ANSC SCOUT PROGRAMS GENERAL INFORMATION

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1 ANSC SCOUT PROGRAMS GENERAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS ZILKER PRESERVE WILDLIFE WHERE WHEN CAN WE GO? Scout programs cover a variety of natural, scientific and adventure topics. Our programs are aligned with Badge and Journey requirements and can be customized for your group s interest! The 77-acre Zilker Preserve is adjacent to the Austin Nature & Science Center. The preserve is home to some of the best native wildlife viewing in the parks system. With excellent bird watching, vaulted limestone cliffs, ponds and diverse native plants, the preserve is a wonderful resource for any program! The ANSC is home to over 50 animals! From bobcats and foxes to hissing cockroaches and snakes, our wildlife can be observed and incorporated into programming to provide a unique natural experience. Programs are facilitated at the ANSC unless stated otherwise. We provide scout programs after school and on Saturdays. After school: :30pm & 3:30pm Saturdays: 10:00am, 11:30am, 1:00pm PROGRAM FEES? Austin residents: $1.00/participant Non-residents: $14.00/participant Scout Leaders are free REGISTRATION Please fill out the registration form. Contact the front desk with questions or concerns: (51) or anscprograms@austintexas.gov TABLE OF CONTENTS Scout Level Pages Boys Cub Scouts Webelos Boy Scouts 3-4 Girls Daisies Brownies Juniors 5 5 6

Cub Scouts (Tiger/Bear/Wolf) FUR, FEATHERS, AND FERNS Explore the outdoor world of mammals, birds, plants and more!

Webelos EARTH ROCKS! Learn the processes of the rock cycle and fossil formation while exploring the preserve s limestone formations.

Use a Mohs hardness test kit to identify x number of different minerals. Wrap-up with a hunt for cretaceous fossils!

Discuss the ways in which humans historically and currently affect food webs in Texas and beyond.

2 Cub Scouts (Tiger/Bear/Wolf) FUR, FEATHERS, AND FERNS Explore the outdoor world of mammals, birds, plants and more! Meet Texas wildlife up-close and learn how they are interconnected in a food web. Use tracking skills to see who s visiting the nature center at night! Webelos EARTH ROCKS! Learn the processes of the rock cycle and fossil formation while exploring the preserve s limestone formations. Get a handle on the rock cycle with real samples of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Use a Mohs hardness test kit to identify x number of different minerals. Wrap-up with a hunt for cretaceous fossils! INTO THE WILD Meet birds, reptiles, amphibians and other native Texas wildlife and use them to model a real-life food web. Discuss the ways in which humans historically and currently affect food webs in Texas and beyond. Hike in the preserve and identify the plants and wildlife that make up ephemeral pond ecosystems. INTO THE WOODS Dissect the different parts of trees and learn about the different plants and animals that rely on them. Relive the lives of trees by analyzing their growth rings. Identify the different household materials that are made from trees. Explore the preserve and identify native plants while discussing their role in the ecosystem.

Webelos 3 WEBELOS WALKABOUT Develop a hike plan with ANSC staff in the Preserve or beyond. See and describe how to avoid venomous or poisonous plants and animals.

Boy Scouts ASTRONOMY Travel out of this world with the Austin Nature & Science Center! Explore our galaxy in the new Digitalis Planetarium.

Discuss the star cycle and how astronomers study stars. End with a look at different telescopes and how they re used. BIRD STUDY Explore the diverse world of birds!

After meeting resident birds, scouts will embark on a birding tour of the preserve. We ll provide binoculars and keep a checklist that will be uploaded to the research website ebird.

3 Webelos 3 WEBELOS WALKABOUT Develop a hike plan with ANSC staff in the Preserve or beyond. See and describe how to avoid venomous or poisonous plants and animals. Prepare a hiking backpack with a complete first aid kit and the necessary supplies. Discuss the Leave No Trace Principles and demonstrate them on a hike. Boy Scouts ASTRONOMY Travel out of this world with the Austin Nature & Science Center! Explore our galaxy in the new Digitalis Planetarium. We ll observe and discuss the seasonal constellations visible from Austin then travel the lengths of our solar system with stops at each planet. Discuss the star cycle and how astronomers study stars. End with a look at different telescopes and how they re used. BIRD STUDY Explore the diverse world of birds! Handle and identify different feathers, bones, beaks, and eggs. Observe these characteristics up-close on live owls. After meeting resident birds, scouts will embark on a birding tour of the preserve. We ll provide binoculars and keep a checklist that will be uploaded to the research website ebird. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Study the complex world of environmental science. Conduct experiments to understand the greenhouse effect and how oil spills affect the environment. Meet indicator species that play integral roles in their ecosystem. Hike along Barton Creek and discuss the ecology of the Barton Springs Salamander and its role in the Austin ecosystem. Meets at the Beverly S. Sheffield Education Center - 01 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX

Boy Scouts 4 INSECT MERIT BADGE Did you know that approximately 80% of the species on Earth are Insects?

relatives scorpions, tarantulas, and centipedes. MAMMAL STUDY Meet the amazing members of class Mammalia.

After meeting live animals, search the preserve for signs of coyotes, foxes, deer and raccoons.

After meeting producers and consumers, head into the preserve to see the various food webs in a Texas ecosystem.

4 Boy Scouts 4 INSECT MERIT BADGE Did you know that approximately 80% of the species on Earth are Insects? Explore this incredibly diverse world by collecting species in the wild, observing them with the videoscope, and meeting some of their amazing relatives scorpions, tarantulas, and centipedes. MAMMAL STUDY Meet the amazing members of class Mammalia. Discuss the ingenious adaptations of this group of animals while feeling fur, skulls, bones, quills and more! After meeting live animals, search the preserve for signs of coyotes, foxes, deer and raccoons. NATURE Explore the connections between plants and animals by building an interactive food web. After meeting producers and consumers, head into the preserve to see the various food webs in a Texas ecosystem. Identify plants and animals and learn how species adapt to their environments. REPTILE & AMPHIBIAN STUDY Study the unique adaptations and hisssstory of reptiles and amphibians! Learn why they developed a cold blooded lifestyle and how that impacts their biology. Feel scales, shells and study the breathing abilities of amphibian skin. End with a hike in the preserve to catch and identify tadpoles, toads, frogs, lizards, and other species!

Girl Scouts 5 Daisies 3 CHEERS FOR ANIMALS! Celebrate the amazing animals that call the nature center home. Meet furry mammals, smooth snakes, and curious birds up close!

Brownies BUGS - NATURALIST Meet the cool crawling creatures we call bugs! As you meet various arthropods you will learn how scientists identify and classify them.

OUTDOOR ART CREATOR Use the sights and sounds of the Zilker Preserve to identify the artistic side of nature.

While in the preserve, scouts can build ephemeral art and/or elf houses using the supplies around them. Finally, end by making seedballs that will create living pollinator art in the spring and fall!

5 Girl Scouts 5 Daisies 3 CHEERS FOR ANIMALS! Celebrate the amazing animals that call the nature center home. Meet furry mammals, smooth snakes, and curious birds up close! Discuss the differences between pets, wild animals, and rehabilitated animals. Explore the preserve and look for signs of the wild animals that live there. Brownies BUGS - NATURALIST Meet the cool crawling creatures we call bugs! As you meet various arthropods you will learn how scientists identify and classify them. We ll scratch the surface of the amazingly diverse world of insects, arachnids, crustaceans and more. End the day collecting arthropods in the field or in Barton Creek. OUTDOOR ART CREATOR Use the sights and sounds of the Zilker Preserve to identify the artistic side of nature. Campers can bring their own digital cameras, or use ours, to explore focus, framing, lighting and more! While in the preserve, scouts can build ephemeral art and/or elf houses using the supplies around them. Finally, end by making seedballs that will create living pollinator art in the spring and fall! WOW! WONDERS OF WATER What does water mean to you? Where does our water come from? How can we protect our water? These are all questions we will explore at the Splash! Exhibit in Barton Springs. Scouts will create an artistic bubble map illustrating their connections with water. Afterwards, scouts will head to Barton Creek to collect aquatic invertebrates - an important group of organisms that tell scientists about water quality. Meets at the Beverly S. Sheffield Education Center - 01 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, TX

Juniors 6 ANIMAL HABITATS Scouts will meet ANSC animals and use them to build a food web identifying the ecological roles of species in Texas ecosystems.

We ll end the program with a hike in the Zilker Preserve using our senses and series of tools to identify wildlife that lives in the middle of the city!

Dissect a flower under microscopes to identify flower anatomy and learn how they invite pollinators in!

With your botanical knowledge, tour the ANSC and preserve to identify seasonal wildflowers. GEOCACHER Join us for a real-life treasure hunt!

6 Juniors 6 ANIMAL HABITATS Scouts will meet ANSC animals and use them to build a food web identifying the ecological roles of species in Texas ecosystems. After meeting and interacting with species up-close, tour the ANSC animal enclosures and learn about how we care for imprinted and injured wildlife. We ll end the program with a hike in the Zilker Preserve using our senses and series of tools to identify wildlife that lives in the middle of the city! FLOWERS - NATURALIST Uncover the science and artistry in the flowers that brighten Central Texas. Dissect a flower under microscopes to identify flower anatomy and learn how they invite pollinators in! Test your knowledge with an activity matching the foods we eat with their flowers and the pollinators that make it all possible. With your botanical knowledge, tour the ANSC and preserve to identify seasonal wildflowers. GEOCACHER Join us for a real-life treasure hunt! Learn how to use GPS units to uncover a series of hidden treasures sprinkled throughout the Zilker Preserve. Explore the natural beauty of the preserve s cliffs, forests, meadows and ponds. SKY SEARCH Don t have a rocketship to travel to space? No problem! Join us as we travel the lengths of the solar system in our new Digitalis planetarium! We ll observe the seasonal stars and constellations visible from Austin. Watch as the moon orbits Earth and changes phases. Then we ll leave Earth and travel through our solar system, observing the planets and their unique features.

Austin Nature & Science Center 301 Nature Center Drive Austin, TX 78746 Scouts Scheduling Form Please, complete the form then press submit.

Scout Group Information Todays Date: Type of Scout Group Leader Address (w/ Zip) Leader s Name Phone Age / Grade of Scouts Leader Email Alternate phone Badge/Journey Total # of

5 hours): Mammal or Bird Studies Geology Astronomy 1st Choice of date Aquatic Science* Outdoor Skills Naturalist and Wildlife Insects Studies Reptiles or Amphibians Ecosystems

00/participant 3 3:30pm 11:30am Minimum fee for 9 or fewer scouts 1:00pm Austin Resident: $108.00; Non-resident: $16.

I will consider bringing an interpreter with us if we need translation from English. My program is not confirmed until I receive a confirmation letter and have replied to ANSC.

7 Austin Nature & Science Center 301 Nature Center Drive Austin, TX Scouts Scheduling Form Please, complete the form then press submit. You may also fax to (51) or to All Scout programs are 1.5 hours unless a custom program is requested. Scout Group Information Todays Date: Type of Scout Group Leader Address (w/ Zip) Leader s Name Phone Age / Grade of Scouts Leader Alternate phone Badge/Journey Total # of scouts attending program OR Choose one of our other topics (all scout programs are 1.5 hours): Mammal or Bird Studies Geology Astronomy 1st Choice of date Aquatic Science* Outdoor Skills Naturalist and Wildlife Insects Studies Reptiles or Amphibians Ecosystems *Meets at 01 Barton Springs Rd. nd Choice of date Please Check Time(s) After School Saturdays :30pm 10:00am Program Fees Austin Resident: $1.00/participant Non-resident: $14.00/participant 3 3:30pm 11:30am Minimum fee for 9 or fewer scouts 1:00pm Austin Resident: $108.00; Non-resident: $16.00 Important Information - Initial by Each Statement ANSC requires a week notice for cancellation. No fee is assessed if cancellation is due to city closures. I will consider bringing an interpreter with us if we need translation from English. My program is not confirmed until I receive a confirmation letter and have replied to ANSC. Participant is anyone that attends the program. The leader is exempt from the program fees. The Google Maps address is 389 Stratford Drive, Austin Please call the Austin Nature & Science Center for more information. (51) or anscprograms@austintexas.gov The City of Austin is proud to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require assistance for participation in our programs or use of our facilities, please call

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