Museum Offers Fun, Games And Important Lessons

year-round

students are trying something new for a week out of their latest break.

Students are discovering wetlands and the creatures that live there during a week-long visit to the

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

.

Wonderful Wetlands is designed to be fun and educational for students in kindergarten, and first- and second-grade.

"We don't want this to feel like school, but our purpose here is environmental education. We are trying to hopefully get them to learn a lot about wetlands this topic," says Heather Dye, curator of youth programs.

Take a game of tag with some added imagination and you have got a battle between fish and predators in a North Carolina wetlands. Another way students are learning is by making their own wetlands model.

"We are just making the model showing them that the water comes through the wetlands," says teacher Heather Howard.

This is the first time the museum has offered the week-long program for year-rounders. Museum officials say parents requested it.

Teachers are planning a week full of activities, including a field trip for a first-hand look at what real wetlands are like. After just one day, many students, like Callie Stephenson, already have a good idea.

"A wetland is like a rainforest with something wet in it," say the first grader.

The museum has spaces available for track one students in grades K - 2 next week. Call 733-7450, ext. 520 for more information.