Captain Planet Foundation
Square Foot Fall Garden
First graders learn the basic needs of plants and identify geometric shapes while planting a fall garden. Combining math and science in one lesson, the resource guides kids through starting their class garden as they discover the...
Captain Planet Foundation
Sense of Place
Explore the five senses with a kindergarten instructional activity on gardening. After taking a walk through the class garden, kids note what they see, hear, feel, taste, and smell, and then decide what is living in the garden versus...
Captain Planet Foundation
Help a Sister Out: Garden Companions
Explore Native American gardening traditions with a lesson plan on companion planting. Based on the concept that certain crops grow better when planted near other specific crops, kids research the gardening method with background links...
Captain Planet Foundation
Fall into Healthy Shapes
Kindergartners identify geometric shapes by planting a fall garden. They start their seeds in containers that have different shapes, and keep track of their plants based on those shapes. This brilliantly designed and incredibly thorough...
Captain Planet Foundation
George Washington Carver and the Sweet Potato
Learn about George Washington Carver's important contributions to agriculture by studying the sweet potato. First graders read about the inventor's observations and prepare sweet potato slips for the class garden. Additionally, they...
Curated OER
Indoor Gardening by Building a Simple Hydroponics
Students investigate the use of hydroponic gardening on the world food supply. In this hydroponic gardening lesson, students make a garden out of a soda bottle, grow a cilantro plant, and compare hydroponics with regular gardening using...
University of Wisconsin
Conjunction Function
As part of a unit, this lesson familiarizes youngsters with components of a rain garden. They speculate about the role of an assigned component in contributing to a rain garden, and ultimately, in the health of the local watershed. Each...
Curated OER
Conservation in Small Places - Composting
A fabulous lesson introduces the art of composting to your gardeners. In it, youngsters learn about the composting process and how it actually works. They discuss the environmental benefits of composting, and use the "lasagna" method...
Captain Planet Foundation
Sorting Out Soils
Sift through soil and learn about why it's important for organic processes. After discussing what makes up soil, such as the living organisms and what types of soil have more nutrients, kids sample layers of mulch and deeper soil to...
Curated OER
Landscape Garden Makeover
A project-based learning plan focuses on landscapes in the community. After identifying problems, such as dead trees or misplaced automatic sprinklers, learners design solutions, contact local organizations to fix the problems, and do...
Curated OER
Natural Gardening
Students study the effect of pesticides on plants and insects. In this gardening lesson, students discuss the importance of insects. They define pesticides, evaluate their effectiveness and the problems they might cause. Students...
Curated OER
Deep Gardens
Students compare and contrast deep-sea coral reefs with shallow-water coral reefs. In this underwater ecology lesson, students describe three types of coral and explain why scientists are concerned about the future of deep-sea coral.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Make a Difference!
We are very dependent upon other life forms around us to survive. Here, scholars explore relationships in the ecosystem with the help of Auntie Litter and the pollution patrol. They imagine a world without grass, making connections to...
Kenan Fellows
Sustainability: Learning for a Lifetime – Soil
Do great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...
Curated OER
Stewardship Activities
In this ocean pollution worksheet, students read the stewardship activities for ocean pollution. Students list 3 ways to help reduce pollution. Students then draw or write the items in the correct order of decomposition along the timeline.
Curated OER
The Great School Clean-Up
Students clean up their school grounds. For this environmental stewardship lesson, students take part in cleaning their school area and reflect on the experience.
Curated OER
Private Land Decision-Making
Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this service learning lesson, students examine private property land use practices in order to study their impact on the environment.
Captain Planet Foundation
Plant Parts Salad
How are vegetables beneficial to a healthy diet? Have kids examine different types of vegetables, such as zucchini, broccoli, and carrots, and determine which parts of the plant they represent. Then, they taste the vegetables as a class....
Curated OER
The Joy of a Garden
Students study environmental stewardship. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students read the story The Gardner and define the character's actions for the environment. Students define philanthropy and complete a Venn Diagram the...
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready to start...
Amnesty International
Human Rights and Service Learning (Part 1)
What better way is there to teach about human rights than by seeing them firsthand? Introduce your class or club to the spirit of service through a myriad of service project ideas. First in a series of human rights instructional...
National Gardening Association
Migration Mishaps
Elementary ecologists pretend to be migratory hummingbirds. They fly between wintering and nesting grounds, trying to reach a habitat haven. In a musical-chair fashion, some birds will miss out, and are removed from the game. To further...
Curated OER
Taking Care of Nature (Religious)
Students discover how they can help care for the earth. In this environmental protection lesson, students discuss how God created the earth and what will happen if they fail to care for the earth properly. Students grow their own...
Wild BC
Climate Change Bingo
Here is a 20-box bingo card to use when exploring ways that humans impact the environment. Various environmentally aware activities are listed in the boxes, and learners circulate the room to find someone who practices the different...