Outdoor Environmental Education Programs at the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary

Connecting with Nature: Making a Difference for Conservation

Welcome to the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary

At the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary, our mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, wildlife and habitats for the benefit of humanity and the Earth’s biological diversity.

Education is our primary goal, both in Santa Fe and around the state. Our staff of environmental educators strives to promote awareness of the inter-relationship between people, land, and wildlife through environmental education.

Our outdoor environmental education programs offer hands-on, nature-based activities designed to complement your science curriculum and meet the New Mexico Life Science Standards & Benchmarks as well as the North American Association of Environmental Education’s Guidelines for Excel-lence. Our environmental educators effectively blend scientific concepts with literacy, math, history, and inquiry to provide an educational and inspirational experience. Each program combines discovery, investigation and outdoor exploration.

At the Randall Davey Audubon Center, your class will explore the natural world in the meadow, orchard, pond, canyon, and hiking trails throughout our 135-acre wildlife sanctuary nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

We look forward to seeing you!

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten (1.5 hours)

1st Grade (3 hours)

2nd Grade (3 hours)

Discovery WalksWildlife is all around us. All we have to do is observe! Using their five senses, our youngest scientists will investigate and observe the treasures of our wildlife sanctuary. Students explore our pollinator garden and the pinon-juniper woodlands, while also learning to respect nature and enjoy everything that it has to offer.

Nature’s Neighborhood What natural things share our space? Students explore our “natural neighborhood” to see how animals and plants get food, water, shelter, space, air, and sunlight at the Randall Davey Audubon Center. Students compare and contrast animals to determine the needs of various organisms, including people, pets, and wildlife. Students also discover the various non-living elements that are essential to survival!

Nature’s CyclesHow do animals, plants, and insects change through their life cycle? Students explore the life cycles of various living things at our sanctuary. Students become familiar with metamorphosis, as well as the gradual life stages of mammals, reptiles, birds and humans. Through investigations and an interactive hike, students have the opportunity to see and inquire about the various stages of many living things and understand that change occurs with growth.

The Hunted and the Hunters Who gets hunted and who hunts? Investigate the predators and prey and discover the con-trasting characteristics of mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, cottontail rabbits, birds, and deer. Explore the relationships between animals through an exploration of skulls, food webs, territory, and ecological balance.

Insect InvestigationsInsects are amazing! Students will discover the various life cycles of insects through observation and exploration and become familiar with the terms metamorphosis, egg, larva, and pupa. The various parts of insects will be discussed and compared with both spiders and other animals. Through our process of discovery, students will recognize the important role insects play in every habitat.

Programs at the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary

Join us and discover the diverse ecology and habitats at our sanctuary. Our 135-acre property includes pinon-juniper woodlands, ponderosa pine forest, expansive lawns &

pollinator gardens.

All of our programs provide for extensive exploration of the habitats that surround the sanctuary with scientific and experiential discovery.

Programs for 1st through 6th grades are 3 hours in length. Our Discovery Walks for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes are 1 1/2 hours.

We invite you to stay and enjoy lunch on the lawn after the program.

4th Grade (3 hours)Birds of a Feather Explore Together Part I What makes a bird a bird? Discover the physical and behavioral adaptations birds have made to successfully live in their environments. Students investigate bird anatomy and adaptations by studying real beaks and skulls, nests, eggs, and study skins. Meet our feathered friends up close as we learn to use binoculars and hike to observe and identify birds around our wildlife sanctuary.

Birds of a Feather Explore Together Part II We continue our discovery of birds by focusing on a deeper investigation of adaptations. This includes discovering the flap speed and wing span of various birds; participating in a game that simulates bird beaks; and learning how to use field guides to identify birds through silhouettes, field marks, beak shape and size. This program includes a bird watching hike that utilizes binoculars and all of our senses to locate birds.

5th Grade (3 hours)Ecosystem Explorations (additional 4-day option for SFPS scholarships only)Explore the biodiversity of various ecosystems by utilizing scientific skills to discover the elements of habitats. We will investigate the abiotic factors and the biotic factors including producers, consumers, and decomposers. Students gain a greater understanding of the interrelationship of living things, including human relationship, impact, and protection of natural resources through ecosystem explorations!

Geology of the Santa Fe CanyonDiscover the fascinating rocks, minerals, crystals, (and even fossils!) that surround the Randall Davey Audubon Center! Take an exploratory hike through the canyon into the mountains and uncover the geologic history embedded in the rocks. Distinguish between the processes that created each type of rock and learn how it is possible that we have aquatic fossils in New Mexico!

Watershed SleuthsWhat is a watershed? Take an exploratory hike through various ecosystems to investigate how water impacts the physical environment and determines what plants and animals thrive best in specific ecosystems. Test for dissolved oxygen, phosphates and nitrates, and look for macro-invertebrates as a signs of water quality. Discuss the impact of pollution to a watershed and how we can best protect our limited resources.

6th Grade (3 hours)

Wildlife DetectivesEven though animals often elude us, students discover the many signs that wild animals leave behind including tracks, feathers, nests, and burrows! Through inquiry and investigation, students solve animal mysteries and discover how the habitat can inform us about the animals that live there. Students will have the opportunity to create a field guide of animal tracks to take along on the trail.

Animal AdaptationsAnimals are fully adapted for survival. Every characteristic that an animal has helps it to either find prey or avoid predators. Through the examination of many specimens, students will discover the various fascinating adaptations that animals possess. Looking at animals through the lens of adaptation changes the way that students see the wildlife around them and helps them to understand their physical and behavioral characteristics.

3rd Grade (3 hours)

All About Birds:

With a hands-on examination of feathers, nests, eggs, skulls, bones, and study skins, students learn all about what makes a bird a bird. Bird adaptations are introduced to students through inquiry to develop an understanding of how birds fly, eat, and build nests.

K to 4th Grades

Bird Adaptations and Migration:

Students are introduced to the amazing adaptations of birds. Through an inquiry-based approach to exploring feathers, nests, eggs, skulls, bones and study skins, students will develop an understanding of bird behaviors, including migration. Various flyways will be introduced with a special emphasis on the migratory flyway through New Mexico to familiarize students with which birds pass through our state at various times of the year.

Birds of Prey:

Birds of prey have specialized adaptations suited to catching prey in the air, on land, and in the water. This program introduces students to birds of prey through investigation of their structure and behaviors. This class culminates with the dissection of real owl pellets. Includes additional materials fee ($2/per student).

Birds and Conservation:

As an indicator species, bird behavior reflects the state of environmental health through changes in habitat and migratory patterns. This program introduces students to birds through the lens of conservation and how shifts in bird patterns and behaviors reflect climate change, habitat loss, and pollution. Students will also be introduced to citizen science and making contributions to scientific data!

3rd to 8th Grades

3rd to 6th Grades 6th to 8th Grades

Program Pricing Guide

Grade Level Programs Program Length Cost No. of Students

Pre-K and K Discovery Walk 1.5 hours $100 18 or less

Grades 1st to 6th RDAC site program 3.0 hours $150 26 or less*

K to 8th Classroom Visits 1.0 hour $50** 26 or less

* Classes that exceeds 26 students will be charged an additional $25.00 fee. ** One-hour in class programs are $50 with the exception of the Birds of Prey class that includes an additional materials fee.

One Hour Life Science Discovery Programs in your Classroom

Audubon New Mexico is pleased to offer inquiry-based science programs all about birds. With a full array of specimens, feathers, nests, and eggs, we will visit your classroom and introduce your students to

various adaptations of birds while weaving a message about conservation throughout the exploration. All programs meet New Mexico Life Science Standards & Benchmarks.

Our 1-hour programs are offered in December, January and March only.

RDAC Outdoor Science Programs Scholarships:

A limited number of Program Scholarships are available to classes that qualify. Qualified classes must be 50% or greater in free and reduced lunch statistics. For application materials, please contact Dana Vackar Strang at dstrang@audubon.org.

Time: Classes are offered Tuesday through Friday for the fall and spring. Most programs occur in the morning, but other times are available. Please ask about available times when registering.

Special Requests: Program modifications or special requests must be approved in advance by the Education Department and at the time of your reservation booking. Please call for details if needed.

Transportation:Teachers are responsible for scheduling their own transportation to and from the Randall Davey Audubon Center.

Lunch:Feel free to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the lawn and/or explore our trails on a self-guided hike after the program at no additional charge.

Confirmation:Confirmation will be sent via email only and after reservations are complete. For scholarship recipents, applica-tions must be submitted prior to receipt of a confirmation notice.

Cancellation:Pre-payment for all programs is required. Once you receive your confirmation, you are required to send payment and return your completed contract prior to your trip or you will forfeit your reservation. Purchase orders, checks, or Visa or MasterCard payments are acceptable. If a cancellation is made at least one week in advance, you will receive a full refund. Classes cancelled within one week of your scheduled date will receive full tuition less a $25 administration fee, with the exception of classes cancelled due to inclement weather.

Directions to RDAC:From St. Francis Drive (US84/285), take Alameda east (towards the mountains). You will pass through several stoplights and 4-way stops. Eventually you will come to a light at Paseo de Peralta. Go straight, the road turns more residential at this point, and the Santa Fe River is on your right. You will meet 4-way stops at Delgado St. and Palace Avenue, and then the road will curve sharply to the right, and go over the river. At the next 4-way stop, which is the intersec-tion with Upper Canyon Road, turn left. Follow this road until it ends; it dead-ends in our parking lot. The last mile is a curvy dirt road.

To schedule a program, please call the Education Department at (505) 983-4609

or for more information visit http://nm.audubon.org.