Outdoor School Course Descriptions & Activities
Academies are 3 day/ 2 night visits.
Excursions are a single day visit.
Units will be modified for excursions/day visits.
Elementary Curriculum
Aquatic Biology: Students will use a multitude of tools collect data and macroinvertebrates to determine
water quality hands-on in South Llano River.
Understanding Watersheds: Students will build a model to determine watershed, interact with a rainfall simulator,
learn about the riparian zone and identify its plants and how they affect the river.
Astronomy: Discover the phases of the moon, and relative positions of the Earth, Moon and Sun.
Identify constellations and use a telescope to look at the night's sky.
Night Predation: Dissect an owl pellet and learn about the adaptations of the great horned owl, before
going on an evening hike to look for owls.
Hiking/Naturalist: Learn hands-on about the native species on our campus as we identify and discover
their interconnected relationships and their adaptations to the environment.
Geology: A field adventure where students use tools to learn about minerals, sedimentary,
igneous and metamorphic rock and their characteristics.
Pedology: Students compare texture and permeability of soil samples, soil properties, and perform
soil tests hands-on.
Quail CSI: An in-depth investigation on adaptations as students determine predation of quail
nests by looking for clues.
Teambuilding: Using the three C's (communication, cooperation, and commitment) students learn to
function together as a group to accomplish goals on our low ropes course.
Biodiversity: Students will examine the interconnection of life and develop an appreciation for
the effects on human actions.
Circuits: Apply concepts about electricity and energy to build a variety of electrical circuits
using renewable and nonrenewable resources.
Lepidoptery: Learn the wonder of the butterfly's lifecycle and adaptations before embarking on
an outdoor adventure capturing butterflies.
Orienteering: A scavenger hunt designed to apply compass and map skills.
Secondary Curriculum
Aquatic Biology: River Study: While navigating the South Llano River by kayak, students use a multitude
of data and macroinvertebrates to determine water quality hands-on.
Field Ornithology: After studying bird anatomy, students will go into the field to observe and identify
Texas Hill Country birds.
Quail Necropsy: Students will examine and identify the internal structures of a bobwhite quail.
Wind Energy: Students are engineers in discussion of the pros and cons of energy sources before
building and testing their own wind turbine model.
Advanced Pedology: Students use the scientific method and tools to examine properties of soil and the
vegetation it sustains.
Advanced Watersheds: Study land/water interface and discover the importance of a healthy riparian.
Photovoltaic Cells: This unit focuses on harnessing the sun's energy using photovoltaic cells and electronic
equipment.
Stream Flow: Students become hydrologists and use integrated science and mathematics to determine the velocity of the South Llano River.
TTU Center at Junction
-
Address
Texas Tech University Center at Junction | 254 Red Raider Ln. | P.O. Box 186 | Junction, TX 76849 -
Phone
(325) 446-2301 -
Email
ttujunction@ttu.edu