For schools in the Los Lunas/Belen area, we teach our Ecology Field Program at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Belen (http://www.whitfieldwildlife.org/). It covers all the main concepts as the EFP and utilizes a number of hands-on activities. Volunteers from Whitfield arrange a date prior to the field experience to do an activity introducing students to an array of features found in their local ecosystem. Then students take a trip to the site for a ~3.5 hour program (including lunch).
Students are led on a flat hike through the bosque ecosystem, learning about and closely observing cottonwood trees, wetlands, sandhill cranes and other birds, native/non-native plant species, consumer evidence, and ecosystem restoration projects.
Using the outdoors, this program teaches students about the inter-connectedness of the biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem with a hands-on scientific approach.
Students are introduced to the local ecosystem, and producers, consumers, and decomposers that reside here, through a day of field exploration, observation, and hands-on learning in the outdoors. All lessons and activities are aligned with the New Mexico State Science Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards for 5th graders.
Contact Whitfield directly to schedule this program at the email address listed above or by calling (505) 864-8914.
The mission of the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center is to work within New Mexico communities to develop an ecologically literate citizenry. The Center is a joint partnership between Albuquerque Public Schools and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.
60 Columbine Lane