for grades: 3 i 4 | 5
Symbols of New York
Offered at: Wildlife Education Campus or In-school
Description: Did you know that New York has 16 official state symbols? Why is each symbol special to our state? How does an official symbol get chosen? Discover the origins and facts about products made in New York in this fascinating hands-on program. Learn about the life cycles and history of our state mammal, reptile, insect, and fossil! The program begins with a discussion of the concept of “symbols”. The students will role-play as they become legislators. Students are then challenged to test their knowledge of each category of symbol… Is our official state fruit a blueberry or an apple? After taking a vote, the true symbol is revealed, followed by an interactive presentation of fun facts and artifacts. Maybe your class can nominate the next symbol of New York (we don’t yet have an official amphibian!)
Learning Objectives: Students will learn about the New York State Symbols through a guessing game for each symbol, and will end with role-playing as legislators to assign what the NY amphibian symbol should be. Students will learn concepts such as citizen science, symbolism, commerce, tourism, recreation, wildlife conservation, and habitat protection.
NYS Core Curriculum Standards:
3rd- Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits, & Weather and Climate: 3-LS4-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, & 3-ESS2-2
4th- Structure, Function, and Information Processing & Earth’s Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth: 4-LS1-1 & 4-ESS1-1
5th- Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems & Earth’s Systems: 5-PS3-1 & 5-ESS3-1
as a field trip
Program Length: 90 minutes
45-minute presentations/activities
30 minute guided hike
10-15 minutes in the Hall of Animals
Gift shop available upon request
Picnic area available upon request
Program Cost:
$250 for up to 25 students
Staff is free
Location: Wildlife Education Campus
(25 Boulevard, Cornwall-on-Hudson NY, 12520)
in the classroom
Program Length: 45 minutes
Program Cost:
$275 plus mileage cost, for the first program
$250 for each additional program on the same day