| First Grade |
| Basic
Needs of Living Things - Uses planting seeds to reinforce science topic
of basic needs of living things. Month - Aug. Sept. Mar. Apr. |
|
Garden Organisms Scavenger Hunt
- Uses an organism
scavenger hunt to understand similarities and differences of various
garden animal adaptations and how these animals rely on plants. Month - Sept. Oct. |
|
Granny's Great Amaryllis Race
- Winter
activity that uses an amaryllis bulb to use math and
science skills to measure, graph, record, and analyze data. |
|
Living Things Cause Changes - Uses
compost to understand the components of the compost habitat and how organisms
change leaves into compost. |
|
Scavenger Hunt - Uses subject matter
from garden and classroom lessons to challenge students to locate items that
satisfy scavenger hunt clues. |
|
Seasonal Changes of an Apple Tree
- Uses the apple tree to discuss science topics of sources of food, apples
as a living resource, and seasonal changes of the apple tree. Month - Sept. |
| Seed
Dispersal and Collection - Uses seed collection to discuss science
topics of plants as food for animals and seasonal changes that affect organisms.
Month
- Oct. |
|
Sorting and Counting
Weeds - Uses weeding to practice math
skills of sorting, using tables, tallying, writing numbers. Month - Any |
| Spider
Web Hunt - Uses the nature trail to look for spider webs to explain
the characteristics of spiders that help them to live, and practice math
tallying skills while recording the types of webs found. Month - Sept. |
|
Starting Sweet Potatoes -
Uses sweet
potatoes to demonstrate the difference of a sweet potato and true potato and to
study the germination of sweet potatoes in two different mediums. |
|
Tracking Animals in Spring -
Uses animal
and temperature observations to understand animal
adaptations as winter changes to spring. |
|
Uses of Sunflowers - Uses
planting sunflower and popcorn seeds and discuss the
evolution of sunflowers as a resource in many industries. |
|
What Happens When You Plant a
Bulb in Autumn -
Uses
bulb planting to understand the seasonal life cycle of a bulb.
Month - Oct |
| Second Grade |
|
Classifying Garden
Animals - Uses collecting data about garden animals to understand sorting
and classification. |
|
Comparing Plant Parts Using
Weeds - Uses weeds to
compare plant parts and to discuss how certain traits help the weed to survive. Month - April, May |
| Flower
Parts and Pollination - Uses dissection of flower parts to discuss
science and math topics of plant parts and making observations to collect
data. Month - Aug, Sep, May, inside or outside |
|
Granny's Great Amaryllis Race
- Winter
activity that uses an amaryllis bulb to use math and
science skills to measure, graph, record, and analyze data. |
|
Graphing Soil and
AirTemperature in Spring - Uses temperature data collected in spring to
create a graph and answer questions about the data. |
| Organisms
in the Garden Habitat - Uses plants and organisms in the garden to
explain the concepts of habitat, adaptations,
and classifying animals. Information
collected is compared to information from ground organisms lesson to show that
organisms can survive only in certain environments that meet their needs.
Month - Sep |
| Organisms
in the Ground Habitat - Uses organisms in the ground or
compost habitat to explain
the concepts of habitat, adaptations,
and classifying animals. Information gathered is compared to garden
organisms lesson to show that organisms can survive
only in certain environments that meet their needs.
Month - Sep |
|
Plant Life Cycle with Seed
Dispersal and Seed Collection - Uses seed collection discuss science topics
of the interdependence of plants and animals, seasonal changes of plants,
and review plant parts. Month - Oct |
| Plant Parts
- Uses planting seeds in fall term or harvesting to discuss science topics
of plant parts and their function, basic plant needs, and the interdependence
of plants and animals. Month - Aug, Sep, Oct, May |
|
Scavenger Hunt - Uses subject matter
from garden and classroom lessons to challenge students to locate items that
satisfy scavenger hunt clues. |
|
Tracking Temperature and
Animals in Spring - Uses animal and temperature
information to understand animal adaptations in
different garden habitats as winter changes to spring.
|
|
Understanding How Bulbs Grow -
Uses
bulb planting to understand the purpose of bulb parts.
Month - Oct |
|
Uses of Corn -
Uses
planting sunflower and popcorn seeds and discuss the
evolution of corn as a resource in many industries. |
| Third Grade |
|
Compost Organisms -
Uses compost to classify
organisms and to understand the interaction and adaptations of organisms
in the compost ecosystem. |
|
Connecting
Kids to the Community - Uses seed collecting and Granny's Seed Sharing
Project to reinforce the ideas of citizenship and volunteerism in a community.
Month - Oct |
|
Economics of Sunflowers - Uses
seed planting to discuss
the path sunflowers have taken
around the world to arrive at their uses today. |
|
Granny's Great Amaryllis Race
- Winter
activity that uses an amaryllis bulb to use math and
science skills to measure, graph, record, and analyze data. |
| Mapping
Skills in the Garden - Uses a map template of a garden location
to reinforce social studies topics as students create a map using cardinal
directions and a legend. garden maps: courtyard
playground
hill
Month -any |
| Organic
Material in Soil - Uses compost to discuss the components of compost,
including the compost pile ecosystem, and the benefit of organic material
in soil. Month - Nov |
|
Planting Bulbs -
Uses bulb planting
following discussion of the results of soil formation lesson.
Month - Oct |
|
Planting Perennials for Habitat
for Humanity -
Uses
planting perennial seeds to grow plants that will be
donated to Habitat for Humanity homes. |
| Plants
Need Soil to Live - Uses planting seeds in fall term or spring term
to discuss science topics of soil properties and formation. Month - Aug, Sep,
Mar, Apr, May |
| Soil
Formation - Uses soil samples to reinforce math measurement skills and
science topics of observing and identifying soil formation, composition,
and layering. Month - Nov |
|
Tracking Animals in
Spring - Classification - Uses animal
and temperature observations to understand animal
adaptations as winter changes to spring and how scientists classify animals.
|
|
Tracking Animals in
Spring - Life Cycles - Uses garden animals to understand metamorphosis and
life stages. |
| Weed
Sorting and Graphing - Uses weeding to practice math and science skills of
collecting, organizing, and summarizing data in charts and bar graphs. Month - any |
| What
Flower Colors Attract the Most Organisms - Uses flower
color for students to set up an experiment using the scientific method and to
determine if their results are reliable. |
| Fourth Grade |
| Comparing
Weeds using a Venn Diagram - Uses weeding to practice math and science
skills of collecting, organizing, and summarizing data in charts and a
Venn diagram Month - any |
|
Compost Interdependence of Plants and Animals - Uses compost to understand plant and animal interdependence by
discussing compost food chains and webs.
|
|
Economics of
Organic Gardening - Uses discussion of organic and conventional gardening to
apply understanding of opportunity costs. |
| Flower
Parts and Pollination - Uses dissection of flower parts to discuss
science and math topics of plant parts and functions and making observations
to collect data. Month - Aug, Sept, April May Can also be part of indoor activities,
inside or outside |
|
How are Plants Propagated - Uses
propagation to understand that
plant propagation occurs naturally, with help from humans to select the most
desirable traits, and in laboratories to modify the genetic makeup of plant
cells. |
|
Granny's Great Amaryllis Race
- Winter
activity that uses an amaryllis bulb to use math and
science skills to measure, graph, record, and analyze data. |
|
Graphing Soil and Air
Temperature in Spring - Uses temperature data collected in the spring to
graph temperature
and to reach conclusions about spring weather. |
|
Plant and Animal Interdependence -
Uses insect/organism
observations to describe how plants and animals interact in the garden. Month - Sept, Oct,
Apr, May |
|
Plant
Life Cycle with Seed Dispersal and Seed Collection - Uses seed collection
to discuss science topics of different plant life cycles and interdependence
of plants and animals. Uses seed packaging for Granny's Seed Sharing
Project to reinforce volunteerism in a community. Month - Sep, Oct |
| Plant
Parts and Their Function - Uses planting seeds in fall term or harvesting
to discuss science topics of plant parts and their function. Month - Aug, Sept,
Oct, May |
|
Tracking Weather and Animals
in Spring - Uses
weather observations to understand
weather instruments and readings and the impact of weather
conditions on plants and animals as winter changes to
spring.
|
| Tree
Identification Using a Dichotomous Key - Uses a dichotomous key to
identify trees by leaves to reinforce science topic of classifying plants
according to characteristics using a dichotomous key. Month - Aug, Sep,
Oct, Apr, May, inside or outside |
|
Understanding How Bulbs Grow -
Uses
bulb planting to understand the seasonal life cycle of a bulb
and the function of bulb parts. Month - Oct |
|
Weather Forecasting - Uses
weather instruments and graphing of temperature to understand forecasting and
reach conclusions about spring weather.
|
| What
Happens to a Flower When It Is Pressed? - Uses pressing flowers for
students to design an experiment. Month - Sep |
|
What is Biodiversity -
Uses
planting sunflower and popcorn seeds to understand why
variety in plant and animal species is desired. |
| Kindergarten |
|
Planting Bulbs -
Uses
bulb planting to understand the seasonal life cycle of a bulb.
Month - Oct |
|
Planting Sunflowers to Celebrate
Earth Day -
Uses
planting sunflower seeds to discuss what Earth Day represents,
talk about ways to reduce waste, and learn about the life cycle of
sunflowers. |
|
Animals Cause Changes - Uses
compost to explore how animals slowly change leaves into compost. |
|
Nature Trail
Tools
Nature
Trail Guidelines - Basic rules for using the nature trail.
Nature
Trail Checklist - A checklist to help coordinators with advance preparation
for a trail walk.
Nature
Trail Notes - A listing of items on the trail with background
information and numeric key to locate the item as labeled on the trail.
Nature
Trail Map - A map of labeled points of interest on the nature trail.
The numbers on the map correspond to the numbers on the Nature Trail Notes.
Planning a Walk with a
Theme
Fall on the Trail - Ideas
to relate observation and interaction to signs of fall on the trail.
Spring on the Trail -
Ideas to relate observation and interaction to signs of spring on the trail.
Habitat and Adaptation -
Background information and interactive ideas to identify characteristics of the
forest habitat and adaptations of plant and animals that live there.
What Did Early Settlers Experience - Background information and discussion
points to lead your class of early settlers through the wilderness.
Forest Ecosystem,
Erosion, and Succession - Background information about processes that shape
a forest and looking for forest growth stages along the nature trail. |
Activities for First Grade
|
Tic Tac Toe -
Nine blocks of items for young students to locate.
The worksheet lists a pond which you can modify to simply be a water feature
like a creek. The pictured nest can be for a bird or a squirrel.
Fall Shape Walk
- Uses shapes to focus student
observations as you discuss changes in living things
as summer turns to fall and fall turns to winter.
Shape
walk shapes - A template of shapes for students to
carry or wear on yarn necklaces to match with items observed on the trail.
Pre-cut shapes are available for sign out in the barn.
Patterns
in Nature - In the
classroom students talk about, observe, and extend
pattern sequences like AABAAB or ABCABC. Students will explore the nature trail
to find patterns in natural items. |
Activities for Second Grade
|
Discussing Ohio Plants and Animals in Fall - An activity to observe and
identify fall adaptations of plants and animals in an eastern deciduous forest.
Forest
Habitat - A
worksheet of items found in the forest habitat and that can be circled
when observed.
Food Chains -
An activity to
discuss the flow of energy through food chains
and food webs. |
Activities for Third Grade
|
Decomposition,
Erosion, Deposition - An activity to observe and identify processes that
shape the surface of the Earth.
Decomposing Log
Study - An activity to record observations from fallen logs in order to
understand the interdependence of plants and animals in the forest ecosystem and
the important of fallen logs.
NICHO
- A game in a BINGO format to help students
identify different producers,
consumers and decomposers in our environment. Photos
using NICHO worksheet |
Activities for Fourth Grade
|
Interrelationships of Plants and Animals -
An activity to
demonstrate that a healthy ecosystem has a variety of plants and animals
that interact to keep the system in balance.
Life
in an Old Growth Tree
-
A worksheet for students to record observations of the micro habitat of an old
growth tree and its role in the forest ecosystem. |
|
More Worksheets
|
For use in the gardens or field environments
Seed Dispersal -
A worksheet showing seeds dispersed by wind and gravity.
Seed Dispersal -
A worksheet showing seeds dispersed by animals
Insect
Bingo - A
worksheet in BINGO format that shows various insects and insect stages and
homes.
Field
Habitat - A
worksheet of items found in the field habitat and that can be circled when
observed.
Wildlife track identification
Wildlife Tracks Classifications -
A worksheet that shows tracks from various animals gait patterns.
Track
Identification - Page one of a worksheet for
students to name the animal track shown.
Track
Identification -
Page two of a worksheet for students to name the animal track shown.
Bird observation
Bird Behaviors -
A worksheet for students to identify observed bird behaviors. |
|
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