One of our new school programs this year is called “A Snail’s Place.” This program was born when we discovered that kids don’t just dig snails, they love them. Whenever we bring out one of these plant-devouring gastropods, which we happily collect from our own garden, kids become transfixed in close observation. The excitement of a snail emerging from its shell and poking out one tentacle feeler at a time, the tactile sensation of their slimy foot moving across their hand, and the surprisingly quick responses of snails can hold kids’ attention for twenty minutes (that’s like two hours in kid-minutes). Snail observation also escapes the fear factor that comes with observing other bugs like our Madagascar hissing cockroaches.
At BCM, we are always working to make our programs less didactic and more inquiry based! Rather than delivering all the interesting snail factoids to passive students, we want our students to feel empowered to do their own research and share their findings. We composed a snail resource sheet for the kids to explore. The students can read and share the facts they find most interesting and compare their live snails to the anatomical diagram. Can they find their eye spots? Can they find their spiral shell? Can they find their breathing hole?
We collect scientific observations and questions as the students observe. Some questions we’ve collected from the public include: Are snails good climbers? How do you think they move? What’s the purpose of that slime? Why do they come out in the rain? What kind of habitat do you think they like?
Our final activity is to review the things that snails need in their environment to be happy. The kids venture outside to collect sticks, rocks and leaves to build the perfect snail habitat! They observe how the snails interact with their new environment. Do they seek out the shade or the light? Do they like to eat all kinds of leaves? The students add their most successful snail architecture to our permanent snail enclosure.
Stay tuned for tips on keeping your own classroom snail tank!