University of Kentucky
Beneficial Bug Scavenger Hunt
Many people think of bugs as annoying pests to be squashed, but most insects and spiders are beneficial, eating the actual pests or pollinating plants. After reviewing some of the common bugs in your area (they may differ from those...
National Gallery of Canada
Urban Panorama
How can a photographer use images to represent a topic? Over the course of three days, learners discuss various photographs and practice their picture-taking skills with an outdoor, panoramic photography session. They use the images...
Purdue University
Take-a-Hike
Learn about nature and health all in one set of lessons. Individuals use a scavenger hunt to record observations during a nature hike. They then complete activities to categorize their observations and rate the health of the habitat for...
Curated OER
Photo Scavenger Hunt
Young scholars celebrate Earth Day by applying what they've learned about studying the natural world. In this Photo Scavenger Hunt lesson plan, students use a digital camera to capture outdoor imagery and to help them understand the...
Curated OER
Navajo Pottery: Beautiful Objects
Young potters make their very own version of the classic Navajo Pottery. With helpful worksheets and applicable cross-curricular activities, the lesson is an enriching way to mold both your clay and the multicultural...
Curated OER
Outdoor Activities/Problem Solving: Nature Scavenger Hunt
Students act as young explorers on this scavenger hunt. In this early childhood lesson plan, students build problem-solving and visual discrimination skills as they search outdoors to find matching nature items.
Curated OER
Outdoor Activities/Problem Solving: Play a Listening Game
Students listen to everyday sounds that help them develop listening skills. In this early childhood lesson plan, students develop listening and language skills to recreate sounds in the outdoor environment.
Curated OER
Giving an Outdoor Play
Students reenact a popular book while using their outdoor playground as the stage. In this dramatic interpretation lesson, students follow oral narration to act out events in a story. They use monkey bars as the setting for the story,...
Curated OER
Outdoor Activities/Problem Solving: Home Design
Students create with sticks and stones. In this early childhood lesson plan, students use their problem-solving skills to make houses out of items they find outdoors.
Curated OER
Outdoor Observation
Students use observation materials to record what they find outdoors. In this senses lesson plan, students use their five senses to observe things outside. They use a clipboard, pencil, crayons, magnifying glass, and their senses to find...
Curated OER
Sorting and Classifying Outdoors
Students use their math skills of sorting and classifying with materials they collect outdoors. In this early childhood math lesson, students participate in a treasure hunt to gather item in nature and categorize their finds.
Curated OER
Plein Air Drawing and Painting
Students plein air drawing. In this drawing skills lesson, students follow the provided steps that require them select natural objects and utilize plein air skills to complete their drawings.
Curated OER
Summer Activities: Let's Try Bubble Blowing!
Students observe as the teacher blows bubbles from a large bubble pipe in order to take note of the colors and sizes of the bubbles. In this bubble blowing lesson, students experiment with a variety of bubble-blowing objects, predicting...
Curated OER
Summer Fun Activity: Dream Vacations
Students can turn the block area into a travel agency. In this early childhood problem solving lesson, students use creative-thinking and language skills as they design a play environment.
Curated OER
Summer Health Activity: Visiting the Doctor
Students play with dolls to act out feelings about a common experience. In this early childhood lesson plan, students use social, language, and fine motor skills while developing an understanding of their own bodies and the role of an...
Curated OER
Summer Safety Activity: Playing with Environmental Print
Students look at the words, symbols, and signs that surround them. For this early childhood lesson plan, students use observational skills as they note the abundance of letters and signs in their world, then apply this awareness to...
Curated OER
Summer Safety Activity: Time to Tidy Up
Students find that cleaning up can be easy. In this early childhood lesson, students practice fine motor skills while making their classroom more safe. Students create large storage boxes.
Curated OER
Energetic Atoms - Active & Spaced Out
Students discover the power of the sun through an outdoor experiment. In this solar power lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation on atoms before they complete an atom worksheet. Students utilize a solar bag to...
Curated OER
Activity Plan Mixed Ages: Sunny Science
Students develop problem-solving, observation, and critical-thinking skills. In this early childhood lesson, students explore the topic of the sun as they notice shadows and light.
Curated OER
Breathing and Exercise
Students observe and record how breathing changes with physical activities. In this physical activity lesson students form groups and complete their activity and worksheets.
Curated OER
Spray Bottle Paint Mural
Sometimes all you need is a quick and easy outdoor art project. Perfect for the end of the school year, this mural project allows kids to make a mess while creating art. They use spray bottles full of paint to "spray" paint a large sheet...
Curated OER
Make a Sundial
Students explore space science by conducting a sun experiment in class. In this time telling lesson, students discuss how the sun sits in our sky at exact times each day and how astronomy is based on our perspective of the solar system....
Curated OER
Activity Plan 2-3: Outdoor Picture Math
Students match images of objects to their real counterpart. In this play-based matching instructional activity, children explore the playground and match real play equipment with what is seen in pictures. Lesson includes a language...
Curated OER
Outdoor Photography with Digital Cameras
Students become familiar with perspective, composition and framing of pictures. In this photographing nature lesson, students photograph and then describe their pictures in a paragraph. Students build pictures to tell a story about their...