Programs Offered for Kindergarten
Read course information carefully for size limits and which programs are available at MNS or at your school.
Adapt to Survive
TEKS: Kindergarten: 2ae, 4b, 9ab
Students will learn about physical and behavioral adaptations that enable animals to live in many diverse Texas ecosystems. Students will explore which animals live in their neighborhood and understand the adaptations that allow those animals to survive in their urban backyard! Various taxidermy specimens, skulls, shells, and other objects will be used to engage students in a lively discussion for this program.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Auditorium Program
Class Size: 15-60 students at MNS; 15-30 students at your school
Available at MNS or your school
Ancient Inquiry: Finding Fossils and Discovering Dinos
TEKS: Kindergarten: 2ace, 4a, 9a, 10a
Our dynamic Earth – and the life on it – has continued to change over millions of years. Scientists use clues hidden in rocks to unravel mysteries of ancient habitats, dinosaurs and other organisms that lived and died on Earth. Explore rocks, fossils and compare ancient life to animals of today. Explore evidence that gives us clues to how life existed and evolved over time, including an examination of dinosaur and other rare fossils from our Earth’s past!
Duration: Standard 50-minute Auditorium Program
Class Size: 15-60 students at MNS, 15-30 at your school
Available at MNS or your school
Dig Those Dinos
TEKS: Kindergarten: 1a, 2ace, 4a, 9a, 10ab
Take on the role of a paleontologist in a journey back into prehistoric times through a variety of hands-on centers. Students will have the opportunity to hear dinosaur facts, learn about fossils, see and touch fossil replicas, and discover how dinosaurs lived, what they ate, and who ate them!
Duration: Standard 50-minute Classroom Program
Class Size: 15-25 students
Available at MNS only
Do Bugs Bug You?
TEKS: Kindergarten: 1a, 2abced, 4ab, 9a, 10ab
There are lots of insects in the world, but not all of them are bugs. Students will gain an understanding of insect characteristics and how insects are a unique part of the animal kingdom. Take on the role of a junior entomologist at hands-on centers collecting data for individual lab reports to take back to school.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Classroom Program
Class Size: 15-25 students
Available at MNS only
Earth Explorers
TEKS: Kindergarten: 1a, 2abce, 3a, 4b, 5a, 6a, 8a, 10a
Rocks can be found everywhere – our Earth is one huge rock. Young geologists will investigate rocks of various types to examine attributes such as shape, size, color, texture, luster, and weight. Gain knowledge of a geologist’s role and how they classify rocks into three groups according to the major Earth processes that formed them. Learn that not all rocks are the same and how they story of a rock’s formation is told by the rock itself.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Classroom Program
Class Size: 15-25 students
Available at MNS only
Engineer It: Basic Builders
TEKS: Kindergarten: 2be, 3c, 5a, 6cd
Pushing, pulling, and lifting are common forms of work, and a machine is a tool used to make the work of humans easier. In this interactive program students will explore the principles of simple machines and how they work. Each student will take on the role of an engineer working collaboratively as a team to build machines using LEGO® Simple Machine kits.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Classroom Program
Class Size: 15-25 students
Available at MNS or your school
Insect Investigations
TEKS: Kindergarten: 2abcd, 4ab, 9a, 10ab
One lucky student will become a bug in our interactive audio-visual program with examples of living and preserved insect specimens. Learn about our dependence on insects for food production, they types of metamorphoses, and insect anatomy and function.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Auditorium Program
Class Size: 15-60 students
Available at MNS only
Leonardo’s Workshop
TEKS: Kindergarten: Language Arts: 1a, 10a; Science: 2abde, 3bc, 4b, 5a, 6a; Art: 1a, 2a, 2c; Math: 8c
Our world is full of many beautiful colors! Colors chosen by artists help them to express their feelings and emotions. In nature many insects and animals are attracted to certain hues, and some of their own pigmentation helps protect them from predators. If we look outside after a rain storm we often see a colorful rainbow. Encourage your students to build science readiness while observing a color and light demonstration, exploring color at hands-on activity stations, and expressing emotion using colorful oil pastels to create individual artwork.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Classroom Program
Class Size: 15-25 students
Available at MNS only 
Magnet Mania
TEKS: Kindergarten: 2abde, 4a, 5a, 6abcd
May the force be with you! Experience a hands-on approach to understanding the power of magnetism. Students will gain knowledge of different kinds of magnets, and what magnets can do while engaging in a variety of magnetic activity stations.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Classroom Program
Class Size: 15-25 students
Available at MNS or your school
Organella’s Inside Story
TEKS: Kindergarten: 2abde, 4b, 9ab
In many ways, the human body is just like a machine. Meet Organella, a child-sized stuffed doll that will enable your students to peek inside her body to explore some major body systems. They’ll hear how these systems work together and visit hands-on stations to discover more about their amazing bodies and ways they can keep them fueled and healthy!
Duration: Standard 50-minute Classroom Program
Class Size: 15-25 students
Available at MNS or your school
Plant Path: The Basics of Botany
TEKS: Kindergarten: 1a, 2acde, 9ab, 10abcd
Take on the role of a botanist as you dissect a lima bean to learn more about the structure and importance of plants on Earth. Students will also visit hands-on plant stations to understand the “magic” of seeds and prepare a take-home activity so they can predict and observe plant growth at their own pace.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Classroom program
Class Size: 15-25 students
Available at MNS or your school
Portable Universe
TEKS: Kindergarten: 1ab, 2abe, 3c, 6cd, 8bc
Gaze at the enigmatic beauty of the night sky and learn the exotic names of those heavenly bodies from the comfort of… almost anywhere! We’ll bring the stars to you with our state-of-the-art digital portable planetarium. This program is well-suited for both cultural and scientific studies. Students will be guided through the movement of planet Earth and experience how sunrise and sunset can affect each day. Explore star movement, color and brightness, and learn how to locate stars and constellations. Since this program is offered across multiple grade levels, content is tailored to meet the learning needs of each specific age group. This program is a perfect way to introduce students to the wonders of the solar system or supplement an upper-level study of astronomy.
Duration: 50-minute Classroom Program
Class Size: 10-30 students (depending on students’ age)
Requirements: Large air-conditioned indoor room with dimensions of at least 25 ft. X 25 ft. and 13 ft. overhead clearance; 110 V electric outlet
Available at your school only
Urban Nature Walk
TEKS: Kindergarten: 2a, 3ab, 4b, 9ab
Join one of our Museum Naturalists for a guided walk in our own backyard! With the aid of field guides and binoculars, students will identify and learn about urban wildlife, explore various habitats and learn about the diversity of life within the confines of the Metroplex. This program can be adapted for all grades and helps to reinforce food webs, pond ecology, adaptations and biodiversity. The nature walk is available during any season, so please instruct your class to dress accordingly.
Duration: Standard 50-minute Outdoor Program
Class Size: up to 25 students
Available at MNS only
