National Park Service
Living & Non-Living Interactions
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in learning about the...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Seasons of a Plant
The third in a series of six lessons is an engaging three-part activity defines that discusses phenology, focusing on the cyclic seasons of plants. Pupils then observe phenology outside before determining how climate change can...
Curated OER
Wild Wonderful Walk
Students explore the outdoors. In this poetry lesson, students spend time outdoors and write a poem about what they felt and saw. Students can do this activity in pairs or alone. Students blindfold their partner to focus on sounds and...
Virginia Department of Education
Classification of Organisms
Searching for the perfect indoor/outdoor activity that allows class members the opportunity to learn about organism classification? Here, pupils research organisms and categorize them according to domain and kingdom over the course of...
Curated OER
Everyday Objects with Shapes
Students explore geometric shapes. In this geometry and language development lesson plan, students take a walk and look for shapes in the objects outdoors. Students match each of four individual paper shapes they are carrying with the...
Curated OER
Natural Resource Management Course Outline
Gain skills in ecosystem evaluation including chemical, biological, and physical qualities. Young scholars write a report on a local ecosystem.
Curated OER
Outdoor Classroom's for the '90s Student
Students relish in experiencing an outdoor classroom. Students sign a contract stating that they will follow the rules of the outdoor classroom. Students help to keep the outdoor classroom clean and up to date with all the needed...
Curated OER
Outdoor Action Caving Trip Protocols
Students They engage in a positive group building experience that requires extensive trust and communication between participants. They explore basic spelunking, study appropriate first aid and review general rules for safety in caves.
Curated OER
Activity Plan 5-6: Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!
Students become entomologists for a day. In this life science lesson, students go on an insect hunt and investigate insects and their homes. This leads to the creation of an insect by each student. Lesson includes a take-home activity...
Wild BC
Is Climate Change Good for Us?
Is it really that big of a deal if the global climate undergoes a little change? Young environmentalists consider this very question as they discuss in small groups the impact of different climate change scenarios on their lives, their...
Berkshire Museum
Backyard Rocks
You don't have to travel far to learn about rocks, just step outside, pick up a stone, and begin investigating. After taking a class walk around the school grounds collecting rocks, young scientists practice their skills of observation...
Berkshire Museum
Adopt a Schoolyard Tree
Help young scientists connect with nature and learn about trees with a fun life science lesson plan. Heading out into the school yard, children choose a tree to adopt, taking measurements, writing descriptions, and drawing sketches of it...
Curated OER
A Close Encounter of the Tree Kind
Students study trees in their natural habitat. In this tree lesson, students complete a number of outdoor activities to estimate the height of a tree, examine how bark can be a distinguishing tree characteristic, and how to make a bark...
Curated OER
Hypothermia: Temperature Changes Under Varying Conditions
Learners conduct an experiment to determine what type of clothing would be most suitable for outdoor activities. They determine the temperature changes of the skin under various wet clothing materials and graph the temperature changes. ...
Curated OER
Chemquest: Physical Changes or Chemical Reactions
Young scholars explore physical and chemical changes. For this chemistry lesson plan, students will go outside to observe changes seen in nature. Young scholars will then work in the lab to identify changes at different stations prior to...
Curated OER
Mapping School Grounds
Middle schoolers map and analyze the natural and cultural environment of the school grounds. In small groups, they sketch the natural and cultural features of each side of the school building, create a map, participate in a class...
Curated OER
Hello Summer
Students celebrate the great outdoors and the coming summer break by studying the natural world. In this seasons lesson, students engage in bark rubbing and operate a digital camera to capture outdoor imagery for a collage to help them...
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
Primary Lessons for Grades K-2
Students study wildlife and identify similarities and differences between their home and wild environments. In this wildlife lesson plan, students make connections between wildlife and wildlife habitats. Students then build knowledge...
Curated OER
Smile...you're on Insect Camera!
Students study insects. They go on an outdoor insect outing and look for insects in a variety of places--in the air, under rocks, on leaves, in water, etc. They record information about the insects they find, including habitat, weather...
Curated OER
Classification of the Nearby Trees
Third graders practice using classification techniques to identify local trees. In this plant life instructional activity, 3rd graders discuss how trees differ from other plants and what characteristics are unique to trees alone....
Curated OER
Ocean Grazers: Class Field Trip
Students explore biology by participating in a field trip. In this oceanography lesson, students define the survival characteristics of bottom dwelling creatures also known as ocean grazers. Students attend a class field trip to a beach...
Curated OER
What Makes a Cat a Cat?
Students investigate the lives of pets by videotaping them. In this animal life lesson, students videotape a cat and other pets using school cameras in a computer lab. Students review the footage from the cat and other animals and...
Curated OER
"Lettuce" Learn About the Water Cycle
Young scientists investigate the water cycle through a lettuce seed experiment. For this experiment, learners plant lettuce seeds inside of a ziplock bag in order to create a small greenhouse. They observe condensation and precipitation,...