Education Outside
Rain Dance
The importance of rainfall to the life cycle is underscored by an activity that engages class members in a discussion of how water effects newly planted seeds and supports their growth. Class members then create a dance to celebrate the...
Education Outside
Garden Detective Sensory Tour
To prepare for a sensory walk outside, the whole class engages in a discussion of the five senses, kids close their eyes, and share what they sense. Groups then follow a guide, tour an area, and share what they experience through their...
Groundwater Foundation
How Wet Is Our Planet?
Here's a powerful demonstration that makes the point that it is everyone's responsibility to conserve water and protect the earth's limited supply of fresh water.
Education Outside
Animal Homes in the Garden
First graders journey to the school garden to examine the habitats of garden animals. Using the provided graphic organizer, kids locate and sketch a critter and its habitat before returning it to its home.
Education Outside
Seed Sort
"One of these things is not like the other. . ." After listening to a story about seeds and discussing the role of seeds, kindergartners sort five different seeds by size, shape, and color.
Education Outside
Garden Sketching Activities
How big is that carrot? Why one hand span, of course. As an exercise in measurement, individuals trace their hand in their science journal and search the school garden for one object the same size as the span between their thumb and...
Education Outside
Earth as an Apple
An apple is used to demonstrate the tiny percentage of the earth's surface that can be used to grow food. Complete directions and discussion questions are included in the packet.
Education Outside
Life Cycle of Compost
As part of a study of the life cycle of compost, class members examine the differences between green waste disposal and backyard composting.
Education Outside
Watering in the Garden
"When you are thirsty, does your mother pour water on your head?" Of course not! Nor do you pour water on the top of plants when watering them. Instruction like this are included in an activity that shows little learners how to water...
Education Outside
Rooftop Garden: Soils Experiment
Young scientists conduct a series of experiments to determine what type of soils produce the best results in roof-top gardens.
Education Outside
Seed Saving
After a discussion of the factors that affect seed germination, class groups harvest and preserve seeds from the school garden.
Techbridge Curriculum
Calculating Rainwater Runoff
Thirsty plants soak up every bit of a rainfall, but what happens to the rain that hits the roof? Calculate the amount of rainwater from your school's roof with an Earth science activity, which brings measurement skills, observation...
Education Outside
Birder - Watcher
Take the class outside with a bird watching lesson. Young ornithologists participate in an outdoor activity that guides them on how to observe and study the feathered animals. After walking around school campus, bird watchers provide a...
Education Outside
Creature Jeopardy!
After conducting research on a given scientific animal name, group members take a walk around their school and look for the specified animals in that classification. Then, they come back to their worksheets and create five creative clues...
Curated OER
Candlemaking
There might not be a butcher or baker, but you'll have a class full of candlestick makers after a hands-on lesson about candles make from beeswax. After a brief history of where beeswax comes from, young artisans craft their own...
Youthlinc
Financial Literacy: Money Attitudes Lesson Plan
Going once, going twice, sold! An auction provides class members with an opportunity to examine their attitudes toward money. After bidding on and purchasing items, individuals complete an attitude survey and then identify a goal that...
Curated OER
Rice Math Problems
Third graders practice solving math equations using rice as their subject. They translate situations involving rice into math equations in order to solve them properly. They also discover and practice using math vocabulary terms...
Curated OER
Math computation
The lesson says it is intended for 4th grade but it is suitable for grades 1-3 as well. The class discusses what it means to add, the commutative property of addition, and mathematical reasoning. This is an exercise in number sense,...
Curated OER
What is a Haiku? How Do You Write a Haiku?
Haiku poetry is explored in this language arts lesson plan. Yong readers identify the characteristics of haiku and read several examples. Students make connections between their study of Japan and the poetic form of haiku, and they write...
Education Outside
Nature's Treasure Map
Youngsters construct a map of treasures that they find along a nature trail as they hike. They also make sketches and create place names of some of the spots along the trail. Once back in class, pupils use their treasure maps to help...
Education Outside
What Are Grains?
This activity is like having a show-and-tell. Bring in lots of items, or packaging, from the grain group. Bread, rice, cracker, cereal, oats, you get the idea. Perhaps first start by checking in and asking what the class knows about...
Education Outside
Grains and Food
Gather up a variety of foods made from grains. Cereal, oats, pasta, rice, breads, cookies, crackers, to name a few. Put them in plastic containers or plastic bags. Then do a show-and-tell type demonstration and present all the types of...
Education Outside
Erosion in the Garden
Groups create splashboards and use them to perform a series of experiments to determine the effect of rain on erosion.
Education Outside
Our Water Planet
Fresh water is a precious resource. Most kids don't realize how little of the water on Earth is actually drinkable. This lesson plan will help to illuminate them on this important topic. They discus the ratio of water to land, where most...