Ogden Nature Center

Welcome and Introduction

Behavioral Guidelines for visit:

• We are in the animals' neighborhood
• Stay on trails with your group unless taken off trails with class activity
• Leave flowers and plants for animals (don't pick anything)
• Pick up trail treasures to enjoy on-site, but no collecting-leave everything

Field Ecology 

• Study of what lives in a field and how all living and non-living elements interact
• Learn about the plants and animals that live in Ogden Nature Center fields
• History of Ogden Nature Center fields from sagebrush desert, to farmland, to Defense    Depot, to nature center
• Seed dispersal-how seeds move 

Rotations

1. Classroom explore-skull game, seed touch table, Bert the gopher snake, Rosie the tarantula, Laser the desert tortoise, microscopes. Weed game and walk-students learn about some of the weeds in Utah and take a walk to identify them
2. Mammals in the Field: Camouflage game-Students (prey) learn by experience how to hide from a predator (teacher/naturalist) using such techniques as blending in by color, staying still, quiet, low, and far away. Mouse hole-Students go through a mouse tunnel to discover another strategy for avoiding predators.
3. Field collection: Insect vs. spider. Catch and release insects-students use nets in a field to catch insects and spiders

Topics are covered by varying degrees depending upon the maturity of students and time constraints.