Winter Field Trips in the Nina Mason Pulliam Nature Center

While the weather might not be ideal for an outdoor excursion with your student group during the winter, we still have plenty of field trip options for you in the newly renovated Nina Mason Pulliam Nature Center! We offer two and three-hour programs (maximum 30 students) that incorporate a science lab activity and the use of our interactive Inquiry Stations. Choose from one of the programs below:

• Pollination Station: Students will learn about the basic concepts of pollination, what types of pollinators are found in Indiana and across the world, and will get a chance to look more closely at different types of pollen in our lab using microscopes and other updated technology in the Nature Center.
• Echo-Echo-Echolocation: Students will discover what echolocation is and how scientists are using it to learn about bat behavior, will learn about a special EcoLab inhabitant that uses echolocation (BATS!), and will explore how they can help scientists who study bats in the field by participating in a Citizen Science project.
• Wetlands and Watersheds: Students will learn about the importance of wetlands, what types of wetlands can be found in Indiana and around the world, and will explore the many types of plants and animals that can be found in Indiana wetlands. They will also participate in an activity exploring the functions of a wetland, and how those functions relate to our watersheds.
• Bird is the Word: What makes a bird a bird? Students will explore the many adaptations of birds, and will investigate different types of feathers and the functions they perform. Students will also participate in an engaging lab that uncovers all of the amazing ways that birds communicate.

We are scheduling winter field trips now through March, so don’t delay—schedule your group today! All the winter field trips are ideal for grades 1-6, but if you have a group outside of that range give us a call and we will work to accommodate your needs. To schedule a field trip, or for questions, contact Janice Hicks-Slaughter, jhslaughter@marian.edu, or call 317-524-7701. Visit our website for more information on field trips and other programs we offer.