Berkshire Museum
Meet a Naturalist: Researching, Writing, Interviewing
Young scholars reach out into the community and learn about different environmental science careers in this inquiry-based instructional activity. Beginning with a short research assignment, children gain background knowledge about...
American Psychological Association
Counting Fidgets: Teaching the Complexity of Naturalistic Observation
Why do psychologists conduct experiments in controlled laboratory settings? High schoolers gain an understanding of the importance of controls with an activity that involves naturalistic observations with no imposed controls.
Curated OER
Naturalist Activity Workbook
In this Webelos naturalist worksheet, students list short answers to 13 questions and assignments. The worksheet also includes a list of online resources.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Meet the Naturalists
Studying plants is a full-time job—for some. After learning the ins and outs of phenology in the first three lessons in the unit, pupils explore the history of the science. The instructional activity highlights five historical...
National Park Service
The Young Naturalist
Beginning with a brief history of our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, then followed by a discussion of his interest in nature, young scientists take to the outdoors to locate and observe local plants and insects. Scholars return to...
Curated OER
Discovering Art-Huntington Gallery Shape
Students study geometric, naturalistic, and abstract shapes. They discuss how various shapes are used in art. They study The Young Fortune Teller by Joshua Reynolds to find various shapes.
Curated OER
the Naturalist's Notebook
Third graders, after brainstorming what they already know about trees and what effect the seasons have on them, create a model of a hollow log. They participate in a young naturalist's notebook writing activity while walking outside...
Curated OER
Naturalistic Application Form
In this naturalist learning exercise, students fill out an application for adopting a body of water. Students explain what parameters they will be monitoring such as water temperature and acidity to make sure their water is healthy. This...
Great Books Foundation
On the Origin of Species
How did Charles Darwin support his controversial theory of evolution with evidence? Use an excerpt from his 1859 work On the Origin of Species to reinforce the importance of making inferences within an informational text, and to discuss...
Curated OER
Jane Goodall, Renowned Naturalist and Champion of Chimpanzees
Young scholars study the life of Jane Goodall and how she made an impact studying chimpanzees. In this endangered species lesson students write in their journals.
Rain Bird Corporation
Rain Forest Teaching Curriculum
Take young naturalists on an exploration of the world's tropical rainforests with this extensive collection of lessons and activities. Whether its creating leaf and flower prints or investigating the absorption spectrum of chlorophyl,...
Fluence Learning
Writing About Literature: Nature in the Writings of John Muir and Emily Dickinson
As an assessment of their skill in crafting a compare and contrast essay, class members read and compare the portrayals of nature in excerpts from naturalist John Muir's My First Summer in the Sierra and from poet Emily Dickinson's "The...
Curated OER
Naturalist's Notebook
Students observe and record the behavior of a San Diego wetland animal and the characteristics of its environment. The amount of time that each animal spends resting, grooming, eating, flying, and social or individual play becomes the...
Curated OER
Bird Nests
Young scholars build bird nests. In this Science instructional activity, students consider climate, location, and structure when building their bird nest. Young scholars try to locate each other's nests within the activity site.
Curated OER
Discovering Art - Scott Gallery: Shape
Students study geometric, naturalistic, and abstract shapes in art. They review the names of shapes and name them in the portrait, Breakfast in Bed by Mary Cassatt. They simulate a baby as in the portrait and discuss the shapes. They...
Curated OER
Earth's Heavenly Treasures: Hummingbirds
Young ornithologists watch an informative video and use the Internet to gather data about the life, size, habitat, and migration of hummingbirds. The interdisciplinary lesson includes activities that target art, science, math, and...
Curated OER
Lesson #23: Ceramic Self-Portrait as a Famous Artist
Students sculpt a bust out of clay using naturalistic features. In this sculpture lesson, students use themselves or classmates as models to ensure correct form and proportion of a hollow bust. This lesson includes pictures for each...
Curated OER
Observation: It's A Natural!
Students play the role of naturalist in their own community just as Thoreau was in his. They observe their communities looking for positive and negative aspects on the environment. They work together in groups to complete a model for...
Curated OER
SOIL
Second graders name the various materials that comprise soil, including weathered rock and other organic matter; and explain that soils differ in their color, texture, capacity to retain water, and ability to support the growth of many...
Curated OER
Island Biogeography
Learners work in small groups to sort through photos of an ecosystem following a major disturbance. They place these photos in chronological order to show the process of succession. They then do an experiment with yeast to show the...
Curated OER
How Many Bears in the Forest?
Third graders model the tag and recapture of bears and use proportions to estimate the population of the bears in their forest. This is a statistical sampling method used by scientists and naturalists to determine population numbers.
Curated OER
Native American Ceremonies
Second graders explore cultural rituals by researching Native American people. In this Native American ceremony lesson plan, 2nd graders read the story Indian Festivals by Keith Brand and identify the naturalistic attitude of the Native...
Curated OER
Green Space in the City
Students examine city parks and their importance and affect they have on the health and well being of a community. An oral report with visual aids is prepared as a group to educate the class on the importance of green space in the city.
MDE k-12
Lesson 5: The Journey Becomes Larger Than Life!
Many muralists throughout history have focused on using their art to represent aspects of their culture or community. After thoroughly researching several muralists, budding artists will create a larger than life mural that contains...