Fall 2009 - Spring 2010
9:30 am - 12:00
pm
Funded in part by:
Around the Bend Nature Tours is delighted to announce our ninth year of cultural and ecology based field trips and activities for Homeschool families. All trips are sponsored by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. We will be using the watershed as an overarching concept and incorporating local history and ecology at each site.
With your $10/family field trip registration fee you receive
Sign up for all five field trips and save 20%! Five for the price of four!
The Rye Thanksgiving Feast will require an additional Feast Cost of $5 per person - max $20/family, in addition to the $10/family registration fee.
Our guides are professionally certified by the National Association of Interpretation, the University of Florida Master Naturalist Program and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and are continually updating their training.
If you have attended our activities before, join us this year also. We update our material regularly and always have something fresh. Some of the themes and activities are used each year, but repetition is good for kids – it helps set facts in their mind and as they grow they are able to understand different concepts.
Wednesday October 21 : Emerson Point, Palmetto ~ Native American Life ~ Walk back in time 1000 years and learn about the Native American Mound builders and the villages of Emerson Point at the largest remaining Native American temple mound on Tampa Bay. Students will interact with replica tools to demonstrate Native American Technology; try their arm at atlatl throwing (using skill, not strength); walk the trails of this Indian village and taste foods of the era with a sample of smoked mullet.
Thursday, November 19 : Rye Preserve, Upper Manatee River, East County ~ Pioneer Thanksgiving ~ Join us for our Annual Cracker Thanksgiving at Rye. This is a reservation only event, since we have such a super turnout – we encourage the entire family to participate in this covered dish feast. Hike to one of the first cemeteries on the West Coast. Learn about the hardy pioneers who settled this ancient dune. We will also be investigating how development is impacting the Upper Manatee River and its watershed. (Feast Cost $5 per person - max $20/family + $10 field trip registration fee)
Wednesday, January 13 : Fogartyville Cemetery, Manatee River, Bradenton ~ Local Maritime History ~ Explore another of the oldest cemeteries in Manatee County. This one has a special section that was set aside for the poorest of Manatee’s citizens who were often black. When well-to-do families moved here before the Civil War, they brought their slaves with them, but they were often not even mentioned, or counted in a census of residents, so their history is often obscure. Learn the challenges of burying in a swampy, tidal watershed. Take rubbings of the old headstones. Sample some of the Fogarty Brothers Ship Stew and have a picnic near the ancient Cedar tree.
Wednesday, March 10 : Manatee Mineral Springs, East Bradenton ~ Archaeology & Settlement ~ History Learn archaeological methods, mapping skills and take a walking tour around this community’s earliest neighborhood. This was the site of a very important fresh water source first for Native Americans and then the pioneer settlers of Manatee. Discover how the water source and it’s location near the Manatee River shaped the history of the area. Learn how the mineral spring affects the watershed and drainage even though it is now capped off. Afterwards, you may wish to drive across Manatee Avenue and walk through Manatee Historical Village for more examples of early architecture. Admission to the Village is Free. There are picnic tables available at both locations.
Tuesday, April 13 EVENING 6pm: Ken Thompson, Sarasota Bay ~ Dip Net Critter Catching and Identification ~ Note this is an evening field study to allow for low tide. We will take dip nets into the grass flats of Sarasota Bay to discover the many animals that start their life cycle in the estuary. We will discuss our impacts on the watershed and how that can affect the lives of these animals that are trying to survive in the “nursery of the sea”. Closed-toed water shoes are a must! (Old sneakers are great!)
or call (941) 794-8773 to schedule your trip today!
