3rd Grade Full Day Program

Full Day Program

PROGRAM OVERVIEW & EXPERIENCE GOAL

This third-grade program called Operation Adaptation is an introduction to desert plant adaptations. Students will learn about the unique traits that have allowed desert plants to survive our dry Sonoran Desert. Operation Adaptation takes students on a short hike with six different adaptation stations that will focus on a singular adaptation at a time using symbols to give a better understanding of these unique plant abilities!

Schedule

MORNING

10:00am Group arrival, bathroom break

10:30am Orientation at the group ramada

11:00am Morning Adaptation Activity led by Cooper staff

AFTERNOON

12:00pm Lunch

12:35pm-1:15pm: Adaptation Scavenger Hunt

1:20pm-2:00pm: Prickly Pear Postcard Paint

2pm: Snack break

2:15pm Activity Centers Start (Aquifers, FrankenPlant, Name of the Game, Desert Poetry, Compost Cats)

Rotations:

2:20-2:40pm: Rotation 1

2:43-3:03pm: Rotation 2

3:06-3:26pm: Rotation 3

3:30pm- 3:50pm: Rotation 4

3:53pm- 4:13pm: Rotation 5

4:15pm: Bathroom break and quick wrap up

Any pictures or t-shirt sales

4:30pm Bye!

Program Highlights

OPERATION ADAPTATION

If there are two classes, the group will be split in two but will experience the same Operation Adaptation hike. One group will start the loop at the wash, and the other will start up-desert. This activity will take about 60 mins and is about ½ a mile long, with 6 short activities happening along the way. It is important that teachers are present on the hike to assist with class management. Participation from the chaperones and teachers are expected throughout the entirety of the program.

ACTIVITY CENTERS

There will be 5 afternoon activity centers led by Cooper staff and interns. Activity Centers have been previously selected by staff for this trip with the intent that students will continue learning about adaptations. Chaperones should join students and engage in afternoon activities, while teachers may be asked to assist in center management and can also use this time to prep and pass out snacks to students.

Human vs plant water usage - Students have mini aquifers, pumps, and a root diagram to discuss and participate in the different uses of water in the desert.

Prickly pear paint party - Students discuss the prickly pear cactus and do a creative paint project using the fruit dye.

Desert poetry - Students write poems as different desert plants that will be emailed to the teacher after.

Name of the Game - Students go over the adaptation vocab through a variety of games like charades and pin the roots on plants.

Franken-plant - Students put together their own desert adapted cactus as a small team and explain the adaptations.

3rd Grade Full Day Program

Full Day Program

6 hours

60 minutes 1/2 mile

2 classes 60 students total

Schedule

Program Highlights

Resources

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