Teacher Impressions of Austin Nature & Science Center

James Scott

James ScottComing to this center was very informative, fun and surprising. Parking under the MoPac bridges, I didn't get a sense of an established center, but I was proven wrong.

I hadn't heard of the Austin Nature and Science Center previously, and had thought it was the Botanical Gardens nearby, and boy was I wrong! This place was fun! The dino-pit was fun. The process of becoming a paleontologist was fascinating. I think the class will have a blast digging through the sand and sketching out the fossil. This hands on activity will have all my students involved.

I also found the natural state of things very calming like having the big pond there and being able to go all around it seeing the biodiversity. I think the kids will get a big kick out of feeding the turtles and fish as well. A good journal assignment could be on how this area has changed from the time of the dinosaurs until now.

Another feature I liked was the native animals. It was really cool that the whole area focuses on Texas and this area; animals in the past and present. Going through and seeing the native animals was very intriguing. The birds of prey exhibit was awesome.

I think the site was informative and fun. This is definitely a site not only to bring my students, but my friends and family as well!

Melissa Shannon

Melissa ShannonHave I been here before? Doesn't it seem like it? I remember the birds, but that is about it. So many things. Wow! The name is so understated-just Nature and Science? Should be named 'Birds of prey-paleontology institute-live animal-kids I love it-center'! I enjoy the hands-on aspect of all of the exhibits. Digging in the Dino-Pit was fun and challenging too. As the Mososaur was revealed it was like I was discovering something no-one had ever seen before. I liked how Chris, James and I were confused, scratching our heads saying, 'What is it???'

The nature trails are great and everything is labeled. The pond may be dwindling but looking at all the fish, turtles, and lily pads reminded me of how untouchable the wildlife is in Town Lake (6). I do a pond ecosystem activity with my class every year, and hey here is a turtle a perch and a carp right here together! It seems like it would all stick a bit more if they could actually see the fish eating the minnows!

The birds and the animal exhibits remind you of how humans have endangered our wildlife while the animals are just trying to live! Human expansion just pushes some of these little guys right out into the open. The birds are so majestic-normally you might only see one of these guys while driving down the highway-maybe! The great horned owl reminded me of the camping trip with our 6th graders at Buesher State Park. I was awoken in the middle of the night by a weird yelling noise. Something was calling to something else in the forest. I was sure they were telling each other to eat me! Only later, my dad suggested that it was an owl. We looked up owl sounds on the internet. As soon as I heard it, chills ran down my spine.

Chris Costello

Driving here this morning, I thought, 'Man, it's going to be hard to find a good fit for the 8th grade TEKS here. Austin Nature and Science Center is a great field trip for elementary students, but I really don't think there is much to offer for 8th graders that would be rigorous and capture their imagination!' I was wrong!

Though I've been here numerous times with elementary students I have never seen it with my '8th grade eyes' ! Worse somehow I had completely missed the Birds of Prey Exhibit (3)though I've walked past it at least half a dozen times. Yes there are some exhibits that my 8th graders will have seen when they were young, but is that a bad thing? I think they will be pleasantly surprised all the other opportunities for an exciting experience here just as I was while and perhaps the will have fond memories of earlier childhood visits. They may have a history here!

The opportunities here to explore how structure and function of animals is related are as diverse as the site itself. Students will be able to see first hand the adaptations that help species survive. Then they can apply that working knowledge to solve the Dino-Pit (4) mysteries such as are those long bony things fingers or flippers?