. (Overview and NGSS)
Botany (3rd-8th) – Students will be introduced to a botanist’s method of thinking about the plant world. Students will learn about plant structures and their functions, life cycles, some basic groups of plants and their key characteristics, and how to use a plant identification key. Exploration out in the Gardens will help put their newly-gained botany skills to the test.