Bass Pro Field Trip

Really, it was a trip to get Papa a new fishing rod.  But, since it was technically a school day, we made it educational.  We took our local species cards and headed over to the fish tank.  At Bass Pro, you can see many of the local fish in their central tank.  So, we took out our cards and identified all the fish in the tank.  

It was not easy!  And, it was certainly helpful eating up time while Papa talked about rods to the sales guy, and talked, and talked....

WTN Classified Cards Expansion Pack

My kids were really disappointed to not have EVERY species of bat, rat, mouse, and shrew, so here they are.

Mama's Box of Magic Cards

Since I don't have a dedicated school room, I keep this magic box of cards to fuel my one-on-one time with the younger kids, and once in a while, the Bigs.

My very favorite is the science sequencing cards. In our school, sequencing is the BIG DEAL in kindergarten.  First this happened, then THIS happened, and FINALLY this happened.  I HEART using science for kindergarten sequencing.  No lame-o sequencing of teethbrushing.  I want to slip in some RICHNESS.  

I won't give you ever single specific link, but if you are willing to file through the freebies at each site, I can tell you where to get them: 

1.  FREE Cicada Life Cycle at Montessori Tidbits 

2.  FREE Butterfly Life-cycle from Montessori Mom

3. FREE Frog life-cycle from Montessori Mom

4.  FREE Moon cycle from Montessori Mom

5.  FREE Season cycle from Montessori for Everyone

6.  FREE Apple life-cycle from Montessori for Everyone

7. FREE  Pumpkin life-cycle from  Montessori for Everyone  followed by a baby dino life cycle from ???.

I also like sorting and go-together cards the are science-based.

1.  (not free) Carnivore, Omnivore, Herbivore cards from Montessori for Everyone

2.  (not free) Real life Geometric object sorting cards from Montessori for Everyone

3.  (not free) Patterns in Nature sorting cards from Montessori for Everyone

4.  FREE sorting and go-together cards from Montessori for Everyone and the left from a garage sale.

5.  FREE butterfly sorting and go-togethers from the classified cards at Beautiful Sun Montessori.  Not all of the butterflies have a pupa and larva to match, but ENOUGH do to make it worth your while.

My daughter LOVES them!

Classified Cards for West Tennessee

I've seen plenty of sets of cards for kids that have species from all across the world, but I realized that I didn't care how much they knew about species in Zimbabwe if they couldn't tell a vole from a shrew in their own backyard.  (Now mind you I probably couldn't either before I made this set for them, so don't think I know so much.)  All of these species are native to our area, but I'd like to share them just the same.  If, however, the people who's pictures I used want more than a photo credit, I shall be forced to immediately remove these links.  Get ALL my stuff here.

1.  West Tennessee Reptiles (almost all photos from here)

2.  West Tennessee Mammals:  (all photos from here or Wikipedia) 

There are lots...

So many, in fact, that I didn't list all of the species of rat, mouse, shrew, and bat.  

They were all brown and looked alike.  And how many times have you been close enough to a bat in the day time to identify the species? (*Edit 1/16:  I will probably go back and make these with all of the species, as the children are very disappointed with these generic cards.)

3.  West Tennessee Fish:  (almost all photos from here)

And though we didn't do all 12 bats for our area, I did think it necessary that as children of an avid fisherman, they know all the species of bass Papa catches.

4.  West Tennessee Amphibians: (all photos from here)

5.  West Tennessee Birds: (photos primarily from this gorgeous site and the rest from here)

Wow, there are a lot of birds.

I only did ones that live here year round or there would have been a 100 more.

And while I was at it, I made a bunch of shell cards for my daughter who is currently obsessed with them.  She has a card for every shell in her collection.  These are, of course, not local.  And she doesn't want me to cut them apart yet as she sorts all her shells onto the mats. (Photos from here, here, and here)

DOWNLOAD IT ALL HERE

I used whatbird.com for the year round birds, and the Smithsonian North American Mammal site for the Mammals.  But for the fish, reptiles and amphibians, I used local site that would be of no use to you.  However, but you may be able to find your own local species by zip code here.  I will warn you, though, that it will generate more species than are truly local for you.  We only have a few salamanders here but according to the local field biologists, we only have two that are common enough to care about.