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Snapshot of the Past

Activity

Modern Animals in Ancient Environments

As you walk around the Park, take photographs of modern animals or landscapes that resemble the kinds of environments that prehistoric animals may have inhabited (such as large fields for mammoths, forested areas for giant ground sloths, and wetlands for dinosaurs)

Science Seed

During the Ice Age, Houston was home to giant animals like mammoths, mastodons, and saber-toothed cats. These animals lived in grassy fields and forests, similar to some of the landscapes we see today. By studying fossils, paleontologists can learn about the plants and animals from that time and how they inhabited and shaped the environment. Do you see how modern animals and plants that might resemble those from the Ice Age? This helps us understand how the Earth’s landscapes and ecosystems have changed over many thousands of years.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore the Memorial Park Conservancy

The mission of Memorial Park Conservancy is to preserve, restore, and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by