April
2010
Guided Hikes
Saturday, April 3, 2010 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Saturday, April 10, 2010 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Saturday, April 17, 2010 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Take a walk through time each Saturday morning on a guided hike along the Education Center Trail. Join us for this 0.7-mile walk as we look at how the land has changed over time and discuss the ecological footprints left by those changes. Sturdy closed-toe shoes are a must, and water and a hat are recommended. Pre-registration is required by 12:00 noon on the Friday before the hike. Free. All ages welcome - children younger than 6 may find this hike challenging.
Teacher Training Workshop
Saturday, April 3, 2010 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Brooker Creek Preserve is the perfect place to connect classroom concepts to the natural world. This workshop provides teachers with the training and materials necessary to design and lead learning experiences tailored to their classroom curriculum goals. Workshops are intended for teachers willing to lead their own field trips and are required of those teachers interested in using the Center’s equipment and facilities other than public trails and the exhibit hall. Pre-registration is required. Call and ask for the educator in charge of this workshop for more information or to register. Free. Great for teachers of all grade levels.
Book Time at Brooker Creek – Jack’s Garden
Thursday, April 8, 2010 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
This program is designed to connect pre-school children to the wonders of the natural world. This week features Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole. Come watch Jack’s garden grow and bloom. This beautifully illustrated tale follows the garden from seed to bloom, teaching us about soil, weather, insects and more. The program also includes a craft, game or other hands-on activity related to the story. Pre-registration is required. Spaces are limited so register early! Free. Recommended ages: 3 – 5.
Beginning Bird Hike
Saturday, April 10, 2010 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Join us for an early morning stroll to look for birds on the Education Center trails. This walk will cover basic skills in bird identification, where to find birds, and how to use binoculars. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair of ours. Pre-registration is required. Free. Recommended for adults and children age 12 and older.
Open Classroom - Discovering Nature with Your Child
Saturday, April 10, 2010 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Who lives in that skin? What is the difference between a carnivore and an herbivore? Whose tracks are those? Stop by our classroom anytime between 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm to participate in a variety of self-guided nature games and activities that will answer these questions and many more. Pre-registration is not required for this open activity. Free. All ages welcome.
The Wild Side of Your Neighborhood – Nest Box Workshop
Saturday, April 10, 2010 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
You don’t have to visit a wilderness area to observe wildlife. One good way to attract wildlife to your own backyard is to provide shelter for raising young. Join us to learn how to make your landscape more environmentally friendly with nest boxes and other forms of shelter. Participants have an opportunity to build a nest box to take home. Pre-registration is required and the fee for this program is $10.00. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Changing Seasons Guided Hike
Friday, April 16, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Seasonal changes in Florida can be subtle, even to long time residents. Join us for a guided walk as we look for evidence of the changing seasons along the trail. Sturdy closed-toe shoes are a must, and water and a hat are recommended. Pre-registration is required. Free. All ages welcome - children younger than 6 may find this hike challenging.
Birds of Prey
Saturday, April 17, 2010 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Gabe Vargo, Ph.D., University of South Florida and Boyd Hill Nature Park
They soar, they swoop, and they rule the skies. Join Dr. Vargo, retired-emeritus professor and avian education volunteer at Boyd Hill Nature Park, with his live cast of local owls and a hawk for a look at the life history of these majestic birds. In this program, Dr. Vargo discusses the characteristics that make raptors successful predators, their ecology and natural history, their importance and role in the ecosystem, and the problems they encounter in our human-modified environments. Pre-registration is required. Free. All ages welcome.
Book Time at Brooker Creek – The Very Clumsy Click Beetle
Thursday, April 22, 2010 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
This program is designed to connect pre-school children to the wonders of the natural world. This week features The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carle. This delightful tale focuses on a young click beetle as it learns to do what older beetles can already do so well. Children are introduced to species commonly found in Florida forests while learning that practice pays off, even for beetles. Pre-registration is required. Spaces are limited so register early! Free. Recommended ages: 3 – 5.
Spring Has Sprung Extended Hike
Saturday, April 24, 2010 9:00 am – 11:30 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Spring’s warmer temperatures and lengthening days bring about many changes in the natural landscape. Join us for a brisk walk along one of the longer trails to experience spring in the Preserve. This walk, depending on trail conditions, may be 2.8 to 4-miles long. Pre-registration is required by 12:00 noon on the Friday before the hike. Free. All ages welcome - children younger than 12 may find this hike challenging.
Going Green “The Musical”
Saturday, April 24, 2010 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Play’N Around Traveling Children’s Theatre Company, New Port Richey, FL
Penelope Jane is back and this time she’s learning the importance of “Going Green.” Join her and all of her friends as they find out what happens when we all get together to make a difference in our world today. This fun, interactive musical performance introduces children to the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling. Pre-registration is requested. Free. All ages welcome. |
