| April At-A-Glance from Connect2Texas Amon Carter Museum of American Art Passport to Planet Earth (Grades K-5)
See the art; save the Earth! Pick up your passport and connect to the American experience through the Amon Carter Museum’s collection of great American art. During this interactive presentation, you will “tour” the country—from the mountains of upstate New York to the Southwestern desert—and travel back in time to witness the first visions of the conservation movement as seen in an extraordinary nineteenth-century painting. Best of all, you will do all of this without increasing your carbon footprint!
Dates: April 4
Cost: $130 *NEW* So You Think You Saw What Happened! (Grades 4-10)
Enliven your art or language arts instruction and motivate your students to closely examine details in fine art by making a connection to forensic science. During this interactive videoconference students will take a gallery tour; view, discuss, and note details in American Masterpieces; and sketch from their written notes. The program culminates with a writing and sketching activity based on a mock crime scene.
Dates: April 6, 8 or 13
Cost: $75 or two sites can share cost at $50 each Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum Gone to Texas! Part of the Nation's Immigration Story (Grades 4-12)
Why did people move to Texas from other countries? Were they always welcomed when they arrived? Dr. source, primary investigator, will discuss the four primary waves of immigration to the United States through Texas, the history behind the movement of people to Texas then and now, interesting stories from immigrants, and look at artifacts that people brought with them on the journey. Pre and post lessons are included.
Dates: April 5, 12, 19 or 26
Cost: $100 Wild Texas Weather! (Grades 4-7)
April showers bring May flowers, but in Texas those rain clouds can get wild! Join Dr. Source and The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum on a tumultuous journey through some of the planet’s most unpredictable weather conditions, including hurricanes, thunderstorms, droughts, and flash floods.
Dates: April 6, 13, 20 or 27
Cost: $100 Exploring the French Shipwreck La Belle (Grades 4-7)
La Salle's last expedition included the small frigate La Belle. She sank in 1684 and was recovered from Matagorda Bay, Texas in 1996. Through the skillful observations of Dr. Source, Primary Investigator, students will explore recovered artifacts, discovered skeletal remains, and learn about 17th Century French exploration in Texas.
Dates: April 7, 14 or 28
Cost: $100 First Encounters! When the Conquistadors Met the Karankawa (Grades 4-7)
How did early Native Americans encounter their environment, other Native Americans, and the Spanish conquistadors in the vast landscape that would become Texas? Dr. Source, Primary Investigator, will lead students as they search for evidence from artifacts and explore stories that reveal the many meanings of "Encounters on the Land".
Dates: April 8, 15 or 29
Cost: $100 Measuring Up La Belle (Grades 3-7)
Explore how archeologists use basic mathematical skills to solve every-day problems. Help Dr. Source and the marine archaeologists helping to preserve the Belle shipwreck work through mathematical puzzles based on real-world problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and fractions. Students will use standard units and measurement tools to solve application problems.
Dates: April 11, 18 or 25
Cost: $100 Cook Children's Medical Center A Visit to the Emergency Room (Grades K-5)
Follow 3 children as they come to the Emergency room for different reasons. See what happens as they arrive by car, by ambulance, and even by helicopter. Students will see the children experience procedures such as, x-rays, and receiving stitches. Students will get to ask a lot of questions to help them better understand what might happen if they ever need to visit the emergency room.
Dates: April 6 or 20
Cost: $50 Luke Visits the Operating Room (K-4)
When you’re a child, having surgery can be scary. This program helps students understand what happens when they or someone they know has surgery. Students follow Luke throughout the process: checking in at the hospital with his parents, preparing for surgery, looking at the equipment in the operating room and resting in the recovery room. The program does not show an actual operation, but students have the opportunity to see everything as if they are really there. We will send classroom materials to your group ahead of time, and the presenter will provide ample time for interactive questions.
Dates: April 15 or 28
Cost: $50 Health Literacy: Helping Parents Understand (nurses)
Health Literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions and follow instructions for treatment. Limited health literacy has been associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. Limited health literacy in parents can impact the quality and safety of their children’s health care as well. Implementing basic practices to ensure effective communication will increase the likelihood of patient compliance and successful outcomes, and decrease the likelihood of errors and harm. Join Susie Schulwitz, RN, MS, CNS, for a 1.5 hour program designed to give school nurses an understanding of health illiteracy in the U.S. and how to identify parents at risk for health illiteracy. It will also provide methods to improve communication and understanding with the health illiterate parent.
Dates: April 20 (400-5:30 CST)
Cost: FREE Fort Worth Museum of Science and History In the News: Dinosaurs! (Grades 3-8)
You have heard of Tyrannosaurus rex (T-rex), Triceratops, and Stegosaurus, but there are other new amazing dinosaurs being discovered all the time. Join Aaron Pan, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History's Science curator, as he shares some of these new amazing dinosaur discoveries during April's "In the News" segment.
Date: April 1 (9:00-9:45 CST)
Cost: FREE Eggs Everywhere (Grades K-5)
Join Leishawn Spotted Bear for a totally immersive program that will have your students observing, predicting, writing, drawing and interacting, all around eggs. Eggs are one of nature's most perfect designs and are an incredible way to learn about life cycles, adaptations and survival. We'll use simple materials like chicken eggs to bring out your student's observation skills and specimens from our teaching collection to hone their ability to predict. Throughout the session, the purpose of eggs and the different animals that lay eggs will be emphasized. Program includes a kit with materials needed for chicken egg dissection, along with other goodies for your classroom.
Dates: April 1, 7, 15, 20, 21 or 29
Cost: $140 (materials kit included) Icy Science (Grades 3-5)
Looking for a "chilling" experience using one of the world's most unusual substances that will support your student’s process skill development? Then freeze some water, grab some salt and get ready for hands-on explorations that emphasize observation and questioning skills. During this highly interactive program, your students learn more about the skills they use in science every day and how you can strengthen these skills. While ice seems like a simple phenomenon, investigating ice will uncover important properties of matter concepts— changes of states, freezing point, and molecular structures. A kit with all the material needed (except a freezer) will be mailed to you prior to your program.
Dates: April 1, 13 or 14
Cost: $140 (materials kit included) All About Matter (Grades K-6)
Combine bubbles, eyedroppers, air in different states and you have an incredibly interactive program with staff from the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. We will focus on the unusual characteristics of water, use process skills to observe and ask questions using bubbles, and play with components of air in solid, liquid and gaseous states. Your students actively participate with staff throughout the program as they learn more about the interaction between different states of matter. Kit will be mailed which includes supplies needed for student experiment, along with other goodies for your classroom.
Dates: April 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 19, 20, 27 or 28
Cost: $140 (materials kit included) Texas Skies Tonight (Grades 3-8)
Ever wonder what wondrous objects you can see in the night time sky in November? Join Linda Krouse as she shares star stories for some of constellations visible right now. Your students will also learn how to best to enjoy the night sky, what planets are available for us to look at, and how to use tools besides your eyes to view the night-time sky. She will teach your students how to use a simple tool of science, a star chart, to make their night time sky viewing even more exciting.
Dates: April 6
Cost: $75 All About the Sun (Grades 6-8)
The Sun is the most prominent feature in our solar system and its secrets and attributes are critical to understanding important science concepts like energy, waves, distance and even chemistry. Join Linda Krouse, Director of the Noble Planetarium, for a 50-minute program designed to help your students learn more about our amazing star, spectrums and energy.
Dates: April 5
Cost: $140 (materials kit included) Around a Cactus-Animals of the Desert for Young Children (Grades K-2)
Around One Cactus by Anthony Fredericks is a delightful story about a desert, a giant cactus, and the animals who live in it. Learn the natural history of the fascinating creatures from the story with Becky Pound, Museum School Early Childhood Specialist. Becky uses animals from our collection and hands-on activities to help your students to learn about the life cycle of the saguaro cactus and interesting desert animals that need the cactus in order to thrive. Key concepts that will be shared include: basic animal and plant needs, life cycles and ecosystems. You will receive a copy of Around One Cactus and needed materials with your registration for this program.
Dates: April 7 or 26
Cost: $140 (materials kit included) Operation Catapult (Grades 6-8)
During this hands-on engineering program, your students will get a first-hand look at how catapults work by creating simple catapults. Additionally, they will learn more about the physical science principles surrounding catapults and find out about the historical and modern day uses of catapults. Each student will create a basic catapult and work as part of a group to create a more elaborate model using a variety of materials. Students will use science process skills to observe, ask questions, plan and implement simple investigations and discover ways to improve upon their catapult design.
Dates: April 12 or 19
Cost: $140 (materials kit included) Ask the Expert: Forensic Science (Grades 5-12)
Students are fascinated with forensic science! Now they can meet the expert! Ron Singer, Technical Director for the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office, will delve into the life of a crime lab director and the daily forensic science challenges he encounters. Ron will reveal the science, the tools and some of the secrets of a Crime Lab. A portion of the session will be devoted to answering your students’ questions about forensic science.
Dates: April 12
Cost: $125 *NEW* Investigations in Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition (Grades 3-5)
Get ready to shake it up and move mountains! Your students will experience the processes of weathering, erosion and deposition as they use earth materials to gain a better understanding of earth science. They will participate in engaging activities that will allow them to distinguish between each of these processes. Kit will be mailed which includes supplies needed for student explorations.
Dates: April 26 or 28
Cost: $140 (materials kit included) Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge Bison: Back from the Brink (Grades 3-12)
Bison were the largest plant eating animals on the North American prairie. Why did they almost disappear and what is being done to preserve them? Almost gone, today they are making a great comeback. Learn how we manage our bison herd.
Dates: April 5 (1:30-2:15 CST)
Cost: $125 Turtles are Terrific (Grades 3-12)
Turtles are one of the most recognized groups of animals living on this planet. Why has this ancient group of animals been so successful? During this program we will learn about where they live, what they eat and how they are surviving in the modern world.
Dates: April 6 or 26 (1:30-2:15 CST)
Cost: $125 Nature's Pollinators (Grades 1-6)
Explore the lives of North America's pollinators from bees and hummingbirds, to tiny insects that are often never seen. Learn of their importance to the reproduction of many fruits and vegetables, as well as to the biodiversity of plants. Get a closer look at their daily lives and their job as nature’s pollinators.
Dates: April 12 (1:30-2:15 CST)
Cost: $125 The Importance of Being a Bee (Grades 3-12)
The very mention of their name makes us think of warm summer days, sweet honey and oh yes stings! Bees are much more and very important. Without bees there might not be fruits, vegetables or even beef and poultry. Learn how these small bundles of energy help keep the food web going. Learn all about the interesting life style of the honeybee and how people have learned to work with this insect.
Dates: April 13 (1:30-2:15 CST)
Cost: $125 Weather 101: 100% Chance of Learning (Grades 1-8)
Spring time brings many shades of weather. It brings clear days with hints of thin clouds. It also brings days full of big puffy ominous clouds that bring danger. Join us as we discuss different facets of weather such as cloud types, rain, lightning, and storms; including tornadoes.
Dates: April 19 (1:30-2:15 CST)
Cost: $125 Backyard Birdwatching and Beyond (Grades 3-12)
Whether you are in the city or in the country, birds are all around. Learn some tips to bird watching in your backyard and beyond. We will learn common backyard birds in your area, how to attract them, bird watching ethics, how to select and use binoculars, and tips on how to identify your avian friends.
Dates: April 20 (1:30-2:15 CST)
Cost: $125 Hovering Hummers (Grades 3-8)
Hummingbirds are such a mystery bird. How can such a small bird fly the way they do? This is just one mystery that we will unfold about this beautiful bird. We will discuss their habits, life history, migration, and the different species of Hummingbirds we have in Texas.
Dates: April 27 (1:30-2:15 CST)
Cost: $125 Author John Erickson (Hank the Cowdog book series) Hank the Cowdog (Grades 2-12)
"It’s me again, Hank the Cowdog." Hank’s author, John R. Erickson, has been entertaining audiences with Hank programs for twenty-eight years, all the way from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Key West, Florida. Accompanying himself on the banjo, he sings songs from the Hank audio books and does readings from the stories (about sixty-five character voices). There is a reason why the Hank the Cowdog stories have sold more than 7.5 million copies: kids love to read them, even those who think they don't enjoy reading. John Erickson and Hank are sure to inspire your students to read!
Dates: April 6 or 20 (1:30-2:15 CST)
Cost: $225 (interactive with 20 autographed books) or $100 (view only with no books) National Archives at Fort Worth (NARA) Animals in Space and Other Cool NASA Stuff! (Grades 3-6)
Do you think NASA wanted to send a pig into space? What did the original space suits look like? Find the answers to these questions and more by exploring historical NASA documents from the National Archives at Fort Worth. Learn about the development of the space program through records that were created for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions.
Dates: April 19, 20, 21 or 22
Cost: FREE (most sites will be view only) National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame *NEW* Tied to the Apron Strings (Grades K-10)
This program features photographs and stories from the current exhibit Apron Chronicles: A Patchwork of American Recollections at the National Cowgirl Museum during the spring of 2011. As a uniform, a display of artistic talent, or a memory, aprons are recognized by all ages. In addition to hearing the stories behind some vintage aprons, participants learn of the role aprons have played in history from the Middle Ages to the present as well as be able to share their own stories. This interactive program can be adjusted to specific grade levels and class schedules.
Dates: April 8, 21 or 26
Cost: $100 Museum Math (Grades 1)
The National Cowgirl Museum takes on a different shape when viewed through the eyes of a mathematician. The bandana, which serves as an accessory and useful tool for a cowgirl or cowboy, can also be turned into a square, a rectangle or a triangle. Discover how Museum artifacts relate to geometric shapes and their distinguishing attributes. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 19 or 27
Cost: $100 Museum Math (Grades 2)
Math and a cowgirl or cowboy may seem an odd combination, but the National Cowgirl Museum makes the connection with tools of the trade and a little know –how. Participants will encounter geometric shapes, divide them into parts of a whole and create families of facts. Explore these math concepts and other ideas using manipulatives and photographs of the exhibits. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 19 or 26
Cost: $100 Museum Math (Grades 3)
Take a few important events, place them into sequence, round off a few numbers, and angle in a little measurement and you have a great combination of math and history rolled into one. Math and history combine at the National Cowgirl Museum to provide participants the opportunity to experience math the cowgirl way. Materials are provided prior to program to enhance your students’ learning experience. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 12 or 20
Cost: $100 Museum Math–Geometry (Grade 4-5)
Experience a transformation at the National Cowgirl Museum – with geometry that is. Reflections, rotations, symmetry and congruency all make an appearance throughout a Museum. And although some lines are on the straight and narrow and others are crossways, they all lead to the same point – straight to an opportunity for your students to practice with shapes, lines and graphs. Materials are provided prior to program to enhance your students’ learning experience. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 12, 13, 20 or 21
Cost: $100 A Journey Through Texas (Grades 1-12)
Featuring the artifacts from the temporary exhibit Going to Texas: Five Centuries of Texas Maps at the National Cowgirl Museum during the fall of 2009, participants will experience a diverse collection of cartography. These rare maps range from early sixteenth-century New Spain through the Republic of Texas and statehood and into the twenty-first century. This interactive program can be adjusted to specific grade levels and class schedules.
Dates: April 13
Cost: $100 Home on the Range: Charles Goodnight and the Invention of the Chuck Wagon (Grades 4 & 7)
Charles Goodnight wanted to drive 2000 cattle from the panhandle of Texas to Denver. This was going to take men who would need to be fed. He came up with the idea of a mobile kitchen which became the center of life for the cowboys on the trail. Learn more about the life of Charles Goodnight, his invention of the chuck wagon, and the lives of cowboys on a cattle drive.
Dates: April 14
Cost: $100 Thanks to Molly Goodnight, the Bison Do Still Roam (Grades 4 & 7)
Join us as we celebrate the life of Molly Goodnight and the contribution she made to saving the bison from extinction. Our discussion will include the importance of the bison to the Plains Indians, reasons for the slaughter of these magnificent animals, and the steps that the Goodnights made to insure that the bison not become extinct.
Dates: April 14
Cost: $100 O’Keeffe: The Faraway (Grades K-12)
To coincide with the Museum’s ground breaking exhibit featuring 1991 Honoree Georgia O’Keeffe, students are introduced to basic art concepts while also discovering O’Keeffe’s connection to the land and the West. This program allows students to view and examine the work and techniques of one of America’s best known Modernist. This interactive program correlates with the temporary exhibit and can be adjusted to specific grade levels. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 14
Cost: $100 Community Planners (Grades K-4)
Join us in learning about how the contributions of Clara Brown, Henrietta King and others helped shape the West.
Dates: April 20 or 28
Cost: $100 Untangling Cattle Brands (Grades 3-12)
The history of branding is unique on its own, and is also tied to the cattle industry in the West. Beginning with the elaborate brands of the early Spanish cowmen to the brands we use today, this program explores all facets of branding and makes connections to today's "current branding" that students see routinely. Students will learn the history and the symbols used in branding as well as design a brand of their own. This program is a collaborative educational effort with the Texas A & M Animal Science Department. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 21 or 28
Cost: $100 Cowgirl Science (Grades K-1)
A horse is a horse, of course, of course. With a keen eye, students distinguish what makes a horse unique as well as some of the other furred and feathered friends found on a ranch. Whether searching for tails and details or graphing the obvious, participants make a quest for science at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 26
Cost: $100 Cowgirl Science (Grades 2-3)
Sunshine or rain, spring or fall, life on the ranch has a certain pattern and rhythm. Participants distinguish the basics while looking at the connection between animals, the weather and their environment. Wagons, weather, water and the ways of the ranch all come together to tie in the science at the National Cowgirl Museum. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 28
Cost: $100 Coming to the United States and Finding a Life of Adventure (Grades 3-8)
During the 1800s, many immigrants traveled to the United States. Their reasons for coming varied, but mostly they were searching for a fresh start. This program explores what it was like to enter the U.S. through Ellis Island as well as examines some of the National Cowgirl Museum honorees, why they came to America, and the adventures they experienced when they arrived. Program times can be adjusted to class schedules.
Dates: April 27
Cost: $100 Life on the Prairie with Sarah Plain and Tall (Grades 1-7)
What are some clues that let us know that Sarah Plain and Tall takes place in Kansas in the early 1900’s? This video conference can easily be used as an extension to a literary study of this popular children’s book. Learn about what life on the prairie was like for those families who were the original homesteaders. We recommend the class is reading or has read the book Sarah, Plain and Tall before scheduling this program. Dates: April 27
Cost: $100 Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum Wild Horses: Population and Ecosystems (Grades 4-7)
When most Americans think of wild horses (mustangs), we think of a beautiful, free-spirited animal running through the tall grasses of the Southwest with its long silky mane and tail blowing in the wind. Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages a population of about 69,000 mustangs. Controversy and conflict surround this American icon. Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, gives his perspective in his long-term plan, "Without natural predators, wild horse populations have grown beyond the carrying capacity of the sensitive and sparse lands on which they live, causing damage to ecosystems and putting them at risk of starvation." This videoconference will discuss the history of the horse in America, the lifestyle of wild horses, and the controversy over what to do with these horses. Students will be presented with viewpoints from five different interest groups and students will decide which interest group they would support. An additional bonus will be a short video featuring the mustang in its natural environment and BLM's mustang adoption program.
Dates: April 14 or 26
Cost: $100 Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza Living History with Carlos Fonts, Veteran of the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion (Grades 4-12)
A longtime Dallas businessman, Carlos Fonts was a Cuban native living in exile in Florida when he joined the Bay of Pigs invasion force. Welcome Mr. Fonts for his first Living History presentation as we mark the 50th anniversary of the invasion. This program is view only. However, students will be encouraged to submit their own questions for Mr. Fonts in advance. A small selection of the best questions will be asked during the Q&A session at the end of the presentation!
Dates: April 1 (11:30-12:15 CST)
Cost: $50 Who was Jack Ruby? (Grades 5-12)
When Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald millions of television viewers saw a mysterious figure in a hat step from the shadows. Before people knew Ruby's face or name, he was identified by newsmen as "the man in that hat". But who was he? Ruby's role in the Kennedy assassination story continues to raise questions about who he was and what may have motivated him to shoot the president's accused assassin. Learn more about Ruby's life and decide for yourself what may have guided his actions in this special presentation and get an up close view of Ruby's famous hat.
Dates: April 18 or 25
Cost: $115 (pre and post materials included) Conflicting Evidence? The First 24 Hours After the Kennedy Assassination (Grades 4-12)
Examine evidence found by investigators within the first 24 hours of the Kennedy assassination in this primary source-based program. Participants will evaluate the accuracy of reports and eyewitness accounts, and will use photographic analysis to evaluate what happened on November 22, 1963. This program transforms students into history detectives as they evaluate the films, photos, oral histories and other evidence related to the investigation of President Kennedy's assassination.
Dates: April 27
Cost: $115 (pre and post materials included) Texas Wildlife Association ASI: Animal Skull Investigation (Grades 1-6)
This interactive presentation allows students the opportunity to investigate skulls of native Texas animals. Unique adaptive traits will be discussed and students will be asked to look for clues to determine the identity and feeding habits of our mystery specimens. WANT MORE? Check out our "Animal Adaptations" trunk, full of skulls, scat and tracks! It's available to educators on a 2-week loan, TEKS aligned, and AT NO CHARGE!
Dates: April 19
Cost: $70 Urban Animal Encounters: Skunks and Armadillos! (Grades 1-5)
Meet the nine-banded armadillo and the striped skunk. Although their natural defense behaviors are beneficial to them in the wild, these same behaviors do not fare well with their urban cohabitants. Most people cannot help but turn up their noses when they think about these two animals, but after our class, we hope your feelings change. Join us as we clear up some common untruths and add clarity to their adaptations with the help of Dug and Segonku, our friendly guest stars!
Dates: April 28
Cost: $70 The Old Jail Art Center Cultural Connections-Pre-Columbian (Grades K-6)
Part of a series of classes focused on culture, history and art. Students are introduced to pre-Columbian pottery, history and traditions through reading "The Pot that Juan Built" by Nancy Andrews-Goebel and seeing works from the museum's collection. Students will see first hand how ancient pottery was made and study the designs of the Casas Grandes people. Each student will get to create a work of their own with non-mess air-dry clay.
Dates: April 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21 or 22
Cost: $125 (materials included) To register for any of these content enhancement programs go to www.Connect2Texas.net .
If you are interested in a program but it is not available on a date/time that works for your class time contact the provider directly to make special arrangements. For provider contact information click here . | 
