Other Education Programs at the Arboretum
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden welcomes families and young learners of all varieties to come and enjoy our beautiful and educational gardens. Our out-of-school options include summer camps, family and group overnights and a variety of scout programs.
Closing the Gap 3rd and 4th Grade Hands-on Science Series
Presented by Reliant
3rd and 4th Graders
November 5, 12 and 19 from 9:30-11:30am
The Education Department at the Dallas Arboretum is in a unique position to provide support in your efforts to close current learning gaps caused by Covid-19. With our proven hands-on approach to learning, our Closing the Gap hands-on science series will place focus on some of the more highly tested TEKS and boost the confidence of your student scientist – all with authentic garden connections!
Info & Registration
Cost Per Program
3-week 3rd Grade Series Nonmembers: $60
Individual Session Nonmembers: $20
Register for the entire 3rd Grade learning series
3-week 4th Grade Series Members: $55
Individual Session Members: $20
Register for the entire 4th Grade learning series
Each event includes full student access to Main and Children’s Adventure Gardens.
Diving into Physical Properties
November 5, 2022 from 9:30-11:30am
Grade 3
How do our actions in North Texas contribute to the issue of marine debris? In this lesson students will explore how trash enters our waterways and ultimately flows to the ocean. They will then investigate an issue closer to home by making observations of a collection of objects that fell into one of the Arboretum’s water features. After determining the physical properties of each object, students will advise Arboretum staff on the best tool to use to retrieve each object.
TEKS:
3.2(B), 3.2(D), 3.2(F), 3.4(A), 3.5(A)
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns; Structure and Function
Rapid Changes
November 12, 2022 from 9:30-11:30am
Grade 3
How do volcanoes, earthquakes and landslides impact Earth’s surface? Students explore images that show the aftermath of volcanoes, landslides and earthquakes. Then they use models to further investigate these geological processes. Students are challenged to describe a strength and weakness of each model.
TEKS
3.1(A), 3.2(B), 3.2(D), 3.2(F), 3.3(A), 3.3(B), 3.4(A), 3.7(B)
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns; Cause and Effect; Scale; Proportion; Quantity
Life Cycles
November 19, 2022 from 9:30-11:30am
Grade 3
Take a closer look at live organisms that live all around you! In this lesson students will make observations of four different arthropods at various stages in their life cycles and identify similarities and differences in how these organisms change over time.
TEKS:
3.1(A), 3.2(F), 3.10(B)
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns
Pickle Powered
November 5, 2022 from 9:30-11:30am
Grade 4
Can a pickle light a lightbulb? First, students differentiate among forms of energy, including mechanical, electrical, light, thermal and sound. Then, they identify these various forms of energy in electrical circuits and experiment with building a pickle battery, creating a circuit which powers a lightbulb.
TEKS:
4.1(A), 4.2(B), 4.2(F), 4.6(A), 4.6(C)
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns; Cause and Effect; Energy and Matter; Stability and Change
Stories from the Soil
November 12, 2022 from 9:30-11:30am
Grade 4
What do properties of soils tell us about the environments they came from? Students will first examine properties of soils from different areas, including color and texture, capacity to retain water and ability to support the growth of plants. Students will then use what they learned to investigate and identify where a mystery soil sample came from.
TEKS:
4.1(A), 4.2(B), 4.2(F), 4.4, 4.7(A)
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns
Ecosystems in Action
November 19, 2022 from 9:30-11:30am
Grade 4
What happens when the top predator leaves an ecosystem? In this lab, students identify the physical characteristics and ecological roles of 5 organisms: red wolves, post oak trees, turkey vultures, white-tailed deer and earthworms. Then, they create a food web to show how energy flows through this ecosystem. Finally, students play a game to explore how the local extinction of the red wolf in the eastern half of Texas impacts the entire food web.
TEKS:
4.2(B), 4.2(D), 4.2(F), 4.3(B), 4.9(B)
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns; Cause and Effect; Systems and System Models; Energy and Matter; Stability and Change
Girl Scouts
Reserve your Girl Scouts’ spots in a Dallas Arboretum Educator-led program, designed to help Scouts accomplish all requirements to earn badges or book a self-guided tour.
Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts can experience a self-guided tour or leaders may choose to complete badges in the garden. Reservations required.
Other Programs
walkSTEM at the Dallas Arboretum
Join us for an exciting new way to experience the Dallas Arboretum through the lens of math and science. Stop by the Main Garden information booth and pick up a self-guided walkSTEM at the Dallas Arboretum guide and begin your adventure.
Programs for Children During Festivals
During Autumn at the Arboretum and Dallas Blooms, parents can bring their children to Mommy and Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays for face painting, music, petting zoos and other seasonal fun. Family Fun Fridays offers the same exciting programming during Summer at the Arboretum. Free with general admission.
Summer Camps
Dallas Arboretum Summer Camps provide children ages four to rising 6th graders with hands-on explorations in STEM and nature that will spark their imagination and inspire environmental stewardship. Find your place in nature!
Homeschool Family Programs
Expand your homeschooling curriculum through hands-on experiences at the Arboretum! Parents are welcome to observe classes or participate with students. After the program, explore the rest of the Main Garden and the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden, included with your reservation.
