Welcome fellow Adventurers, Mr. Marc here!
Today on Adventure to Fitness, we were on a rescue mission! Professor Maddison had
gone missing while exploring Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and it was up to us to find
her. During our search we outran a cougar, survived a bat barrage, and stepped in a
bunch of guano. Yuck! We also climbed up, through, and down all kinds of rocks, dodged a
falling stalactite, and explored the Big Room of Carlsbad Caverns.
Thanks to Adventurer Devin, we learned all about Carlsbad Caverns, the eighth wonder of
the world. We learned that there are 116 caves found in Carlsbad Caverns and that caves
are filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Stalactites form when mineral-rich water
drips from the ceiling to form a giant stone icicle. Stalagmites are the same thing, but
form on the floor to build up a spike of minerals. Some caves are so cold that it presents
the possibility of hypothermia. That’s where the body gets so cold that it can’t keep
functioning normally. We were also introduced to some of the animals that call this area
home, such as the nocturnal bat and the tiny scavenger shrew.
While we need to exercise our muscles to keep our bodies fit, we know we need to
exercise our minds, too. That’s why our team at Adventure to Fitness created these
additional “mind adventures” for you to share with your students. There’s one mind
adventure for each grade level, each incorporating the Next Generation Sunshine State
Standards. We’ve also included vocabulary and literature recommendations to increase
your students’ brainpower even further.
Remember Adventure Guides: Be swift, be safe, and be adventurers!
Mr. Marc, out!
VOCABULARY
1. CACTUS (noun): Any of various succulent, spiny, usually leafless plants native
mostly to arid regions of the New World, having variously colored, often showy
flowers with numerous stamens and petals.
2. CAVERN (noun): A large underground chamber, as in a cave.
3. CIRCULATE (verb): To move in or flow through a circle or circuit:blood circulating
through the body.
4. COMMUNICATOR (noun): An electronic device enabling individuals with physical
disabilities to communicate through LED displays, printed or electronic messages,
or synthetic speech.
5. EMBANKMENT (noun): A mound of earth or stone built to hold back water or to
support a roadway.
6. FERTILIZER (noun): Any of a large number of natural and synthetic materials,
including manure and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compounds, spread on or
worked into soil to increase its capacity to support plant growth.
7. GUANO (noun): A substance composed chiefly of the dung of sea birds or bats,
accumulated along certain coastal areas or in caves and used as fertilizer.
8. HYDRATE (verb): To supply water to (a person, for example) in order to restore
or maintain fluid balance.
9. HYPOTHERMIA (noun): Abnormally low body temperature.
10. NOCTURNAL (adjective): Of, relating to, or occurring in the night.
11. PLANT (noun): Any of various photosynthetic, eukaryotic, multicellular organisms
of the kingdom Plantae characteristically producing embryos, containing
chloroplasts, having cellulose cell walls, and lacking the power of locomotion.
12. SHIVER (verb): To shake with or as if with cold; tremble.
13. SHRUB (noun): A woody plant of relatively low height, having several stems arising
from the base and lacking a single trunk; a bush.
14. SPELUNKING (verb): The practice or hobby of exploring underground caverns.
15. STALACTITE (noun): An icicle-shaped mineral deposit, usually calcite or
aragonite, hanging from the roof of a cavern, formed from the dripping of mineralrich water.
16. STALAGMITE (noun): A conical mineral deposit, usually calcite or aragonite, built
up on the floor of a cavern, formed from the dripping of mineral-rich water.
SUGGESTED READINGS

Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies

Cactus Hotel (An Owlet Book) by Brenda Z. Guiberson

Caves and Caverns by Gail Gibbons

Carlsbad Caverns: America's Largest Underground Chamber (Famous Caves of the
World) by Brad Burnham

Carlsbad Caverns (Reading Essentials in Social Studies) by Sara Louise Kras

Carlsbad Caverns National Park (Heinemann First Library) by M. C. Hall

Here Is the Southwestern Desert (Web of Life) by Madeleine Dunphy

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

The Mellops Go Spelunking by Tomi Ungerer

The Truth about Bats (The Magic School Bus Chapter Book, No. 1) by Eva Moore

The Wild, Wild Southwest!: Junior Explorer Series Book 3 by Jeff Corwin
The Long and Tall of It
Suggested Grade Level: Kindergarten
Next Generation Sunshine State Standard: MA.K.G.3.1 Compare and order objects
indirectly or directly using measurable attributes such as length, height, and weight.
Overview: In this mind adventure, students will compare the length and height of objects
found in and around Carlsbad Caverns.
Content Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:
 Pencil
 ATF Worksheet
Time Required: 20-25 minutes
Procedures:
1. Talk about the definitions of length and height.
2. Provide examples of length and height.
3. Make comparisons of items found in the classroom, including the students.
4. Provide each student with an ATF Worksheet to complete individually.
5. Explain the directions to the class.
6. As a class go over answers.
Name: _____________________________________________________________
The Long and Tall of It
1. Circle the shrew that is longer.
2. Circle the cactus that is taller.
3. Circle the rock that is taller and longer.
Greater Than and Less Than
Suggested Grade Level: First Grade
Next Generation Sunshine State Standard: MA.1.A.2.1 Compare and order whole
numbers at least to 100.
Overview: In this mind adventure, students will compare amounts of various objects and
animal life found in and around the caverns.
Content Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:
 Pencil
 ATF Worksheet
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Procedures:
1. Review the importance of place value when comparing numbers.
2. Demonstrate comparing numbers for the students.
3. Provide students with a couple practice problems to be solved together.
4. Give each student an ATF Worksheet to complete individually.
5. Explain the directions to the class.
6. As a class go over answers.
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Greater Than and Less Than
Directions: Use the " > " (greater than) and the " < " (less than) symbols to make the
number sentences true.
1. 34 cacti
________
43 cacti
2. 80 bats
________
70 bats
3. 10 desert shrews ________
13 desert shrews
4. 67 stalagmites
59 stalagmites
________
A Bat’s Wingspan
Suggested Grade Level: Second Grade
Next Generation Sunshine State Standard: MA.2.G.3.1 Estimate and use standard
units, including inches and centimeters, to partition and measure lengths of objects.
Overview: The caverns are home to millions of bats that come in all shapes and sizes. In
this mind adventure students will measure bats and their wingspans.
Subject Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:
 Pencil
 Ruler
 ATF Worksheet
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Procedures:
1. Talk about the proper way to use a ruler to measure in inches.
2. Ask students to measure a couple common classroom items and compare results.
3. Provide each student with a ruler and ATF Worksheet to complete individually.
4. Explain the directions to the class.
5. As a class go over answers.
Name: ____________________________________________________________
A Bat’s Wingspan
Directions: Use your ruler to measure each bat’s wingspan to the nearest inch.
_____ inches
_____ inches
_____ inches
_____ inches
According to Mr. Clock…
Suggested Grade Level: Third Grade
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards: MA.3.G.5.3Tell time to the nearest minute
and to the nearest quarter hour, and determine the amount of time elapsed.
Overview: Mr. Marc always knows how long his adventures are thanks to Mr. Clock. In
this mind adventure students will determine how much time has elapsed during different
episode related events.
Subject Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:
 Pencil
 Dolly clocks (if possible)
 ATF Worksheet
Time Required: 15-20 minutes
Procedures:
1. Review elapsed time with the class.
2. Provide examples of elapsed time for the students to solve.
3. Give each student a dolly clock and ATF Worksheet.
4. Explain the directions to the class.
5. Have students complete the worksheet individually or in pairs with the help of a
dolly clock.
6. As a class go over answers.
Name: ___________________________________________________________
According to Mr. Clock…
1. Mr. Marc began spelunking at 3:00 pm. He finished his expedition at 3:45. How
long did Mr. Marc go spelunking?
2. Mr. Marc and Mr. Clock received a message from Professor Maddison saying she
was lost at 1:30 pm. They finally found her at 5:00 pm. How long did it take Mr.
Marc and Mr. Clock to find Professor Maddison?
3.The desert shrew began hunting a spider at 6:55 pm. He caught the spider at
7:05 pm. How long did the desert shrew hunt the spider?
4.Create your own time word problem using the characters from today’s episode.
Ask a classmate to solve it.
Bat Crazy
Suggested Grade Level: 4th Grade
Next Generation Sunshine State Standard: MA.4.A.6.1 Use and represent numbers
through millions in various contexts, including estimation of relative sizes of amounts or
distances.
Overview: The caverns are home to millions of bats. In this mind adventure, students will
estimate the number of bats found in the caverns.
Content Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:
 Pencil
 ATF Worksheet
Time Required: 20-25 minutes
Procedures:
1. Talk about the the definition of estimation and the reasons why we use it.
2. Provide examples of estimated numbers or sums.
3. Ask students to solve a couple practice problems.
4. Give each student an ATF Worksheet to complete individually.
5. Explain the directions to the class.
6. As a class go over answers.
Name: _____________________________________________________________
Bat Crazy
Directions: Estimate the number of bats by rounding to the specified place value.
1. Round to the nearest 100,000
a) 1,569,345 bats = _______________
b) 1,234,890 bats = _______________
c) 2,980,169 bats = _______________
2. Round to the nearest 100
a) 1,569,345 bats = _______________
b) 1,234,890 bats = _______________
c) 2,980,169 bats = _______________
3. Round to the nearest 1,000,000
a) 1,569,345 bats = _______________
b) 1,234,890 bats = _______________
c) 2,980,169 bats = _______________
Cave Tours
Suggested Grade Level: 5th Grade
Next Generation Sunshine State Standard: MA.5.S.7.1 Construct and analyze line
graphs and double bar graphs.
Overview: Carlsbad Caverns offers various cave tours to tourists. In this mind adventure,
students will compare the time it takes Mr. Marc and Mr. Lazy to hike some of Carlsbad
Cavern’s famous caves.
Content Area: Mathematics
Required Materials:
 Pencil
 ATF Worksheet
Time Required: 20-25 minutes
Procedures:
1. Talk about the purpose behind creating bar graphs.
2. Provide an example of a double bar graph.
3. Give each student an ATF Worksheet to complete individually.
4. Explain the directions to the class.
5. As a class go over answers.
Name: _________________________________________________________
Cave Tours
Directions: Create a double bar graph using the information below.
Cave Tour
Natural Entrance
Big Room
King’s Palace
Left Hand Tunnel
Lower Cave
Hall of the White Giant
Spider Cave
Mr. Marc
1 hour
1 hour 30 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes
2 hours
3 hours
4 hours
4 hours
Mr. Lazy
2 hours
3 hours
3 hours 30 minutes
4 hours 30 minutes
7 hours
6 hours 20 minutes
8 hours