Follow this easy 3-step process to booking YOUR Don’t forget the gift shop! program at Estero Llano Grande State Park: A trip to the park’s gift shop can be added to any field trip FREE of charge. 1 Pick a topic. Books, games, binoculars, FIELD TRIP Choose from eight exciting programs or have us design one T-shirts, hats, stuffed to fit your needs (please allow at least two weeks’ notice for animals, snacks and special request programs). souvenirs of all kinds can OPPORTUNITIES be found in our gift shop. Don’t forget to have your 2 Pick a date. students bring their spending money! All Choose the day and time you would like to visit. purchases in the gift shop support Texas state parks. TEKS Have a few back-up dates as well. Correlated Can’t leave the classroom? 3 Call us at (956) 565-3919. Dates fill up quickly, so call early to book your program. Let us come to you! We also offer OUTREACH programs that will come Once you have successfully booked your program you will to you. Let one of our knowledgeable staff bring the wonderful world of wildlife to your classroom. receive a confirmation letter and a pre-field trip packet to help you prepare for your visit. Call for program options and prices: (956) 565-3919 Programs are offered year-round, seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a reservation. ESTERO LLANO GRANDE STATE PARK, WORLD BIRDING CENTER 3301 S. International Blvd. (F.M. 1015) What about Pricing lunch? Weslaco, Texas 78596 Prices per child for the program vary with length and supplies (956) 565-3919 Fax: (956) 565-2864 needed. An additional $2 will be charged per student for www.worldbirdingcenter.org School groups are ©www.glennbartley.com restocking of some program supplies. Call for a quote. welcome to bring their ESTERO LLANO GRANDE STATE PARK own lunches and enjoy Because we recognize the support provided by teachers and them on our beautiful chaperones, all adults assisting with a school group will NOT be deck overlooking the charged an additional entry fee (fees for snacks and materials will be the responsibility of the individual adult or the school). wetlands! GUIDED TOURS TPWD receives federal assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies. TPWD is therefore subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, in addition to state anti-discrimination laws. TPWD will comply with state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any TPWD program, activity or event, you may contact the U.S. Fish HANDS-ON and Wildlife Service, Division of Federal Assistance, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop: MBSP-4020, Arlington, Check out our Web site at www.worldbirdingcenter.org VA 22203, Attention: Civil Rights Coordinator for Public Access. ACTIVITIES at the Weslaco wing of the In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications or find us on Facebook. Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. © 2010 TPWD PWD BR P4502-179H (10/10) WORLD BIRD ING CENT ER & IN AN OUTDOOR FUN EDUCATION CLASSROOM! Birding 101 Wetland Wildlife Incredible T.A.K.S. Review Grade Level: 4–12 Grade Level: PreK–4 Insects Workshop Duration: 3–4 hours Duration: 3–4 hours Grade Level: K–12 Only Science Testing Grades Maximum number of Maximum number of Duration: 3–4 hours Duration: 4–6 hours students per day: 120 students per day: 120 Maximum number of Maximum number of students per day: 120 students per day: 100 The amazing diversity of birds in the Rio Grande Valley Our wetlands are home to some of the most amazing attracts visitors from all over the world. Let us teach your creatures found in the Rio Grande Valley. The Wetland Dragonflies, beetles and bees — oh my! Enter the exciting Preparing your students for T.A.K.S. testing can be a students why South Texas is special as we introduce them Wildlife program will introduce your students to the world of entomology as students learn about the role of difficult and overwhelming task. With the help of our to the world of birding. Students will be guided in activities diversity of abundant life found in our park’s wetland insects in our ecosystem. Get up-close and personal with knowledgeable staff and volunteers, we can help your such as learning to use binoculars, scopes and field guides, environment. With so many birds, mammals, reptiles, living and preserved insects that can be found around the students review and gain a greater understanding as playing bird games, learning bird calls and collecting bird amphibians and insects living in the park, your students park. Learn about insect lifecycles, classification, adapta- they prepare for upcoming science tests. Leave books data. Your students could even have a chance to dissect a will be able to watch and learn how wildlife coexists in tions, food and much more. Arts and crafts will help the behind as science stations throughout the park provide real owl pellet. Your young adventurers will use the skills nature. They will be guided through activities on life cycles, kids understand the complex structures and patterns that your students up-close observation and hands-on and knowledge they gain on guided bird walks, birding food chains and animal identification. Their knowledge will help these creatures survive. By the end of the day your learning experiences. A pre-trip meeting will help us competitions or bird surveys during the trip. The time be reinforced on a guided hike through wetlands in search students will be “bugging” you for another park adventure. decide the specific TEKS objectives that your students they spend is sure to be a “hoot.” of the incredible creatures that call our park home. need to improve. Birding with Wetland Amazing Valley Nature Fledglings Investigations Adaptations Center Split Grade Level: PreK–3 Grade Level: 5–12 Grade Level: K–12 Group Duration: 3–4 hours Duration: 3–4 hours Duration: 3–4 hours Grade Level: K–12 Maximum number of Maximum number of Maximum number of Duration: 4–5 hours students per day: 120 students per day: 120 students per day: 120 Maximum number of students per day: 200 Birds are amazing to people Students will learn the Join us as we explore of all ages. Living in the Rio Grande Valley, it is only importance of clean, healthy the amazing world of bird With the help of our long-time partners at the Valley natural for your students’ attention to turn to our water as they investigate the physical and chemical adaptations. From beaks to feet and everything in Nature Center we have created the largest field trip amazing feathered friends. Let us teach them birding health of our park’s wetlands. Your class will experience between, together we will look at how birds have adapted opportunity yet! With this amazing opportunity you will basics with activities that allow students to use their hands-on learning by using tools to collect important to survive. Hands-on activities and demonstrations will get a chance to explore two of the best nature parks the senses when exploring the world of birds. Feeling data. Your students will then use this data to assess help teach the purpose of bird adaptations. After Rio Grande Valley has to offer. With a knowledge hunt, a feathers, observing astounding colors, and listening to the quality of our wetlands. We will look at some of the studying how and why adaptations have developed, we walk to Alligator Lake, live animal presentations, nature- the wondrous sounds are a few of the memorable largest and smallest organisms living in the wetlands will reinforce your students’ new knowledge on a nature based crafts, puppet shows or animal games and first-time experiences that can connect children to and study the effects of pollution. Your students will walk. The students will then be able to identify adapta- activities, your group will have an amazing time. The nature. After they make homemade binoculars, we will be transformed into “wetland scientists” for the day. tions of the birds we discover. This adventure is sure to group will be split; half of your group will visit one of the venture out on their first guided bird walk adventure. be a life-changing experience. sites while the other half of your group visits the other site. They will eat lunch at their first site, and then each will travel to their next destination (only 5 miles away). Facilities and programs at Estero Llano Grande State To book a program with Estero Llano Grande State Park, This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to broaden your Park are accessible to those with special needs. call (956) 565-3919. students’ minds and experiences. .