Project Areas
Helpful Resources
Activity Ideas
Includes the activities “Egg Carton Caterpillar,” “Create Your Own Ladybug,” and “Garden in a Glove.”
Features
- An educational and fun twist to bingo
- Learn informative facts
- Fun for all ages
Includes
- 6 player boards, 112 chipboard bingo squares and 42 picture cards with an image on the front and facts on the back
Sensory Tour – University of Minnesota Extension
In this lesson, youth discover nature through the five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch and taste) by taking a sensory tour of nature right where they are!
Nature is made up of an almost infinite number of small things that work together every day to make a humongous impact. Some of those things are all around us: No matter where you live, insects and natural processes are constantly creating and sustaining life.
In this series of at-home activities, kids will get an up-close look at a few of the creatures and natural processes that keep the world going. By the end of each activity, they will have newfound knowledge as well as a fun craft to take their understanding of the world to the next level. Requires a free Clover account to access lesson plans.
Jr. Naturalists – The Wild Center
Five weeks of activities to get kids observing, recording, and exploring nature.
Nature From Your Window – The Wild Center (PDF)
Phenology – University of Minnesota Extension
With this learning guide, youth can work independently to look closely at nature and make observations about the world around them. Learn how to record observations, make sketches, and employ senses beyond sight to hear, touch and smell differences in our environment.
4-H Natural Resources Level 1: Step Into Nature
4-H Natural Resources Level 2: Explore the Natural World
4-H Natural Resources Level 3: Blaze the Trail
Exploring Your Environment: Earths Capacity
Exploring Your Environment – Earth’s Capacity focuses on environmental stewardship and sustainability and issues such as transportation choices, waste management, composting, recycling, and natural resources.
Exploring Your Environment: Ecosystems Services
Exploring Your Environment – Ecosystem Services provides an introduction to ecosystem services and explores topics including pollination, soil, provisioning services, and ecotourism.
Exploring Your Environment: Facilitator Guide
Exploring Your Environment – Facilitator Guide provides training, supplemental activities, and resources to help the facilitator deliver the Exploring Your Environment curriculum.
What Do You See? – Michigan 4-H
This activity will help youth develop observation skills, understand camouflage, and enjoy the outdoors.
Making a Paper Bag Journal: Nature Journaling – Michigan 4-H
4-H Nature Connections: Track Patterns – Michigan 4-H
In this activity, youth will learn how animals move and why different animals might make different types of tracks.
Washington Specific Reference Material
Coming soon!
Other Reference Material
From 4-H Programs
The Leaflet – University of Minnesota Extension
The Leaflet is an independent learning guide designed to get youth in grades 3-8 exploring and learning about the natural world! From camping to animal adaptations to archery, youth discover what it means to be a naturalist—a person who is passionate about the environment.
Outdoor Skills and Stories Day Camp – University of Minnesota Extension
4-H Outdoor Skills Day Camp fosters in young children (grades K-2) a love of the outdoors and a respectful relationship with the environment. Through hands-on activities and children’s literature which centers black and indigenous people of color (BIPOC), youth will explore nature through literacy. These five program sessions are full of fun lessons and activities designed to introduce youth to the topics of birding, water protection, hiking, fishing, and camping.
From Higher Education Institutions
Educator Generated Lesson Plans – PennState University
These lesson plans cover Earth Sciences, Forestry/Natural Resources, Water, and Wildlife.
Environment and Ecology Series – PennState University
Wildfire Lesson Plans – PennState University
From Related Organizations, Journals, and Professionals
…What would happen if everyone picked up at least one piece of litter?
In our site you will discover facts about our planet, its complex patterns of biomes, plants, and animals, and how climates ultimately determine the biomes
of our Earth.
Biodiversity Counts – American Museum of Natural History
Welcome to Biodiversity Counts! This resource collection takes students into the field and engages them in life science research: the inventory of plants and arthropods outside their own backdoors. Resources in this collection include lesson plans, essays, and Web-based interactives that help students explore, analyze, and apply their field observations.
- Kits, Projects, and Activities from National 4-H
National 4-H Natural Resources and Environmental Education Curriculum Collection
National 4-H Environmental Education Curriculum Collection
National 4-H Environment & Outdoor Science Curriculum Collection