San Marcos Discovery Center
On the left, a White-Striped Longtail butterfly gathering pollen from a lavendar colored blossom of salvia flower. On the right, a Buckeye plant in bloom with bright orange and red blossums.
Photos by Melinda Seib
Welcome to the San Marcos Discovery Center, a resource for the city's trails, parks, and the river. The San Marcos Discovery Center is dedicated to fostering a resilient community by promoting environmental stewardship and education. They offer information on native flora and fauna found here in San Marcos, as well as conservation efforts that are in effect to enhance the San Marcos River and surrounding habitat. Stroll through William and Eleanor Crook Park and enjoy the themed gardens. Inside the Center, you will find displays on many topics.
Location
430 Riverside Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666
512-393-8327
Hours of Operation: Weekdays 8 AM to 5 PM.
The Arboretum Trail
The Discovery Arboretum Trail will take visitors on a tour through various native and adapted woody shrubs and trees. Some of the trees are mature, while some are young and just beginning to establish and grow. The trail is located close to the Balcones fault line and showcases many species of woody trees and shrubs that can grow on either the Blackland prairie or the Edwards plateau, covering a range of habitats including riparian, mesic, and upland species.
The trail winds through the Discovery Center butterfly, bird, herb, grass, and cactus gardens that change beautifully with each season, highlighting plants that grow well in our region. Benches, fish ponds, rain catchment, and composting demonstration areas complement the trail, as does an insect hotel and a large old tree trunk. The insect hotel is home to native bees and other beneficial insects. The old rotten log is covered in fungi breaking down, demonstrating the cycle of decomposition and new life.
Pet Fish Drop Off and Adoption Services
The Discovery Center Pet Fish Drop-Off & Adoption program is intended to prevent non-native fish from entering the San Marcos River and competing with native species habitats. The public is invited to drop off or adopt a fish free of charge during business hours. To schedule a time to adopt/drop off a fish, contact the Discovery Center.
Annual Festivals and Programs
Bat Walks - spring
Migratory Bird Festival – May
Sustainability Fair and Native Plant Sale – spring
Discovery Camp - summer
Monarch Fest and Native Plant Sale – fall
Snakefesssst – September
Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz - September
TEKS Connection
Science:
2nd Grade
2.2 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student develops abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry in classroom and outdoor investigations.
2.2(C) collect data from observations using scientific tools
2.2(D) record and organize data using pictures, numbers, and words
2.2(E) communicate observations and justify explanations using student‐generated data from simple descriptive investigations
2.3 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows that information and critical thinking, scientific problem solving, and the contributions of scientists are used in making decisions.
2.3(C) identify what a scientist is and explore what different scientists do
2.4 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses age-appropriate tools and models to investigate the natural world.
2.4(A) collect, record, and compare information using tools, including computers, hand lenses, rulers, plastic beakers, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, and safety goggles or chemical splash goggles, as appropriate; timing devices; weather instruments such as thermometers, wind vanes, and rain gauges; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums
2.4(B) measure and compare organisms and objects
2.9 Organisms and environments. The student knows that living organisms have basic needs that must be met for them to survive within their environment.
2.9(A) identify the basic needs of plants and animals
2.9(B) identify factors in the environment, including temperature and precipitation, that affect growth and behavior such as migration, hibernation, and dormancy of living things
2.9(C) compare the ways living organisms depend on each other and on their environments such as through food chains
2.10 Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments.
2.10(A) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics and behaviors of animals help them meet their basic needs
2.10(B) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics of plants help them meet their basic needs such as stems carry water throughout the plant
3rd Grade
3.2 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations.
3.2(B) collect and record data by observing and measuring using the metric system and recognize differences between observed and measured data
3.2(F) communicate valid conclusions supported by data in writing, by drawing pictures, and through verbal discussion
3.3 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows that information, critical thinking, scientific problem solving, and the contributions of scientists are used in making decisions.
3.3(C) connect grade-level appropriate science concepts with the history of science, science careers, and contributions of scientists
3.4 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science inquiry.
3.4(A) collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges, pan balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, spring scales, hot plates, meter sticks, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, and Sun, Earth, and Moon system models; timing devices; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums
3.9 Organisms and environments. The student knows and can describe patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within the environments.
3.9(A) observe and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities of plants and animals within an ecosystem
3.9(B) identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain affect the ecosystem such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field
3.10 Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures that help them survive within their environments.
3.10(A) explore how structures and functions of plants and animals allow them to survive in a particular environment
4th Grade
4.2 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations.
4.2(B) collect and record data by observing and measuring, using the metric system, and using descriptive words and numerals such as labeled drawings, writing, and concept maps
4.2(F) communicate valid oral and written results supported by data
4.3 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions.
4.3(C) connect grade-level appropriate science concepts with the history of science, science careers, and contributions of scientists
4.4 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools, materials, equipment, and models to conduct science inquiry.
4.4(A) collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including calculators, microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, mirrors, spring scales, balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, hot plates, meter sticks, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks, timing devices; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums
4.9 Organisms and environments. The student knows and understands that living organisms within an ecosystem interact with one another and with their environment.
4.9(A) investigate that most producers need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food, while consumers are dependent on other organisms for food
4.9(B) describe the flow of energy through food webs, beginning with the Sun, and predict how changes in the ecosystem affect the food web
4.10 Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures and behaviors that help them survive within their environments.
4.10(A) explore how structures and functions enable organisms to survive in their environment
4.10(B) explore and describe examples of traits that are inherited from parents to offspring such as eye color and shapes of leaves and behaviors that are learned such as reading a book and a wolf pack teaching their pups to hunt effectively
Social Studies:
2nd Grade
2.15 Social Studies skills. The student applies critical‐thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including technology.
2.15(B) interpret oral, visual, and print material by sequencing, categorizing, identifying the main idea, predicting, comparing, and contrasting
3rd Grade
3.14 Social Studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including technology.
3.14(B) interpret oral, visual, and print material by sequencing, categorizing, identifying the main idea, distinguishing between fact and opinion, identifying cause and effect, comparing, and contrasting
4th Grade
4.19 Social Studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including technology.
4.19(B) analyze information by applying absolute and relative chronology through sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions
English Language Arts & Reading:
2nd Grade
2.7 Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed.
2.7(E) interact with sources in meaningful ways such as illustrating or writing
2.9 Genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.
2.9(D) recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including: (ii) features and graphics to locate and gain information
2.9(E) (ii) distinguishing facts from opinion
3rd Grade
3.7 Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed.
3.7(E) interact with sources in meaningful ways such as notetaking, annotating, freewriting, or illustrating
3.9 Genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.
3.9(D) recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including: (ii) features such as sections, tables, graphs, timelines, bullets, numbers, and bold and italicized font to support understanding
3.9(E) (ii) distinguishing facts from opinion
4th Grade
4.7 Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed.
4.7(E) interact with sources in meaningful ways such as notetaking, annotating, freewriting, or illustrating
4.9 Genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre‐specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.
4.9(D) recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including:
(ii) features such as pronunciation guides and diagrams to support understanding
(iii) [recognize] organizational patterns such as compare and contrast
Source: Lead4Ward
