Curriculum provided by the Werner Wildlife Museum
The following lessons were designed to fit the Natrona County School District # 1 essential curriculum standards as of May 2012. Natrona County is located in central Wyoming. Lessons were created with the Werner Wildlife Museum’s exhibits in mind so that teachers and visitors could work outside of the museum to enhance learning and follow-up with museum visits. The Werner Wildlife Museum is located in Casper, Wyoming.
Primary
Primary
This worksheet helps nonreaders find and count animals when visiting the Werner Wildlife Museum.
Kindergarten
Lesson Plan: Animal Fur-this lesson teachers about the importance of fur for mammal survival.
1st Grade
Lesson Plan Merriam’s Turkey Hunt-this lesson teaches about turkeys and includes a math lesson of counting off the decade.
Lesson Plan: Egg Strength- this lesson will teach about the weight-bearing capacity of eggshells through this fun “egg”-periment!
2nd Grade
Lesson Plan: Squawking is Talking- this lesson compares human and bird learning of sounds and vocal cords. Includes musical terminology and a craft producing sound.
3rd Grade
- No lesson available
Intermediate
4th Grade
- No lesson available
5th Grade
Lesson Plans: Birds in the City- this lesson teaches students how to observe and identify birds around them. In addition, students will explore various bird sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. A field journal template is included as well as assessment and enrichment ideas.
Lesson Plan: Bird Beak Adaptations- this lesson teaches about the scientific method and bird adaptations. Students will hypothesize why bird beaks are shaped for their habitat through this fun activity.
Lesson Plan: Animal Camouflage- this lesson allows students to understand how an animal’s physical characteristics helps them survive through a fun hands- on activity.
Lesson Plan: Elk Communication- this lesson allows students to learn how elk communicate with each other and why it is important to the herd
Lesson Plan: Sage Grouse Habitat-this lesson introduces students to sage grouse behavior and habitat. Worksheet and answers included.
- Lesson Plan: Sage Grouse (Word doc)
- Sage Grouse Fact Sheet by the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission (PDF available upon request)
Lesson Plan: Umbrella Species- Greater Sage Grouse- this teaches about species interdependence, the web of life. A classroom game teaches the concept. This lesson should follow with the Sage Grouse Habitat lesson above.
Lesson Plan: Werner Wildlife: Snowflake the Albino Deer- this lesson teaches about albinism. Includes a quiz, pictures of Natrona County’s famous Snowflake, and a worksheet on a Punett Square.
- Lesson Plan: Werner Wildlife’s Snowflake the Albino Deer (Word doc)
- Albinism Quiz (Word doc)
- Snowflake & her fawns (PDF available upon request)
- Punnett Square Activity Page (MS Publisher available upon request)
6th Grade
Lesson Plan: Deer & Wolf Postural Communication-this lesson teaches about animal nonverbal communication through a predator/prey simulation game that students will enjoy.
Secondary
7th Grade
- No lesson available
8th Grade
Lesson Plan: Comparing and Contrasting Knightia & Cutthroat Trout- this lesson helps student learn fish anatomy and learn about Wyoming’s state fish. Included are weblinks and a fish anatomy worksheet.
9th-12th Grade
- No lesson available
Fun and Games
- Jeopardy Game on Bears
- American Bald Eagle/Jeopardy Game
- Turkey Word Search (Word doc)
- Polar Crossword Puzzle (Word doc)
- ANIMAL TRACKS Field Journal (Word doc)
Explanation of State Standard Codes: (ST) 8.1.2.C
(ST) Letters in parenthesis stand for the Level of Cognitive Demand – Key: (R) = Recall (A) = Application (ST) = Strategic Thinking (ET) = Extended Thinking
8–The first number indicates the grade level. Kindergarten is indicated with a K.
1–The second number indicates the Content Standard
2–The third number indicates the Benchmark under the Content Standard
C–The fourth letter or number indicates the Sub Benchmark under the Benchmark, which is under the Content Standard.
These standards are posted in greater detail on the NCSD #1 website.