 The SNAKES-N-SCALES AND TURTLE TALES residency series are an in depth trip to another world. A world full of creatures that warm their scaly bodies in the sunlight, who usually grow up without parents to help them and who look at us as the monsters of their world. Visit with pythons who hunt birds and alligators who hunt dogs. See a skink that mimics a snake and a turtle that mimics a crocodile. See them as they slither, walk, smell, hide and eat. Look into the eyes of over 30 creatures as they look back at you! OUR PURPOSE To challenge children in every session to look at the world through the animals’ eyes, comparing and contrasting their life with the animals’ in an effort to engender understanding, compassion, curiosity and knowledge. OVERVIEW The Animal Cool Bus, (there is no actual “bus”) can be offered to any grade, or all grades, but only to 30 children, in a bracket of 3 grades, at any time. Topics include sessions on each of several major groups of animals, I.E. snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians, amphibians, invertebrates, and sea creatures. Additional animals can also be used to cover additional topics such as, feeding and moving behavior, hunting and hiding, body and behavior adaptations, relationships to humans or habitats, such as the tropical rainforest, the coral reef, the swamp, the desert or NJ.
ANIMALS The animals portion will consist of a presentation/discussion, and supervised touching (if possible,) of animals presented. We offer an unequalled variety of animals with over 50 individuals and species, from alligators to clown fish, from tarantulas to toads. This gives us a unique ability to offer an in depth look into the lives, habits, habitats, adaptations and personalities of these animals. Also discussed will be the care and origin of each individual animal. Most are orphaned pets, give aways, or state confiscations. Our goal is to de-mystify these animals in the children’s eyes in the hope of preventing future unwanted and mishandled pets. ENRICHMENT Enrichment activities will tie into the animal group being discussed and observed, and be age appropriate. Available space will also partially determine which activities can be done. (Being in the gym or outside in the Spring, may be desirable.) These activities could include animal imitation and behavior games, reasoning and scientific method work, cross curricular activities such as observational journal writing and drawing, artistic representations, imaginative explorations, music and actual field experience. PRICES The length of each component is 45 or 90 minutes, with 90 minutes comprising an entire session. The total number of sessions can be as few as 4/90 minute sessions occurring once a week or up to 16, 45 minute components occurring twice a week. Each 45 minute component is $220, with a minimum of 8. If this is beyond your school’s means, please call us, we can always work something out.  |