Grant Funded Programming
Creature Feature for Retirement Communities
River Bend will bring 5-7 live animals to your location and tell you all about them! From reptiles to arachnids, we will discuss the animal’s behavior, habitat, anatomy, and importance in the world around us.
- 1-hour program and includes question and answer session
- We travel to your location, or you can visit RBNC
- Currently grant-funded by the George and Fay Young Foundation
- Available to any organization within a 25-mile radius of Wichita Falls
Submit your Creature Feature Reservation Request by filling out the form below.
Eco-Kit Adventures for Educational Facilities- (schools/daycares/community outreach events, etc)
An Eco-Kit Adventure is a traveling environmental education program that RBNC brings directly to your classroom. It includes hands-on activities and one-on-one learning with an experienced field guide.
Themes include renewable energy, native plants and animals in our ecoregion, the plant/soil connection, conservation, climate and sustainability, gardening, and insects. All of these are presented with stewardship of the environment as the guiding principle.
Renewable Energy – Students distinguish between renewable and non-renewable energy sources. They consider the development of fossil fuels and their impact on the environment. Each student builds a model that incorporates renewable energy.
Native Animals of our Ecoregion – We will discuss the unique characteristics of our ecoregion – the Rolling Plains. Students will identify animals and plants in our eco-region and their various adaptations to living in this area. They will design an animal suited to this ecoregion. Food chains will be explored by dissecting owl pellets. Some animals from River Bend will be presented.
Plant/Soil Connection– We will consider the integral relationship between plant roots and the soil. Students will use digital scopes to examine both soil and roots. They will learn about nitrogen-fixing bacteria. They will view the composition of different soils and particle sizes. Students will do percolation experiments. They will also plant host and nectar plants.
Conservation, Climate, and Sustainability– Students will explore the reasons for a changing climate. They will consider natural resources, such as water, plants, and trees on a global level to decide whether our current use of resources is sustainable. Students will consider adaptations needed in order to be sustainable. An engineering challenge will be presented in which students will design and test structures that minimize the effects of excessive heat.
Gardening 101 – We will emphasize the importance of gardening as a source of food for both people and animals. To successfully garden, students will learn the importance of fertile soil, and what natural components go into a rich soil. The importance of compost is emphasized. The biology of composting will be presented. Students will plant their own gardens.
All About Insects – Students will discover the characteristics of an insect. They will learn about the extreme importance of insects for our survival. Students learn that insects make up 80% of the animal population. We will also discuss their fascinating life cycles and the difference between complete and incomplete metamorphosis. Students will create a unique insect life cycle and construct their own butterfly feeder.
- 1-hour program
- All ages, different programs for each grade
- We travel to your location, or you can visit RBNC
- Currently grant-funded by the George and Fay Young Foundation
- Available to any organization within a 25-mile radius of Wichita Falls
Submit your Eco-Kit Reservation Request by filling out the form below.
Confirmations of the date, time, and participant numbers are sent prior to the program date. Please call the office, 767-0843 if you have any questions!
Want to know about other programs we offer? Give us a call 940-767-0843.