The programs at Lost River Cave are designed to educate and enrich lives through connections with nature.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” –Albert Einstein
EDUCATION
Schools - Covid-Friendly Educational Programs
This program discusses and examines minerals and rocks with hand samples and lecture. Students will also complete experiments testing both physical and chemical properties to identify unknown minerals!
Grade Level: 3-6
Activity: 1 hour
Objectives: This program uses both traditional lecture and hands-on experimentation. The students use information presented to them, applied to the results of the hands-on experiment, to determine answers. At the end of the program students should be able to:
- Name and identify three main rock types
- Describe how a rock and mineral differ
- Investigate rock and mineral specimens
- Explain the connection between the different rock types
This program is intended to exhibit examples of karst landscape on a walking tour of the park. Students will learn about different features of the karst geography and how they form.
Grade Level: 4-5
Activity: 1 hour
Objectives: This program is designed to be a “talk and hike”. The goal is to encourage the students to observe the areas around them and ask questions. By the end of the program, they should have a better understanding of:
- What Karst is
- How Karst features form
- Be able to recognize Karst features they see in their daily lives
This program is intended to exhibit examples of food, water, shelter, and space on a walking tour of the wetland. The students will learn about different ways the wetland provides these services for the birds that inhabit it and how animals needs closely resemble our own!
Grade Level: K-2
Activity: 45 minutes
Objectives: This program uses movement, sound, mimicry, real-life examples, and art to introduce students to habitat. By the end of the program the students should be able to:
- Define simple bird related vocabulary
- Name and identify three common wetland birds by sight and sound
- Describe at least one, and up to four, habitat needs a bird must have to survive
Need more information? Please email Paige at paige@lostrivercave.org or call 270.393.0077
Girl Scouts
Lost River Cave supports the efforts of the Girl Scouts of America by providing award and badge program opportunities. The park also serves as a wonderful site for Gold Award Projects.
Hiker
Girls will experience a safe and fun hike at Lost River Cave by learning how to pack the right gear and snacks for a hike. Scouts will learn about the free trails at Lost River Cave that can be used any time and will also learn observation skills while hiking. They will practice “Leave No Trace!” hiking on their adventure. There are additional materials each girl should bring; these are not only for safety but also to complete all badge requirements.
Additional materials each girl should bring:
- Hiking clothes
- Light jacket
- Sturdy shoes
- Water bottle
- Backpack
- Small first-aid kit
- Small notebook
- GORP (raisin and peanut snack mix)
Time: 2 hours
Program Cost: $13.00/ scout with a minimum of 5 scouts
Geocacher
Learn what geocaching is and go on a geocaching adventure at Lost River Cave! Girls will learn about GPS coordinates and how to use a GPS receiver. The troop will also learn how to use the geocaching website and learn about travel bugs.
Time: 2 hours
Troop pre-requisite before arriving at Lost River Cave: Make a trade item (Step 3 in Geocacher badge book).
Program Cost: $13.00/ scout with a minimum of 5 scouts
Need more information? Please email Paige at paige@lostrivercave.org or call 270.393.0077
Boy Scouts
Lost River Cave supports the efforts of the Boy Scouts of America by providing award and badge program opportunities for the Rank of Tiger up to Boy Scout. The park also serves as a wonderful site for Eagle Scout Capstone projects.
Webelos Walkabout
Scouts expand their knowledge of hiking by planning and leading activities and learning safety and nutrition for a successful hike.
Troop pre-requisite before arriving at Lost River Cave: Requirement 4 should be completed before coming to the park and brought with you. In addition, Requirement 2 can be completed prior OR the supplies to compete it can be added to the cost of the program fee.
At the end of the program Scouts will have experienced:
- Planning a hike
- Assembling a First-Aid kit
- Local poisonous plants and dangerous animals
- Hiking nutrition
- Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace
- Hike 3 miles
- Completed a service project
- Perform a leadership role
Time: 2 hours
Grow Something!
Scouts experience growing and nurturing plants.
This program completes 3 requirements and partially fulfills the remaining two.
At the end of the program Scouts will have experienced:
- Planting a seed
- Local growing zone
- Local domesticated plants
- Making a terrarium
- Hydroponics
*To complete this activity after the guided program, Scouts will need to continue to monitor and record growing plants as stated in the requirements 1 and 5.
Time: 2 hours
Plant Science
Scouts join Lost River Cave staff to complete the field methods portion of this program.
This program meets all the hands-on field methods activities to complete Option 3 of Requirement 8, namely sections A, B, and F2.
At the end of the program Scouts will have experienced:
- Species inventories
- Organism classification
- Transect studies
Time: 3 hours
Need more information? Please email Paige at paige@lostrivercave.org or call 270.393.0077