Scavenger Hunt Questions Aligned to NGSS

The eight practices of science and engineering that the Framework identifies as essential for all students to learn and
describes in detail are listed below. Appropriate grade levels according to NGSS standards posted at end of each of the eight
practices: K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

2. Developing and using models K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3. Planning and carrying out investigations K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
4. Analyzing and interpreting data K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
6. Constructing explanations (science) and designing solutions (engineering) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
7. Engaging in argument from evidence 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Appendix%20F%20%20Science%20and%20Engineering%20Practices%20in%2
0the%20NGSS%20-%20FINAL%20060513.pdf
TEACHERS: The questions in this Scavenger Hunt are open
ended. Your students can use virtually any part of the exhibit
that they choose to answer most of these questions. You
can customize your own scavenger hunt by choosing only
the questions that apply to the lessons you are teaching your
students: copy a question, and paste it into a document. Two
pages of questions should be enough, but who knows your
kids better than you do? Remember, we want our kids to
explore, engage and think.

Name: _____________________
Directions: Take your time and really look at the exhibits: the animals, the plants and the land.
Fill in blanks below based on your observations, you will have to think about the answers and
come up with them yourself. The few questions marked with an are ones you may need to
read a sign to answer. It is best to read through all of the questions on this page before you begin
your walk through the exhibition. Be prepared to discuss your experience with your classmates
when you are back in your classroom. Make sure that you have fun and learn a lot!

1. Describe one of the hands on activities and tell what you learned by using it ______________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Name an animal that is eating and what it is eating __________________________________
3. Describe and find the name of an animal that has two or more colors on its body and is hard to
find because it blends in with its habitat:___________________________________________
4. Choose any animal, describe its adaptations and tell how the adaptations help it to survive in
its habitat ___________________________________________________________________
5. Choose any plant, describe its adaptations and tell how the adaptations help it to survive in
its habitat ___________________________________________________________________

6. In the patio area, find an animal that you have seen in the area where you live and tell what
you observed it doing when you saw it_____________________________________________

7. Turn the knob once or twice on the “Where does San Diego’s Water Come From?” board.
 How much of our clean drinking water comes from local sources? ____________________

How much comes from 700 miles away? _________ From 1,000 miles away? __________

Why is this a problem? _________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

8. In the patio area, choose the most interesting insect on the patio screen which is the orange,
white and aqua wall. A) Write down its name. B) Is it native to southern California?
C) Why do you find it interesting? D) Draw and label a picture in the space below to help you
remember details about it.

A) ___________________________________________________________________

B) ___________________________________________________________________

C) ___________________________________________________________________

D) Draw

9. In the patio area, A) find and name an animal that has adapted (had to figure out ways) to live
with humans because humans moved into its habitat. B) Describe what the animal has done to
adapt to the presence of humans in what used to be natural habitat.

A) ______________________________________________________________________

B) ______________________________________________________________________

10. In the riparian area with the aquariums, read the sign under the tank with the fish in it.

A) Are these fish native to southern California? ________________________________

B) What problem is caused by these fish? ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
11. In the chaparral area (Story in the round) that describes how wildfires affect southern

California, name three different animals and write what each animal does to survive wildfires.

1) _____________________________________________________________________

2) _____________________________________________________________________

3) _____________________________________________________________________

12. What is the most interesting thing you learned by watching the desert at night presentation?

_________________________________________________________________________

13. Why do find it the most interesting thing in the desert at night presentation?

__________________________________________________________________________

14. Name and describe a plant that you are surprised to find in the desert. What adaptations
does it have to help it survive the dry heat in the desert? ( Look up more information back in your

classroom if you need to). ______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

15. Turn the handle on the model of the mountain and observe what happens to the forest.
Describe what has happened to the mountain forests over the past 20,000 years and what
has caused it. _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Why is this a problem? _____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
16. Name an animal in a burrow. Why do you think it is in the burrow? ____________________
_________________________________________________________________________
17. Find an animal chasing or eating another animal. Which is the predator and which is the prey?
Predator: __________________________ Prey: _____________________________

18. Name and describe something you can climb through _____________________________
________________________________________________________________________

In what habitat is the item you climbed through? __________________________________

How does the item benefit animals in the habitat? _________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
20. The giant mud core next to the wetlands shows some of the animals that live in the mud in
estuaries. In real life, the animals are too tiny for us to see. The mud core shows them at 10
times their actual size. Read the signs on the wall behind the mud core. Choose two animals
and describe their “superpowers,” which are really their adaptations.
1) _____________________________________________________________________

2) ______________________________________________________________________

21. Name an animal listed as threatened or endangered: ____________________________

What is causing it to be in danger of extinction? _________________________________

22. Circle the name of your favorite habitat: Wetlands, Torrey Pines, Coastal Sage Scrub (Patio),

Riparian (rivers, streams and vernal pools), Mountains or Desert.

A) Describe it (dry, wet, hills and canyons, mountains, snow) _______________________

______________________________________________________________________

B) What are some of the animals that live in this habitat? ___________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

C) What adaptations do the animals have that help them to survive in this habitat? ________

_______________________________________________________________________

23. When you are upstairs in the attic, use a phone and choose a person’s story to listen to.

A) Whose story did you listen to? ______________________________________________

B) What do you think was the most interesting part of their story? _____________________

______________________________________________________________________

24. When you are downstairs in the back room, examine ….

25. On the Riparian wall, next to the aquariums, what is the most interesting thing you read

about? _________________________________________________________________

Explain why this is interesting to you:__________________________________________

26. Explore the Chaparral area in the story in the round theater exhibit. Describe the pattern of
 wild fire and life renewing itself. _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

27. Explore the inside of the silver air stream. What did you find interesting? ___________

______________________________________________________________________

Describe why you found it interesting: ________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

28. Touch the top of the map of southern California that is at the entrance to the Coast to Cactus
exhibition. Move your hand across the map from left to right…from west to east. Describe
what the bumps and smooth areas represent:____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
How does the land change as you move from the ocean to the desert (from right to left –from
west to east)? ____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
How does this help you understand how the different habitats in southern California blend
into each other as they move inland from the coastal areas toward the desert areas? _____
________________________________________________________________________
Does the difference in elevation influence what type of habitat is found in the area? _____
Explain your answer: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

29. If you explored the “Different Beaks for Different Needs” hands on activity near the estuary,
compare the three different beaks and explain the differences between them. _________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Describe how each beak benefits each different species of shore bird. ______________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Do the differences in the beaks cause the different birds to compete for the same food
sources? ____________________ Justify your answer____________________________
________________________________________________________________________

30. Find a picture that shows southern California as it looked in the past. You may find post
 cards downstairs or you may look at the big screens upstairs to see changes that happened

over the years. Based on what you see in the pictures, would you want to live in the time

period that the picture was taken or would you rather live in the present? _________________

List examples from each time period to defend your answer; perhaps make a graphic

organizer to compare the two time periods to defend your choice.

31. Using the monitor on the directional post at the entrance to the exhibition, examine the

differences in the current temperature between two different areas in southern California.

Please use the chart below to record your observations and reasoning.

Area #1 and Area #2 and Calculate the Formulate an explanation about why the
Temperature Temperature Temperature temperatures in these two areas are different.
difference
Coast vs Mountains

Canyons and vs Desert

Streams

32. A) In the mudflats, what are some different textures that you observe on the bodies of animals
that live there? ____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
B) How do these textures, which are adaptations, help the animal to survive in its watery
habitat? ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

33. Look through the drawers in the wooden cabinets on the wall opposite the rocks found in
the Torrey Pines exhibit. The drawers have light green fronts and invite you to look inside.
 Choose two plants to read about and learn how Native Californian’s used the plants. You
will be surprised to find that many plants were used as medications.

A) List the two plants you chose and note what each was used for:

Plant #1: Name ___________________________ Uses: ________________________

________________________________________________________________________

B) Plant #2: Name ___________________________ Uses: ________________________

________________________________________________________________________

C) What else did Native Californians use some of the plants for in their daily lives? _______
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

D) Does your family use a plant for any reason other than decoration? ___________
Please give the name of the pant and tell what your family uses it for: _______________
______________________________________________________________________

34. Upstairs: A) At the glass tables, what is the question presented to the public? ___________

__________________________________________________________________________

B) What is your response or drawing to the question? _______________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
C) Did you place your comment card on the tree for all to see? ________________________

35. Do you have a favorite memory of Southern California? Please share your memory in as

much detail as you would like: _______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Last Q: Which area of the Coast to Cactus exhibition would tell a friend to be sure to go? “DO
NOT MISS IT!” _________________________________________________________
Why would you want to make certain that your friend sees that area? What was

interesting, cool, or amazed you about the area or item? ____________________

__________________________________________________________________