Learning Outdoors
Resources from Environmental Education - 10/22/20
THANK YOU TEACHERS! YOU'VE GOT THIS!
Teacher Resources from USGS
Pickles the Black Swallowtail
River Meditation
Poem of the Day
What is Phenology?
By EE teacher Mrs. Raymond
See her other articles and resources at her website!
Simply put, phenology is the study of the timing of life cycles of living things. You’ve probably done it, but not even realized it. Have you noticed when the robins return to Wisconsin in the spring? Have you compared when strawberries ripen in the summer? Did one of your favorite trees turn orange earlier than usual? And when was that first snowfall last year?
All of these are examples of people noticing changes in nature around them, and comparing them with when they happened in the past. In these posts, I hope to highlight some easy examples of phenological observations that kids can do, and pair them with a children’s picture book that I love.
If you’re really motivated, keep a journal of things that you notice happening in nature, and then compare it with when those things happen next year. Or use birthdays and anniversaries as your markers - what happens every year around those days?
This week’s book is a great one to share with kids - A Stroll Through the Seasons by Kay Barnham and illustrated by Maddie Frost. It’s a non-fiction book about why we have seasons, with many details that kids can notice in their own worlds.
I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds Me Of
Moving in Nature
Planetarium Corner
Each week, Lisa Swaney (the Planetarium Director) will share some fun opportunities here!
---------
Calling All Middle School Teachers- Are you looking for a classroom extension or an extracurricular club idea? Look no further- Sign Up for the Future City 2020- 2021 Competition by October 31st!
Future City is a project-based learning program where students in 6th- 8th grades imagine, design, and build cities of the future. This year’s challenge, Living on the Moon, asks teams to design a futuristic lunar city and provide examples of how the city uses two Moon resources to keep its residents safe and healthy. Obviously, this year the competition is all virtual, and there are three different categories of competitions. Check out the attached link and remember that October 31st is the deadline!
Exploring Energy Outdoors for K-6 Students
Energy - Your Home in the Winter
Garden Corner
This week we feature a fantastic activity that can be done inside or outside called "Six or One, Half a Dozen of the Other". It suggests using materials you find in nature, but it could certainly be done with items in your classroom as well. Check out the video below to learn more!
Another resource we wanted to share was a compilation of virtual activities by the WI School Garden Network.
Support for Outdoor Learning
To see detailed outdoor learning ideas, check out this slideshow.
To see a flyer that outlines our support offerings this year, check out this link.
Science Joke of the Week
We Want to Hear From YOU!
Email: ekoeppel@waukesha.k12.wi.us
Website: https://sdw.waukesha.k12.wi.us/domain/173
Location: 810 West College Avenue, Waukesha, WI, USA
Phone: 262-970-4333
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SDWEnvironmentalEducation
Twitter: @sdwenved