Critter Club

Critter Club is an after school program for students in grades 1-3 that explores the natural world through wonder, discovery and investigation. Students are introduced to the living and nonliving elements that comprise nature, and the harmonious relationships that exist among the elements of the natural world.

Each week our young members are presented with the fundamental aspects of our environment through educational, hands-on activities that encourage creativity, imagination and the development of a keen sense of the natural world through experience within it.

Nature walks are a significant component of Critter Club. We often hike down Olive Street and connect with the nature trail to discover plant life, trees, animal homes, camouflage, geologic formations, tracks and wildlife. Through the development of observation skills and the acquisition of new concepts, members make discoveries every week and connect the various elements of the natural world.

Examples of class topics

At each meeting, we organize our activities around one topic. Every week is different. Some recent examples:

• Animal Tracks Learning about animals tracks helps us to identify the wildlife all around us. We learned about common tracks around PEEC and even made some of our own. Now, when we take our hikes down Olive Street we are able to identified the animals who live there.
• Camouflage One of the greatest animal adaptations is camouflage. Through an observational hike we learned to identify "unnatural" items and then we made our own and tried to challenge the other members to find them camouflaged into the bark and rocks.
• Trees, trees, and more trees Did you know that trees have a heart? Yes, its called heartwood and it helps the tree to stand tall and straight. They also have other fascinating parts, such as sapwood, cambium, and phloem, all designed to bring nutrients to the rest of the tree and protect it! Can you think of how many ways trees are important in your life?

Joining

Critter Club meets every Mondays from 4 - 5 p.m. Membership is $75 annually, and you can join at any time. Each additional child is $65. New members will receive a nature journal and magnifying glass.

Further Information

For more information about Critter Club activities or how to join, please contact Center@PajaritoEEC.org or call (505) 662-0460.