Education

Programs: Museum Express

Museum Express is a series of outreach education programs for grades K–8 from the Texas Natural Science Center. In each program, a Texas Natural Science Center scientist visits a class and offers students the chance to see and touch scientific specimens. Discover mammals and fossils, hear the tales fish tell, or visit with a snake in your classroom! Each program is correlated with the Science TEKS.

Scheduling

Fall 2009 programs are available from September 8–December 11 to any school or youth groups within a 35 mile radius of the Museum. Youth groups and other organizations are encouraged to contact us for scheduling. Choose from five available programs; please note the days and times each is offered.  Each program lasts 30 min. for K–2nd grade, or 45 min. for grades 3–8. Fish Tales lasts 45–60 minutes for K–4th grade. Please call 512-232-5509 or request a date and time online to schedule a program.

Fees

Programs are limited to a maximum of 50 students in one room per program.

Small groups (1–25)	$30.00
Large groups (26–50)	$50.00
Mileage ($.55/mile)	Varies; max. $40.00

Scholarships

Museum Express scholarships—provided by Tokyo Electron America,   Temple-Inland, ConocoPhillips, and interested sponsors—are available for qualifying schools. Scholarships allow programs to be scheduled free of charge, and are offered on a first-come first-served basis.  Ask us about a free program for your class! 

 

Programs

Bones, Teeth, Horns, and Antlers
Grades K–8
Tues. or Wed. mornings
Science learning objectives and TEKS correlations, (PDF*, 76K)

Mammals come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Why is the skull so important? What is the function of horns and antlers? Meet a museum scientist and explore the answers to these questions, and more. Compare the differences between carnivores and herbivores, and learn about several Texas mammals. Students will see and handle real mammal skulls and their parts. 


Central Texas Snakes
Grades 3–8
Tues. and Thurs. mornings

Bring live snakes to your classroom, and learn about snakes that you could find in your backyard! Meet a museum scientist and some Austin area snakes. Learn how to identify some of the common snakes of the area. Find out what these snakes eat, where they live, and what you should do when you find them. Students can touch a live non-venomous snake and see snake skeletons and shed skins from different snake species.


Fabulous Fossils
Grades 3–8
Tues. or Wed. mornings

What can fossils teach us about life on Earth in the past? In this program meet a museum scientist and some fabulous fossils. Students will be introduced to the major types of fossils, processes of fossilization, and geological time. Discover fossil finds from across Texas and from different time periods and environments.  Students will see and handle real fossils, including bones, teeth, and shells.


Fish Tales
Grades K–4, 30 student maximum
Thurs. mornings 9 am–12 pm
Science learning objectives and TEKS correlations, (PDF*, 75K)

How do fish breathe, see, smell, communicate, and hear? In this program let a museum scientist share some fishy tales with your class.  Students will be introduced to different types of Texas fish, and fish adaptations. Discover how gills work, and the functions of different fins. Students will see and touch fish scales, skeletons, and museum specimens.


What's in My Backpack?
Grades K–4
Tues. and Thurs. mornings

We’re going on a scientific expedition!  Imagine you have the chance to spend the day exploring a wild place never before seen by humans. What sorts of items would you take with you to record what you find?  Trade ideas with a museum scientist about what are important items to take and what are things you could live without. Students take a peek inside a scientist’s backpack to discover what a museum scientist might take on an expedition.

 

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