STEM PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES
Each education program is designed to engage and motivate your students through differentiated instruction, student-centered activities, and science exploration. We have education programs for all grade levels and university students!
All Education programs align with Oklahoma Academic Standards and STEM principles. Activities encourage students to use problem-solving skills through teamwork and communication. We focus on natural and life science themes and concepts in a fun, hands-on way.
Pre-K and Kinder Programs
Tale of the Tooth
Discover how to tell what an animal eats by looking at the shape of its teeth. Students will learn how to identify what animals eat through a story, and then get hands on time with skulls to use their knowledge to discover what different animals eat.
Move Like an Animal
All animals must move to survive but they do not all move in the same way. Students will learn how different animals move and how the bones of an animal’s hands and feet can give us hints about these animals movement.
1st and 2nd Grade Programs
To Tell the Tooth
Learn how to read a skull. Animals don’t all eat the same thing, and their teeth give clues about their diet. Students examine carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore skulls to solve a mystery.
Locomotion: How Animals Move
Locomotion is key to survival. Students explore bones associated with movement, uncovering clues about diet and behavior. They'll identify and imitate movement types based on skeletal features.
Owl Pellet Dissection
Owls swallow prey whole—bones and all! Students dissect real owl pellets to discover bones inside, learning how owls eat and what they digest.
Who’s Who in the Zoo?
What can a skull tell us about an animal? In this exciting class, students will explore the five major animal classifications (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish) through the fascinating study of skulls. By examining real and replica skulls, students will learn how to identify key features to uncover clues about how each animal lived and what it ate.
3rd - 5th Grade Programs
Tooth and Eye "Dentification"
“Eyes in front animal hunts, eyes on side animal hides.” Skulls can tell us a lot, from what an animal eats to whether an animal is predator or prey. In this program students will learn how to read eye placement on a skull to identify predator and prey animals. They will also learn to read the teeth to identify skulls as carnivores, herbivores or omnivores.
Locomotion and Skeletal Adaptations
Locomotion and Skeletal Adaptations familiarizes students with a key feature to animal survival; locomotion. Much can be learned from observing the bones associated with motion: diet, predator-prey relationships, etc. Participants will observe skeletal features that define a particular type of movement, and then name that movement.
Amazing Animal Adaptations
All animals have adaptations. Some help them to eat, while others help them from being eaten. In this class we will look at various osteological and external adaptations that help animals survive.
Amazing Prehistoric Adaptations
Discover the amazing ways animals and dinosaurs have adapted to survive in their environments! In this fun, hands-on class, students will explore adaptations—from sharp teeth to camouflage. We’ll dive into the prehistoric past to compare modern animals with dinosaurs, learning how the environment, predators, and food sources shaped their unique features.
6th - 8th Grade Programs
Keys to Identification"
Keys to Identification familiarizes students with dichotomous keys. Students will work in teams to locate and measure various skull features. Using dichotomous keys, students will identify various types of animals. Emphasis will be placed on the student’s ability to verbally communicate the identification process.
Animal CSI
Read the bones to discover the story written in them. Students will be introduced to the world of forensic science and learn how to identify pathologies (evidence of trauma and disease) found on a variety of animal bones.
Boneheads: A Peek Inside the Past
Are those teeth built for crunching plants, slicing meat, or a bit of both? What do the extra openings on the skull mean? Through guided observation, and group discussion, students will build their skills in biology and critical thinking while getting up close with some amazing real and replica skulls.
9th - 12th Grade Programs
Animal Pathology
Animal Pathology introduces students to forensic osteology in animals. After an introduction to bone pathology, students are placed in groups with the mission of unveiling what caused the abnormalities in the specimens. The activity is hands-on and students are engaged Socratically throughout the activity to enhance vital critical thinking skills. Students will later report their analysis to the class.
Forensic Osteology: Human Skulls
Forensic Osteology: Human Skulls is a crime lab-based program focusing on the forensic investigation of various types of trauma to the human skull. After a basic introduction to skull osteology and lab procedures, students will break-up into teams using a variety of tools from their forensic science kit to evaluate and document key evidence to support their results. They will then defend their findings to the class. Museum quality replicas of human skulls-from actual crime scenes-are used in this program.
Forensic Pathology: Human Skulls
Forensic Pathology: Human Skulls is a lab-based program focusing on the deviation from a healthy or normal structure or function to reveal an abnormality, illness, or malformation of the human skull. After a basic introduction to skull osteology, pathology, and lab procedures, students will break-up into teams to analyze defects to the human skull and associated dentition through blended learning. They will then defend their findings to the class. Museum quality replicas of human skulls are used in this program.
Bone Detectives: Skull Secrets Revealed!
Become a bone detective! In this hands-on class, students will examine real and replica skulls to uncover the secrets they hold. By identifying skull features like fenestrae (skull openings) and analyzing tooth shape and structure, students will learn how scientists classify skulls into groups and figure out what kinds of food different animals eat.
College Level Programs
Animal Pathology
Animal Pathology introduces students to the world of forensic science. After a basic introduction, students will break up into teams to evaluate (hands-on) the pathology of specimens as to the possible cause(s) of the abnormality. After the analysis is completed, teams will report their findings to the class.
Forensic Osteology: Human Skulls
Locomotion and Skeletal Adaptations familiarizes students with a key feature to animal survival; locomotion. Much can be learned from observing the bones associated with motion: diet, predator-prey relationships, etc. Participants will observe skeletal features that define a particular type of movement, and then name that movement.
Forensic Pathology: Human Skulls
All animals have adaptations. Some help them to eat, while others help them from being eaten. In this class we will look at various osteological and external adaptations that help animals survive.
