SCHOOL TOURS: HANDS-ON EDUCATION
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Look at those smiles!
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Alligator Bayou, located in the 17,000-acre Spanish Lake Basin, is on the Mississippi River Flyway, so this habitat teems with life. Students get acquainted with resident and migratory birds, nutria, gators, snakes, the cycles of the swamp and the importance of preserving the wilderness.
In this living classroom, all students can touch and pet several interesting swamp creatures.
The fenced and covered Alligator Queen is appropriate for all ages and is also handicap friendly. Tours on our 49-passenger boat are available year-round and scheduling is flexible.
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Alligator Bayou Tours offers school groups an exciting learning opportunity. Students of all ages are invited to enjoy an in-depth experience of Louisiana history, culture, ecology and wildlife while learning how to preserve this precious resource for their own children and future generations.
“Reclaiming Our Heritage: An Educator’s Guide to Alligator Bayou & The Spanish Lake Basin” was created by Alligator Bayou and Bluff Swamp Wildlife Refuge through the support of the Lake Ponchartrain Basin Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It was written for middle and high school students, but is adaptable to students of all ages. Each chapter features an introductory overview, diagrams and charts on a variety of lessons built around language, math, social studies and earth science.
Curriculum guides are available with your tour.
- Informative and fun presentations
complete with hands-on lessons - Special presentations on Native American, Cajun
and other Louisiana cultures, music, ecology and science - Bag lunches on the bayou-side pavilion
- One-pot meals such as jambalaya, gumbo,
etouffeé or red beans & rice. - Wildlife rehabilitator with live birds
- WILDLIFE REHABILITATION PRESENTATION
A licensed rehabilitator gives a presentation for approximately 45 minutes to one hour. There are animals included in this presentation.
- AFRICAN-AMERICAN STORYTELLING AND DOLLMAKING
An African-American dollmaker talks about her life and heritage and shares her experiences through doll making.
- CAJUN DANCERS
One to three couples, in costume, demonstrate Cajun dancing to the children and give them lessons.
- TURTLE AND ALLIGATOR EXHIBITS
A visit to the 2800 gallon Alligator Snapping Turtle Exhibit and the 10 acre Alligator Pit with staff naturalists along the viewing boardwalk.
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Tour Guide Jim Ragland performs an experiment on eco-conservation.
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Your visit can also include:
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ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES: To run concurrently with the tour
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"It was a really good hands-on learning experience for the children. We experienced so many different things--plants and animals, the music, the history of zydeco. All of the children had a great time. They said it was awesome. It's the biggest outdoor classroom I've ever been to." Laurell Cliburn, Teacher & Trip Coordinator Forest Heights Elementary School |
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Our bayou side pavillion is perfect for lunch.
Hands-on swamp lessons
The kids pull up a cage full of crawfish and a wriggling Louisiana snake!
The children are delighted with the size
of this big turtle.
Future conservationists?
Look at these babies.