First, Second, and Third Grade School Programs

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Gregg Bruff, Chief of Heritage Education, and Dave Kronk, Park Ranger, have retired from the National Park Service. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore continues our commitment to outreach education and creating park stewards for the future through hands-on, minds-on programming. With these vacancies, however, we are in transition with the interpretation and education outreach program. For information, please contact:

Tim Colyer, Chief of Resource and Visitor Protection
906-387-2607, ext. 203
email

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First Grade - Fall	Second Grade - Fall	Third Grade - Fall
First Grade - Winter	Second Grade - Winter	Third Grade - Winter
First Grade - Spring	Second Grade - Spring	Third Grade - Spring
Scheduling Information

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School children on a snowshoe field trip

NPS photo

First Grade - Fall
Life Cycles, Insects and the Changing Length of the Seasons
Michigan Science Alignment:
Organization of Living Things L.01.E.2
Earth Systems L.01.E.21
Heredity L.HE.01.11, L.HE.01.12

In the classroom for thirty minutes: A brief examination of life cycles of different animals including insects and live specimens.

Ninety minute field trip at your school site, Sand Point, or Grand Sable Visitor Center: Exploring to discover wonders of autumn and insects in different life stages. Students will also observe charts of different stages found.

 

First Grade - Winter
Winter and all its Challenges, Fun, and Changes
Michigan Science Alignment:
Earth Systems E.ES.01.21, E.ES.01.22, E.ES.01.31, and E.ES.01.32
Properties of Matter PPM.03.51

In the classroom for one hour: Through hands-on demonstrations, students will understand why we have a winter season. They will observe what causes snow and water to change shape. Children will make predictions of changes in snow with an investigation they set up in the schoolyard.

One hour field trip at your school site or Pictured Rocks: Children will learn about Inuit and Ojibway children’s experiences in winter and how the lives of the Inuits are changing today with the climate. then They will participate in building Inuit igloo blocks and racing Ojibway snowsnakes. The program will conclude with a scavenger hunt for animals or animals signs, what animals are doing in the winter, and how this is changing.

Lesson plan for classroom activity (pdf)
Lesson plan for outdoor activity (pdf)

 

First Grade - Spring
Butterfly Life Cycles and Climate Specific Plants
Michigan Science Alignment:
Organization of Living Things: L.0L.01.21, L.0L.01.13 (describe life cycles and needs of animals)

Thinking Skills: Observe, compare and contrast, deduction
Climate Change: Information about some butterflies species that may increase with different plants, and about the timing of insect life cycles with returning birds.

In the classroom for 30 minutes: Students will examine different life cycles or stages and learn about similarities and differences. They will learn about butterfly specific food preferences.

One-hour field trip at your school site, Sand Point or Grand Sable Visitor Center: Children will go on a scavenger hunt for life cycles and host plants.

 

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Second Grade - Fall
Just Say No to Alien Plant Invaders
Michigan Science Alignment
Organization of Living Things L.01.02.14, L.01.E.2, L.01.02.22
Heredity L.HE.02.13

In the classroom for thirty minutes: A brief presentation and discovery activities about wildlife and the native plants they depend on, and how climate change may bring alien species.

Ninety minute field trip at your school site, Sand Point, or Grand Sable Visitor Center: An exploration to identify some native and non-native plants. Students will play a running game to learn about non-native species and ways to control them.

 

Second Grade - Winter
Exploring Snow and Changing Winter Ecosystem
Michigan Science Alignment:
Fluid Earth E.F.E.02.11-14, E.F.E.02.22

In the classroom one hour: Children will examine charts of different kinds of snowflakes and predict how each was formed. They will use thermometers to take the temperature of different snow and ice and water samples. Predictions will be made about snow purity. A snow sampling device will be set out at the school.

One-hour snowshoe field trip at your school site or Pictured Rocks: Snow from the school site sampler will be brought in and tested for purity. Children will venture outside to observe snow conditions and signs of the winter ecosystem. They will learn where snowfall occurs today in the United States and how that may change in the future. They will also learn some Native American terms for snow.

Lesson plan for classroom activity (pdf)
Lesson plan for outdoor activity (pdf)

 

Second Grade - Spring
Ecosystems and Change
Michigan Science Alignment:
Ecosystems: L.EC.E.1 (Interactions in ecosystems)

In the classroom one hour: Students will review ecosystem components and compare and contrast ecosystems in the classroom using posters. Next they will play a game to help them understand how ecosystems function.

One to two hour field trip at your school site or Pictured Rocks: Children will examine several different ecosystems. They will test and compare soil and moisture. They will identify dominant plant and animal species in different ecosystems. Activities will also reveal how ecosystems change over time.

 

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Third Grade - Fall
Earth Materials and Fossil Fuels
Michigan Science Alignment
Earth Systems E.ES.03.41, E.ES.03.42, E.ES.03.43
Solid Earth E.SE.03.13, E.SE.03.14, E.SE.03.14, E.SE.03.22

In the classroom for thirty minutes: A hands-on classroom investigation of different types of earth materials and fossil fuels.

Two-hour field trip at your school site, Sand Point, or Grand Sable Visitor Center: A hands-on exploration for different earth materials, erosion, and other changes in the earth.

 

Third Grade - Fall
Au Sable Light Station Field Trip
Social Studies Alignments: SH3.0.8, 3G4.0.2, 3G5.0.2, 3E1.0.3

Pre-Trip Preparation Materials: A Lighthouse Learning Trunk is available.

Field Trip to Au Sable Light Station: Depending on the distance from your school, this could be an all day field trip. We will hike in from the Hurricane River Campground (a three mile round trip). At the light station, we will divide into several learning groups for different activities including a walk up into the tower and on the outside walkway.

 

Third Grade - Winter
What Happened to "Old Munising"
Michigan Science Alignment:
E.ES.03.41 - What are Natural Resources?
E.ES.03.42 - What are renewable and nonrenewable resources?
E.ES.03.43 - Recycle, reuse, and reduce, renewal and natural resources.
E.ES.03.44 - Recycling of certain materials like paper, metal, glass, plastics.

In the classroom one hour: Students will review vocabulary words sent to them about natural resources and sustainability. They will look at photos of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore resources and brainstorm how to enjoy these resources without harming them.

Two hour field trip to Munising Falls area: to Students will examine displays in interpretive center and the area around Munising Falls to learn what happened to the old town that used to be there. They will explore the old Becker Farm area by snowshoe. Finally they will conduct a natural resources scavenger hunt before enjoying hot cocoa and heading back to school.

 

Third Grade - Spring
Exploring Earth Materials, Plants, and Animal Migration
Michigan Science Alignment:
Earth Materials: E.SE.13 (Recognize and Describe), E.SE.03.22 (Identify and describe earth surface changes)
Exploring Plants and Animals: L.EV.03.11 (Relate plant parts to survival), L.0L.03.32 (Identify and compare animal structures), L.EV.03.12 (Relate animal parts to survival)
Evolution: L.EV.E.1 (Environmental adaptation)
Inquiry: S.IP.03.14 (Use of tools for data collection)

Thinking Skills: Interpret, classify, identify and explain.
Climate Change: Students will examine how some species can or cannot adapt to climate change.

In the classroom one hour: Through indoor activities, students will learn about the mysteries of migration and some hazards our bird and butterfly friends might face.

Two to three hour field trip at your school site or the Miners area at the national lakeshore: Students will learn how to use binoculars to look for migrating flocks of birds to study their behavior. Insects, other animals, and plants will be examined for their adaptations that enable them to survive in their environment.

 

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