Expanding the Classroom Walls, Gabbert Raptor Center

The first visit we did as a class with Expanding the Classroom Walls, through Learners Edge was visit the Gabbert Raptor Center. This was on the U of Minnesota campus and was really quite interesting.  I really liked our tour guide, Dan.  He was really good at pointing out things that kids would find fascinating.  Yep, you guessed it, the blood, guts and gore of raptors.  He even talked about poop... yep, kids would love this guy and this place.

This center takes in hurt birds and works on them though rehab, and/or provides a home for those birds that will never be returning to nature.  Students of the U of M practice their skills at the raptor center.  They learn to provide the best care for these birds.  Students attend classes either at the site, or they can bring their program to you.  The program is one that has repeating customers.

This one was a great one for me to visit because we have the Raptor Center come to our school and/or we have had students go to the center.  As the Art Teacher, I don't attend the field trips.  That is why this class has been so great for me.  I'm able to help encourage teachers to attend certain field trips that I feel will support my curriculum as well as support the field trip perhaps with subject matter in my class or concepts.  In the Raptor Center I thought a extension project might be to draw the bones of the of raptors.  Talk about the structure and do some observational drawings.

Check out more about our field trips by searching the #TCWALLSI on twitter.  There are also a lot of images and information on their Facebook page. I would love for you to send links to lesson plans that you think would help support these field trips I will be posting about as well. Have you had a program like this that you were able to support in your classroom?  Send me links, pictures, or stories in the comments.  Thanks!