These misunderstood creatures can make learning fun. These misunderstood creatures can make learning fun. At the presentations, kids are encouraged to touch the snails, interact with them and figure out what makes them tick. For example, students examine the snails with magnifying glasses, searching for physical characteristics like teeth and eyes. Kids weigh the snails on a balance using paper clips or gram-weights.
Some snails can pull over three times their own body-weight.
Bobbie Rumbaugh, Extension agent in Daniels County, also teaches Snailing to school enrichment programs, 4-H clubs and adult leader training sessions. You can just set the snail in front of them and they want to learn everything about it. They are learning through observation. Wade has given dozens of snake presentations to schools, camps, science fairs and all kinds of groups. He teaches kids about snakes in general, as well as the snakes in Montana.