Explore Life with Polar Bears

 

Polar bears are uniquely adapted to live in the Artic. They have many traits that help them not only survive, but thrive, in some of the coldest places on the planet. I recently discovered one website that includes two virtual field trips to explore life with polar bears.

For students in grade K-5, there is Curious Creatures: Polar Bears on the Tundra Virtual Field Trip. Students experience the polar bear packed tundra with Polar Bears International and Discovery Education. Travel to the heart of polar bear action just outside of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada to see these curious creatures in action and discover the science of polar bears in this virtual field trip.

For students in grades 6-12, there is The Phenomena of Polar Bears Migration Virtual Field Trip. From the migration patterns of polar bears to the magic of the northern lights, the Artic is filled with fascinating phenomena. Students take a trip to Canada for the annual polar bear migration to learn all about the science of polar bears and their Artic habitat in this virtual field trip. Students can also join Polar Bears International and the Discovery Education team to connect with scientist, learn about the connections between climate change and habitats, and see polar bears in their natural Artic ecosystem on the shores of the Hudson Bay.

The website also includes a Tundra Connections Q&A Session video so all students, K-12, can learn more about polar bears. This virtual field trip is a great way to explore life with polar bears!

Happy Homeschooling!

Pop Central Popcorn

 

Our family recently went on a field trip with our homeschool group to Pop Central Popcorn and we discovered the best tasting popcorn ever! During the field trip, the students learned the history of popcorn through a couple videos. Then they were able to go back to the kitchen and see how they make regular popcorn. It tasted really good! We were not able to see or learn how they make their flavored popcorn, it is their secret, but we were able to taste a variety of flavors, and each person went home with a mini bag of their chosen flavor. Our family even bought a few more bags to bring home - apple crumb, candy corn, cheddar cheese, white cheddar - to enjoy throughout the week.

So if you are ever in Southeast Texas, call 409-347-7139 to schedule a field to Pop Central Popcorn located at 2612 Dowlen Road in Beaumont, Texas 77706.

Dolphin Research Center

Do you have a student who loves dolphins? The Dolphin Research Center has a new virtual field trip, video conference and distance learning program for all ages and grade levels. Thanks to web camera and internet technology, you can visit the Dolphin Research Center.


The studio-based programs are $95; but allows students to interact with an educator. Teachers and students have several programs to choose from. Each program is 30-60 minutes in length and includes pre-recorded video clips from around the facility as well as a question and answer session with a marine mammal expert.

Contact the Education Department at 305-289-1121 or email education@dolphins.org to schedule your distance learning experience.

Sheldon Lake State Park

Sheldon Lake StatePark and Environmental Learning Center is a 2,800-acre outdoor education and recreation facility located at 14140 Garrett Road, Houston, Texas 77044 managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Programs are free of charge on a reservation basis. Please note, a minimum of 1:10 adult to child ratio is required for most activities.

After visiting the park with our homeschool group, I would recommend choosing two 60-minute activities, break for a picnic lunch, and then choose an additional 30-minute activity. All programs are adapted to fit the needs of your group.

Each of the following activities is approximately 60 minutes:

• Nature Discover Walk - 1/4 and 1/2 mile
• Pond Food Web/Aquatic Adaptations - water quality testing and indicator species
• Fishing - catch and release (poles and bait provided)
• Bird Migration - adaptation activity and game
• Junior Ranger Badge - complete a minimum of five activities
• Geocaching 101 - GPS provided

Each of the following activities is approximately 30 minutes:

• Alternative Energy/Green Building
• Recycling and Composting
• Water Wise and Pollution
• Arts in the Park
• Alligator Adaptations and Safety
• Agents of Nature

Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center is a fun field trip for all ages! If you're ever in northeast Harris County, schedule a day trip and enjoy the great outdoors!

Happy Homeschooling!

Chambers House Museum

I would like to invite you to take a tour of the Chambers House Museum located at 2240 Calder Avenue in Beaumont, Texas. The house is open for tours Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.  Saturday tour hours are from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

The house was built in 1906 by a local lumberman who sold the house to the Chambers family in 1914. C. Homer and Edith Fuller Chambers moved into the home with their two daughters, Ruth and Florence. The family cherished this home for the rest of their lives. While the Chambers daughters did go off to college, both returned home and never married. Few changes occurred to the house or it’s furnishings in nearly 90 years of Chambers family occupancy.

The collection inside the house contains nearly all of the original family furniture and artifacts. Very little was thrown away and they rarely purchased anything new. A truly unique tour awaits anyone wishing to see how an upper middle class family lived life during the 1920’s through the 1940’s time period.

National Museum of Funeral History

Experience a unique museum unlike any other, featuring America’s largest collection of authentic, historical funeral service items. It’s the place to visit when you are dying to do something different!

 

Presidential Funerals – Take in the extensive display of actual items from the state funerals and burials of America’s great presidents. This section of the museum was an educational and historical experience; like the tribute to Abraham Lincoln’s passing. “The Lincoln Train is Coming!” That was the phrase repeated in 1865 all along a 1,666 mile long journey from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois – one of the epic railroad journeys in history.

 

Historical Hearses – Dozens of dazzling hearses trace the history of funerary customs, from the elegant horse-drawn funeral carriages of the 19^th century to the actual hearses used for two U.S. Presidents.

 

Coffins and Caskets – Discover the difference between a coffin and a casket, learn about early 1900s craftsmanship, and see unusual examples from the past.

 

History of Embalming – From the Ancient Egyptians to modern techniques, learn about the origins and methods of embalming, as well as its utter necessity during Civil War.

 

Thanks for the Memories – See artifacts, authentic printed memorial folders and memorabilia from recent celebrity funerals and those from decades past.

 

Pause to remember American heroes at special displays honoring the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and 9/11.

The National Museum of Funeral History is located at 415 Barren Springs Drive, Houston, TX 77090. Visit www.nmfh.org for more information.

Vermilionville

If you are ever in Lafayette, Louisiana, plan to visit the Vermilionville Living History Museum & Folk Life Park. Your group has the choice of either a guided or self-guided tour. If you choose the guided tour option, the tour guide will lead the group through the village. If you choose the self-guided tour option you will be provided with village talking points prior to your visit and brochures with a map to help you navigate your way through the village upon arrival. Please note, if you wish to use tour guides they must be scheduled in advance. And your group can add the following tour enhancements: dance lesson, cooking demonstration, rag doll craft, watershed exhibit tour or boat tour. Vermilionville provides an educational experience for children and young adults.

Visit http://www.vermilionville.org for more information.

Big Thicket National Preserve

Do you have a child that loves being outdoors and exploring God’s creation? If so, I highly recommend a field trip to the Big Thicket National Preserve in Kountze, Texas.

At the visitor center, you can look through exhibits to see examples of the plants and animals that call Big Thicket their home. There is a video to watch that details and explains the early settlers’ way of life. There are miles of trails to explore that lead you through towering trees, cypress sloughs, and bogs of carnivorous plants.

During a recent visit, my 11-year-old completed the requirements of the Junior Ranger Program. Junior rangers explore, learn about and protect national parks around the country. Any person of any age can become a Junior Ranger and earn a badge!

McFadden-Ward House

Completed in 1906, the McFaddin-Ward House stands as a testament to the Spindletop Oil Boom of 1901. Rancher W.P.H. McFaddin and his wife, Ida, aquired the house after a revolutionary oil gusher blew in on land they owned in Beaumont. The petrochemical industry as we know it today was born. The McFaddin's Beaux Arts/Colonial-style home with all its original furnishings provides a glimpse of the lavish lifestyle of a family that lived there for more than 75 years.

Reservations are strongly recommended for the guided tour of the house. Children must be at least eight years of age to take the guided tour.

Visitor Center: 1906 Calder Avenue - Beaumont, Texas - 77701

To make a reservation or for more information, please call (409) 832-2134.

The Railroad Museum

Imagine spending a day with TRAINS! You can tour several of the rail cars, take a ride on a caboose or share lunch in the dining cars! The Railroad Museum even offers a fun and educational “Scavenger Hunt”! Students learn a wealth of information regarding the history of railcars and railroading that made our country what it is today. The Railroad Museum has the world’s largest collection of railroad dining ware. They also have an inter-active display of lights and cross bucks that the children can activate by pushing buttons.

The Railroad Museum is located at 2602 Santa Fe Place, Galveston, Texas 77550. Visit http://www.galvestonrrmuseum.com/visitor-information.html  for more information!

Moody Mansion

The Moody Mansion, also known as the Willis-Moody Mansion, is a historical residential building in Galveston, Texas. The thirty-one room Romanesque mansion was completed in 1895. Today, guest visit twenty rooms on a tour that depicts the home life of a powerful Texas family. The Moody's established one of the great American financial empires. Based on cotton, it grew to include banking, ranching, insurance and hotels.

W.L. Moody Jr. bought the home soon after the great hurricane of 1900. The house remained home for Moody family members until 1986. Today, its rooms are filled with the furnishings and personal effects of the family. The philanthropic legacy of the Moody family is carried on today by the Moody Foundation and the Mary Moody Northen Endowment. Both charitable foundations are major forces in healthcare, education, historic preservation, and the arts.

Two audio tours allow you to set your own pace through the house and grounds. The Moody Family tour features six members of the Moody family telling stories about their ancestors. Mary's tour, appropriate for children and adults, is narrated by an actress portraying the late Mary Moody Northen as if she is guiding you through her home.

Visit www.moodymansion.org for more details.

 

USS Orleck Naval Museum

The USS ORLECK (DD 886) is a U.S. Navy Destroyer (Gearing Class). The ship was commissioned as a U.S. warship on September 15, 1945, and decommissioned on October 1, 1982, when she was transferred to the Turkish Navy where she operated as TCG YUCETEPE D345 for sixteen additional years, after providing thirty-seven years of meritorious service in Korea and in Vietnam, now is preserved as a Historic Museum Ship in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Experienced and knowledgeable guides walk you through history as you see what life was like aboard the USS ORLECK. Our homeschool group recently visited the USS ORLECK and our guide served four years in the Navy and was able to explain every area aboard the ship, it was a great field trip for all in attendance! Visit http://orleck.org for more information.

George Ranch Historical Park

 

 

Explore Four Generations: the 1830s Jones Stock Farm, the 1860s Ryon Prairie Home, the 1890s Davis Victorian Site, and the 1930s George Cattle Complex.

 

Embark on a trip through history with a visit to one of the earliest settlements of Northeast Mexico: the Henry and Nancy Jones Homestead. Interpreters recreate the conversations and daily chores, bringing life to Nancy and Henry Jones’ world – the gardens, farm, livestock, kitchens and homestead. Depending on the season, you might see “family members” tending the garden, caring for the livestock or performing domestic chores such as weaving or corn grinding.  Guests are encouraged to participate, so don’t be surprised if you are put to work in this fully hands-on environment.

• The Dog-Trot Log Cabin: Explore pioneer living at its finest with this 1830s log-cabin replica. Guests get the opportunity to pick up and touch almost everything at this site which creates a truly immersive experience.
• Summer Kitchen: Cooking before the modern kitchen could be quite a feat. Visit this outdoor kitchen which was used by the family almost year-round.
• Stock Farm Outbuildings: A stock farm was only as efficient as the various outbuildings which provided support for the daily operations. Tour the smokehouse, barn, chicken coop and hog pen and learn about these important extensions of the family home.

 

Picture life in post-Civil War Texas with a visit to the home of Polly Ryon and her husband William during the rapid expansion of their ranching operations. Learn about this remarkable second generation story amidst a time of both great struggle and great change in both Texas and the United States.

• Ryon Prairie Home:  Explore this Greek Revival home first built in 1851 for a first hand glimpse into the lifestyle of the unique family who lived and prospered here.
• Ryon Prairie Home Outbuildings: Explore the gardens, chicken coop, and pig pen which made a Ranch a home in the mid-19th century. Then take a short walk to discover a reproduction sugar cane press at the back of the property.
• Chuck Wagon Camp: Visit the chuckwagon camp and learn about the golden age of the cattle drive in this immersive outdoor environment.

Explore the waning days of the 19th century in the Victorian splendor of the Davis Complex. Learn about the third generation of the family at the Davis Mansion and then complete your tour by visiting the sharecropper farm and working blacksmith shop.

 

• The Davis House: Get a feel for the very proper Victorian era by touring the elegant Davis House. This beautiful home depicts a prosperous lifestyle in the 1890s, and is a favorite of visitors of all ages.
• The Original Family Cemetery: The family cemetery was established in the 1820s with the last burial in 1916. Many of the later generations of the family are buried in historic Morton Cemetery in Richmond.
• Oldenburg Blacksmith: Learn the importance of the blacksmith trade as you watch craftsmen at work. Following tradition, the blacksmith makes most of the simple metal tools and equipment needed on the Ranch today.
• The Sharecropper’s Farm: Step into the daily life of a working Sharecropper farm in the era after the Civil War. Learn how freed slaves and displaced soldiers survived by engaging in this often unfair system of tenant farming.
• Line Camp: Visit this rustic shelter used by the ranch cowboys to take refuge during the night while riding the extensive property lines. Learn how the cattle industry was forever changed when the open range was enclosed with barbed wire fencing.
• The Rail Car and Longhorn Pens: Explore an exhibit that presents the ways cattle were moved to market from this part of Texas … some went by trails, some by rails and even some by sails.  A group of ranch raised Longhorns are in an adjacent pasture.
  
  
  
  Mamie George, with her husband A.P.’s assistance, was the last descendent of Henry and Nancy Jones to oversee this ranching operation. Listen to the last chapter of this amazing family story and explore the home and barns which are original to the 1930s and 1940s.

• The George Ranch Home: Take a tour of the George Ranch Home which still stands where it was built at the turn-of-the-century (designed by renowned Galveston architect Nicholas Clayton). The house is still filled with many of the George family furnishings.
• Cowboy Barns and Working Pens: The original barns and working pens set the stage for our interpretive programs on ranching in the 1930s and 1940s. See the cowboys working cattle in the front pens (sorting, roping and more). Also, watch the cowboys tend to the cattle in the chute before sending them into one of the few dipping vats still in existence in the United States.
  Visit https://www.georgeranch.org/ for more information and to plan a visit!

 

The Health Museum

The John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science, or The Health Museum in short, is a museum in the Museum District of Houston, Texas. If you are in the Houston area, this is one stop you do not want to miss!


In the Amazing Body Gallery, you can take a larger-than-life- walking tour through the human body and learn about how your major organs work.


In the McGovern Theater, you can watch a health film. Currently featured film: The beauty of human skin in every color.


In the DeBakey Cell Lab, you don't need to be a scientist to enter, but you'll feel like one when you leave! Gear up with a lab coat, gloves and goggles and travel through experiment stations in both English and Spanish.


And the most educational part of the trip is watching a live dissection demo of a cow eye or a sheep brain performed by one of the museum science educators.


Visit http://www.thehealthmuseum.org/ for more details!

Colorado Canyon

Colorado Canyon is Beaumont’s leader in Family Entertainment, Birthday Parties, School and Church Groups. Our homeschool group recently had the whole place to ourselves and the kids had a fun time! Colorado Canyon features the following great attractions:

• Two 18 Hole Miniature Golf Courses
• Gemstone and Fossil Mining
• Awesome Arcade
• Whackies Candy Factory (like making candy art in a tube)
• Laser Lockdown (Laser Maze)
• Snack Bar w/Delicious Flatbreads, Boneless Chicken and More
• Large Redemption Counter
• Two Private Party Rooms
• Covered Porch / Pic-Nic table area

Visit http://coloradocanyonfun.com/ for more details.

Fire Museum of Texas

The Fire Museum of Texas is recognized as one of Texas' best FREE places to visit! The museum is dedicated to preserving fire service history and educating people about fire safety.


Explore the extensive collection of fire apparatus, including an 1856 Howe hand-drawn tub pumper with leather buckets, 1909 American LaFrance aerial ladder, 1926 American LaFrance pumper, 1931 REO Search Light Truck and more!


See the Gamewell Fire Alarm System, pull stations and communications equipment from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Learn about early firefighting equipment, including a wide assortment of antique fire extinguishers, nozzles, ladders, helmets, and more!


Students really can see what it's like to be a firefighter by putting on firefighting gear with a fire helmet, sitting behind the wheel in the cab of a real fire engine, and turning on all the lights to stimulate driving to a fire!


Bring the kids upstairs to the Fire Safety Activity Center to learn fire and home safety information while they play. And before you go, visit the Firehouse Gift Shop for a unique reminder of your visit; and take a picture with the world's largest working fire hydrant!


The Fire Museum of Texas is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. till 4:30 p.m. You may view the museum at your own pace or schedule a guided tour. I highly recommend the guided tour! A docent will lead your group through the museum and offer an overview and insight on the major collections and attractions. An educational and fun field trip for all ages!


Fire Museum of Texas
400 Walnut Street
Beaumont, TX 77701
409-880-3927

Naranjo Museum of Natural History

In 1960, Dr. Neal Naranjo began a lifelong quest to discover and preserve dinosaur bones. Each new fossil collected laid the foundation for the Naranjo Museum of Natural History located at 5104 South First Street, Lufkin, TX 75904.


Upon entering, you are greeted with a strata wall. The strata wall shows the different layers of stratum that are represented throughout the earth's history. Using it you can see just how far Paleontologists have to dig to find treasured fossils. From here, the museum takes you through the Precambrian era, the Ordovician era, the Devonian era, the Permian era, the Cambrian era, the early Silurian era, the carboniferous period, the Triassic period, and the Jurassic period. After you have walked through the age of dinosaurs, the museum takes you through the age of mammals. The museum also displays ancient civilization exhibits with jewelry from Egypt in addition to coins and pottery from the Greeks and Romans.


With a meticulous eye for rare finds, the Naranjo family has built a collection that rivals most urban museums. Visit the Naranjo Museum of Natural History to learn more.

Space Center Houston

Discover the excitement and wonders of space exploration at Space Center Houston!


NASA Tram Tour
This is your chance to go on site at NASA Johnson Space Center and get a behind-the-scenes look at space exploration.


Starship Gallery
Live the history of the space program. See flown Mercury, Gemini and Aplollo capsules and meet Robonaut I.


Independence Plaza
Go inside both a high-fidelity shuttle replica and the historic and original shuttle carrier aircraft NASA 905.


Astronaut Gallery
Explore one of the world's most comprehensive collections of spacesuits.


Blast-Off! Theater
Hear the latest about Curiosity, the Mars rover, and the future of human space flight.


International Space Station
See artifacts, space hardware and an amazing model of the orbiting laboratory.


There is so much to see and do at Space Center Houston; but this full-day adventure will leave you with many meaningful memories! Visit Space Center Houston for more details.

Art Museum of Southeast Texas

Since 1950, AMSET has provided the finest in exhibitions and arts education to all the people of Southeast Texas, free of charge, seven days a week. AMSET presents rotating exhibitions, on loan and from the permanent collection, of 19th-21st century American fine and folk art with an emphasis on regionalism.


Guided tours of the museum are available by appointment for guests of all ages. Visit www.amset.org to see a calendar of events, details on current and upcoming exhibitions, learn about educational programs, purchase AMSET publications, print out hands-on activities for children and more.


Admission: free


Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00, Saturday 10:00-5:00, Sunday 12:00-5:00, Closed Major Holidays


Address: 500 Main Street, Beaumont, Texas 77701


Online: www.amset.org

Newman's Castle

Mike Newman had a dream to build his own castle and in 1998 he broke ground on his mighty fortress. Newman's Castle, a one-of-a-kind custom creation, is located in Bellville, TX. The castle features its own moat, a massive working 3,000 pound drawbridge with an accompanying portcullis, a chapel, five round corner turrets, a courtyard, and a central keep with a dramatic view of the surrounding lands.

Newman's Castle is available for tours six days a week by reservation only. The tour and the lunch are $15.00 per person. The tour and lunch will last about 2 hours. Call 979-865-9804 to reserve your date!

After the tour, stop back by the bakery for some good sweets and take home treats!