Miles:
4
Fontenelle Forest
Bellevue, Nebraska; Sarpy County
Fontenelle Forest, a privately owned non-profit and one of the largest private nature centers in the nation, features 17 miles of trails and over 1,500 acres of forest, prairie and wetlands. A one-mile, accessible boardwalk offers wildlife observation and scenic views of the Missouri River. The Forest contains premier birding sites, rare wildflowers and unlimited opportunities for outdoor adventure. The Forest is a Natural National Landmark and is on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Nature Center has a gallery featuring exhibits about nature and history, a nature-based children’s play area and a gift shop. A Raptor Woodland Refuge features a canopy-level exhibit featuring several non-releasable birds of prey.
Our mission is to provide a place where people can experience and enjoy the quiet wild of nature. We want to inspire current and future generations to care for the natural world through conservation, education and recreation. Nearly 140,000 visitors walk our paths each year, including over 40,000 children, adults and seniors who participate in our formal environmental education programs. Fontenelle Forest is a leader in raptor conservation education.
To learn more about our organization or to schedule an educational program visit our website at FontenelleForest.org
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Habitat Exploration Grades: K-2
Habitat Exploration Lesson Plan Overview
This three-part lesson on Habitats is aligned with Kindergarten and 2nd grade Nebraska State Science Standards and is designed to be taught for grades K-2. This is the lesson overview and list of resources used to create the entire lesson.
Habitat Exploration Part 1: Habitats for Beginners
What are habitats, and why are they important? Find out the answers to these questions and more about the basics of habitats and how they meet the needs of the plants and animals that live in them. We begin this 20-minute lesson with a video lesson created by our education staff providing the basic knowledge students need to understand what habitats are and how they meet the needs of their inhabitants.
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Habitat Exploration Part 2: Forest Habitats
Now that you are familiar with the basics of habitats, let’s put your knowledge into action. We begin this 20-minute lesson with a video tour of our property through the seasons so students can gain background knowledge of our forest habitat and apply that information to their future learning. Then, enjoy a cut and paste activity placing forest-dwelling animals in the spot that best fits their needs.
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Habitat Exploration Part 3: Create Your Own Animal and Habitat
Put your knowledge of habitats to use in a creative way. Wrap up this unit by using your imagination to create your own animal and its ideal habitat.
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Neighborhood Habitat Walk
Where are the habitats in your school’s neighborhood? Take a walk around the block with your teacher and see how many habitats you can identify. This is an outdoor activity to encourage keen observation. It is meant to reinforce the concept that natural habitats are everywhere that plants and animals make their homes.
Duration:
**After-School Friendly
Craft a Habitat
It’s time to get creative with your knowledge of habitats! You and a partner will spend time constructing a model habitat made of various craft materials. Remember to design your creation with an animal in mind and include elements that will help it meet all of its needs.
Duration:
**After-School Friendly
Migration Challenge Game
Many birds need to migrate from one habitat to another for survival as the seasons change. However, no one said a bird’s migratory journey is an easy one. In this game created by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, students imitate migrating birds and navigate the challenges they must face along the way. This game can be played as a whole-group with the teacher reading the cards for enjoyment by younger students.
Duration:
**After-School Friendly
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Adaptations Grades 3rd-5th
Adaptation Lesson Plan Overview
This three-part lesson on Adaptations is aligned with third grade Nebraska State Science Standards and is designed to be taught for grades 3rd-5th. This is the lesson overview and list of resources used to create the entire lesson.
Adaptations Part 1: Adaptations for Beginners
What are adaptations anyway, and why are they important? Find out the answers to these questions and more about the basics of plant and animal adaptations. We begin this 20-minute lesson with a video tour of our property through the seasons so students can gain background knowledge of our forest habitat and apply that information to their future learning about adaptations.
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Adaptations Part 2: Adaptations in Action
Now that you are familiar with the basics of adaptations, let’s put your knowledge into action. In this 20-minute lesson, you’ll explore some specific adaptations helping life thrive here at Fontenelle Forest. Then, get a chance to play a couple of games to see if you’ve got the right stuff when it comes to identifying different animal adaptations and how adaptations significantly impact even humans’ daily lives.
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Adaptations Part 3: Exploring Physical Adaptations
Physical adaptations can be fascinating! In this 20-minute lesson, challenge your observational skills with a video quiz about camouflage. Then, wrap up this unit by using your imagination to create your own animal adaptation.
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Sit Spot Activity
This is an outdoor activity for quiet nature reflection and observation. Sit spots are commonly used in nature education to promote a deeper connection to the natural world around us and reinforce the concept that nature is everywhere. This activity includes a video introduction as well as written directions on how to get the most out of your “sit spot” experience.
Duration:
**After-School Friendly
Predator/Prey Hide and Seek Game
This game is a twist on the classic game Hide and Seek. It can be played either indoors or outside. It reinforces in an active, fun way the concepts surrounding both physical and behavioral adaptations necessary for different animals’ survival.
Duration:
**After-School Friendly
Bird Wing Paper Airplane Activity
Explore how different birds’ wings are adapted for different flight patterns through this activity of constructing paper airplanes modeled after various raptor wing structures. This activity includes facts about three raptors that have different flight patterns and detailed instructions on forming paper airplanes that resemble the wings of each raptor. Build your paper airplanes, then have a contest to see which can fly the farthest!
Duration:
**After-School Friendly
Migration Challenge Game
Migration is a very important behavioral adaptation many birds rely on for survival. However, no one said a bird’s migratory journey is an easy one. In this game created by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, students imitate migrating birds and navigate the challenges they must face along the way.
Duration:
**After-School Friendly
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