ACTIVITIES
Human Footprint Activity: Protecting Earth's Wildlife
This Xpeditions activity examines how the rising demand for natural resources threatens wildlife and wild lands. Students select one issue and develop a list of actions to reduce or reverse the problem. Grades 6-12
Full Human Footprint Educational Guide Single Activity
Take a Virtual Field Trip!
Observe animal habits and habitats using one of the many Webcams from zoos and aquariums around the world and invite children to record in observation logs or notebooks and participate in discussions and questioning. This activity can also lead to research on animals and their habitats. Grades 3-5
BIOBLITZ MATERIALS
BioBlitz introduces students to skills that scientists use in the field. Students learn how scientists use skills such as observation, recording, identifying species, and mapping when they're working in the field.
BioBlitz for Grades 9-12
Mapping Information
Sudents learn what is a map and what elements make them useful, how maps are used in wildlife research and finally how to make their own map.
Educator's Resource Presentation PTT Videos
Identifying Species
Students discover what a species is, why species identification is important and what steps should be taken to identify a species.
Educator's Resource Presentation PTT Videos
Making and Recording Observations
Students learn what observations are, learn different types of observations and how observations are recorded. Watch related Wild Chronicles segments featuring leading wildlife researchers and fieldwork from around the world.
Educator's Resource Presentation PTT Videos
For Grades 3-5
What is a BioBlitz
Mapping 3-5
Identifying Species 3-5
Observing & Recording 3-5
Classifying species 3-5
STUDENT INTERACTIVES
Animal Inquiry
Use this tool to enhance student inquiry in research at the elementary level. The graphic organizer invites students to explore four facets of animals with writing prompts that help organize research questions as well as to record findings. Lessons that use this interactive are also included. Grades 3-6
LESSON PLANS
Look at Those Leaves
Encourages students to use their observation skills to closely examine leaves individually, in groups, and in relationship to the entire tree. Grades K-2
Investigating Local Ecosystems
Students investigate the habitats of local plants and animals and explore some of the ways animals depend on plants and each other. Grades K-2
Animal Study: From Fiction to Facts
This lesson describes how to use selected fiction and nonfiction literature and careful questioning techniques to help students identify factual information about animals. Grades K-2
Investigating Animals: Using Nonfiction for Inquiry-based Research
Through the use of nonfiction, students learn more about favorite animals, document their findings with graphic organizers edit their work and present to an audience. Grades K-2
Webcams in the Classroom: Animal Inquiry and Observation
This inquiry-based lesson and activity focuses on observation logs, class discussion, questioning, and research. Written with a focus on webcams, but could easily be done by observing a classroom pet, animals at home or the zoo, or a birdfeeder or squirrel feeder at school. Grades 3-5
Pond 1: Pond Life
Students explore how various organisms satisfy their needs within their environments and the kinds of relationships that exist between organisms within an environment. Grade: 3-5
Pond 2: Life in a Drop of Pond Water
In this lesson, students observe microscopic organisms found in pond water using a hand lens, 30x magnification, and 100x magnification. Grades 3-5
Nature Study Outdoor Treasure Hunts (with Spanish language option)
Students create a treasure hunt, research an animal and write a story from the animal’s point of view. This activity is perfect for classes with a need for differential instruction or ELL classes. Handouts and websites in Spanish are included. Grades 6-8
Wildflower Garden
Students to design a wildflower garden in order to gain a better understanding about designing a complex system and realizing that there are always constraints and trade-offs to be made when designing a human-made system. Grade 6-8
Bird Populations
Description: In this lesson, students will study bird migratory patterns and the methods that researchers use to study them. Students will be introduced to the concepts of the study of bird movements. Grades 9-12
PODCASTS
Squirrel Hoarding
Science Update Podcast
The gray squirrels that you see in city parks and around neighborhoods are actually forest dwellers. But many of their natural, wooded habitats have been converted into farms, so they've sought refuge in places where they don't have too many predators, like in your backyard. In this Science Update, you'll learn how the loss of gray squirrels is affecting the forest. Grade 6-12
Fish & Flowers
Science Update Podcast
Fish and flowers sound like they go together like pickles and ice cream. But in some environments, they have a surprisingly close relationship. Grade 6-12
TOOLS
The Amateur Naturalist
AAAS SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science award book
The Amateur Naturalist, by Nick Baker, is full of information to enhance any outdoor learning experience. Each chapter is dedicated to a group of animals (mammals, birds, fish, etc.) or plants. Grades 3-5
