Creature Feature: Class Act

Today was our first Creature Feature class of the year and the kids got to learn about classification. Amanda explained how scientists classify animals and what the different parts of an animal's classification tell you about it. Then the kids got to classify random things in a bowl that was sitting at their table and break them up into groups of similar things using their own system of classification.

 Amanda explaining how animals are classified

 Amanda giving an example of classifying things
using Halloween Goodies as an example

 Arowyn

 Teagan

Our classification of the items in the bowl

Creature Feature: Turkey Tales

We made it to creature feature today and got to learn about the history of wild turkeys in Missouri. The kids especially enjoyed making their own turkey calls although they were having problems with the finer points of actually making it work.

Amanda telling the kids about the serve depletion 

of wild turkeys by 1925 due to over hunting

The Missouri turkey history timeline 

 Arowyn getting to pet the turkey fether

 Amanda explaining the difference between 

male and female turkey scat

 Teagan gets to try to draw a turkey track

 Arowyn touches the turkey foot

 Amanda demonstrates a wooden box turkey call

 Arowyn making her own turkey call

 Arowyn & Teagan demonstrating 

how they use their turkey calls

Creature Feature: Beneath Our Feet

Today’s Creature Feature class over at the Missouri Conservation Department was all about what things live in the caves here in Missouri. The kids got to go into their own cave right there in the classroom and learn what kind of things you might find in a cave. Then after their trip inside the cave they learned the differences between Troglobites, Troglophiles &Trogloxenes.

The class gets ready to enter the cave 

 Classifying the cave creatures

 Teagan is excited to take a guess at classifying 

one of the cave creatures.

 Teagan and his friend taking notes about their lesson.

 Or at least that's what I thought they were doing 

but the evidence states otherwise

Arowyn feeling the bear skull