Ways to Take the Sting Out of Nature
While the honey bee gets most of the credit for providing pollination, there are actually about 4000 species of bees in North America. Click on this link, Bee Identification Guide, to “safely” learn more. Or visit www.pollinator.org
This easy science project mimics colorful fireworks explosions and is a perfect craft for your Independence Day celebrations. You can work together to re-create the bursts of cascading color we see with fireworks displays by using a few basic ingredients you likely already have in your cabinets. Click here to watch Fireworks in a Jar.
How Are You Celebrating Pollinator Week?
There is a buzzz of activity at www.pollinator.org. Here you will find Spiral Pop-Up Card, Pollinator Activity Book , 7 Things You Can Do for Pollinators, Bee Identification Guide, Cross-word Pollinator Puzzle and much, much more. Thank you Pollinator Partnership!
Do you keep your soil covered? Coverings are essential to soil health as they provide many benefits to the soil. Learn about the other principles and how you can help, click here 4 the Soil principles . Then, get ready to show how YOU are 4 the Soil! Celebrate National Soil Health Day on Wednesday June 23, 2021. Join in at 2:00 pm for the official launch of the 4 The Soil campaign.
Centered in Virginia and stewarded by VA Tech Co-operative Extension and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition, 4 the Soil will build awareness about the critical importance of soil and following 4 core principles of healthy soil management – in VA, regionally and across the country! 4 THE SOIL
Also, live on Facebook and Instagram at 2 PM on Wednesday Join in to hear from a couple Virginia farmers about their commitment to soil health!
Click on the link above to identify Poison Ivy or you may need an ocean of calamine lotion.
Citizen scientists are reporting the emergence of the 2021 Brood X Cicadas happening right now. As of May 10, 2021, thousands of reports from people spotting cicadas in their own yards. Some of the places seeing the most reports are around Washington, D.C.; Bethesda, Maryland; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Cincinnati, Ohio. Even places as far north and west as Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis have had sightings. Sources say that Albemarle County and surrounding areas are in the path of the 17-year brood emergence so if you haven’t seen or heard them yet, just wait. Click on these links for more Cicada mania.
Sounds of Cicadas, click the play button below.
97% of all water on Earth’s surface is found in the oceans. This water is salty. The remaining 3% is freshwater, which is distributed into varying amounts. Specifically, 68% of that freshwater is trapped in glaciers and icecaps. 30% of this freshwater is trapped below you as groundwater. This means no matter where you are standing on Earth, it is a possibility that, at a given depth, the ground below you contains water. The remaining percent of freshwater is surface water such as rivers, lakes, and swamps. Unfortunately, most of the water, which comes from oceans, is not available for use. Much of the water that people use comes from rivers or groundwater. Therefore, a lot of the water used is transported to a water treatment plant, where it is cleaned so that it can be reused.
This DIY Water Filtration activity will demonstrate how muddy water goes through three different stages of filtration becoming more clear right before your very eyes. Attention! Do not drink the water in this activity.
2021 Virtual Youth Conservation Camp
The 2021 Youth Conservation Camp is virtual this year and the extended deadline is quickly approaching–May 15th.
The Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Virginia Department of Forestry are partnering to offer the Virginia Academy of Natural Resources July 12-16, 2021, for current Virginia 8th-12th graders. Campers will attend virtual, live presentations in the morning and have exploration assignments in the afternoon focusing on Aquatics, Forestry, Soil & Wildlife. Apply by May 15th at 2021 Virtual Youth Conservation Camp. Please reach out to bonnie.mahl@vaswcd.org with any questions.
Just a turn of the tap…there when you need it. Drinking Water Week — May 2-8, 2021 For more than 40 years the American Water Works Association and the Virginia Section have used Drinking Water Week as a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives. Learn more with this a-MAZE-ing Source to Tap provided by the American Water Works Association and the Virginia Section.
Here are the answers to the Earth Day quiz. How did you do?
NASA’s 2021 Earth Day Events Registration
You’re invited to NASA’s 2021 Virtual Earth Day Event, held April 21-24. Registration is FREE and open to the public! The event will feature LIVE presentations and chat times with NASA experts, interactive science content, a kid-friendly fun zone, scavenger hunt, hundreds of downloadable resources, and more.
Celebrated annually on April 22nd, Earth Day demonstrates global support for environmental protection, and the theme for 2021 is “Restore Our Earth” in reference to groups worldwide looking at natural system processes to restore the world’s ecosystems and forests, rebuild soils through best management agriculture practices, restore wildlife populations, and rid the world’s oceans of plastics.
Test your knowledge with this Earth Day Quiz. The first classroom to email Lauriston with the highest score (out of 100) will receive a certificate of Earth Day appreciation participation for each student in the classroom. This just for fun, contest ends April 26, 2021. For more information contact lauriston.damitz@tjswcd.org. Return to the Education Resource page for answers posted on April 27, 2021. HAPPY EARTH DAY!
What’s Your Carbon Footprint?
Nature can provide at least 30% of the mitigation action needed to prevent the most harmful impacts of climate change. Currently, the world’s forests store more carbon than is in the entire atmosphere. Yet, deforestation contributes 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions — more than all passenger cars combined. Protecting forests and other natural ecosystems is one of the fastest and most effective ways to curb global climate change. Solving climate change requires reducing carbon emissions. When you offset your footprint, you neutralize your emissions by protecting forests that absorb carbon from the atmosphere. What’s your carbon footprint? Carbon Footprint Calculator
The soil on Earth is made up of air, water, decayed plant residue, organic matter, and minerals, such as sand, silt, and clay. Healthy soils are also porous, which allows air and water to move freely through them. This balance ensures a suitable habitat for soil organisms that support growing plants. Healthy soils excel at absorbing rain and preventing stormwater runoff. As a result, our waterways are cleaner and our gardens and crops need less help from us.
I want to be a part of a healthy watershed. Do you? We can and it begins with you and me! This Earth Day everyone (adults and kids alike!) can take a pledge to start or continue behaviors in our daily activities to lessen the impact on our watershed, protecting water quality and soil health. Take the pledge today to commit to a healthy and clean Rivanna watershed. Rivanna Stormwater Pledge encouraged by Love Your Watershed. Visit their website www.rivanna-stormwater.org
Earth Day is on Its Way
For Earth Day 2021, “Restore Our Earth”, a special presentation, all about what researchers eat on land and in the middle of the ocean when they are traveling to faraway places for research and fieldwork. We’ll hear about innovative techniques for getting food and water, and unique recipes that you can also try at home! Target Audience: Grades 2-5. Thursday April 22nd 4:00-5:00. Registration Required, click here A Penne for Your Thoughts. Brought to you by Earth Institute LIVE (EI LIVE) K-12 is dedicated to bringing the science of sustainability to K-12 students, educators, and parents.
Did you know seed ball bombs were first used in the 1930s by Japanese farmer-microbiologist-philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka. He created tsuchi dango (earth dumplings) to distribute seed on his land. A seed ball bomb is a mixture of rich soil, seeds, and clay that is shaped into a small ball. Once dry, these ball bombs can be easily tossed, with permission, in areas that need a little brightening up with “flower power.” Once in place, the seed ball bomb will be watered by rain fall and will help the clay in the seed ball bomb to dissolve. Eventually the seeds will take root and flowers will grow.
Introducing Pseudotriton ruber – “Red Salamander”
Salamanders are exceptional indicators of ecosystem health. Due to its unique respiration and the ability to absorb pollutants through their skin, salamanders require an environment free of toxins in order to survive. Water and air pass easily from the environment through their skin. This makes them very susceptible to toxins or changes in their environment. For example, a two-lined salamander found living under a rock by a stream is an indicator of good water quality in that stream.
World Water Day, March 22
World Water Day is celebrated every year on March 22 to raise awareness about the importance of water for human society and sustenance. Water is one of the most important natural resources our planet has to offer.
Water is the elixir of life. While 70% of the Earth’s surface and 60% of the human body is water, it is presently our most precious resource. If we were to run out of water, we would cease to exist. However, there is more to water than just quenching thirst. Water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development. Keeping this in mind, the United Nations in 1993 decided to dedicate March 22 as an annual day to observe and highlight the importance of water. Click here to watch Transforming Lives through the Power of Clean Water .
Falcon Cam is Back!
Bird nerd or not, we have exciting news to share — the Falcon Cam is back! The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) announced in a press release that the Falcon Cam is now live and invites viewers to check in regularly on a pair of Peregrine Falcons by clicking on this link Falcon Cam . This nesting box is located in Richmond, VA on top of the 21st floor of the Riverfront Plaza building. “We are delighted to report that last year’s banded female has returned to the nest box and has been joined by a new male, who, based on his bands, hails from Yorktown, VA,” said Meagan Thomas, Watchable Wildlife Biologist for DWR. “We’ve had several birds cycle through this site in recent years, so the return of this particular female for the third year in a row is certainly a cause for celebration. We are really looking forward to getting to know the latest male and are hopeful that the new pair will contribute to the population of this state-threatened species via a successful nesting season in 2021.”According to the press release, this will remain active through egg laying, incubation and hatching, and follows the growth of the chicks until they fledge (take their first flight) or it is determined that the nest has failed for the season. Tune in, to the Richmond Falcon Cam .
Its Fix-a-Leak Week For Water Conservation
Fix-a-Leak Week is a national campaign sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense program, which seeks to inform the public on how to identify and fix leaks. By making fixes, Americans put a stop to the more than 1 trillion gallons of water being wasted from household leaks each year— ONE TRILLION GALLONS OF WATER! Fix-a-Leak Week occurs in March each year.
The Charlottesville Water Conservation Program promotes the Fix a Leak Week and campaign each year with various events and outreach. Additionally, residents, young and old(er) in and around Charlottesville can participate all month long. The City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA), and Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority are hosting several activities and events to help encourage our communities to save water and FIX A LEAK! Click on this link Fix-a-Leak to learn more.
Spring arrives March 20th. If you are starting seeds early indoors to produce transplants to go out in the garden, your goal is to have transplants reach the best size for transplanting at a time when the weather conditions are suitable for them to go outside. These resources makes for a well-planned and productive start to gardening for a classroom or home project. To learn your average last spring frost date, ask a gardening neighbor or your local Cooperative Extension Service’s Master Gardener Program or The Old Farmer’s Almanac by zip code. Click on the link above for indoor seed starting.
Great Backyard Bird Count a Great Success
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology reports the 2021 results of the Great Backyard Bird Count, held on February 12-15, have been counted. 176 countries participated with 267, 866 individual participants and 6,208 species of birds reported.
Hip-hip hooray, hip-hip hooray, hip-hip hooray for Citizen Science!
Let’s do it again in 2022 –Great Backyard Bird Count, February 18-21.
Why Soil is One of the Most Amazing Things on Earth
Soil is underappreciated. But it’s vital in so many ways. Here’s a look at the magic of soil.
The Great Backyard Bird Count Begins via Citizen Science
The Great Backyard Bird Count is here and it’s in your backyard! Beginning Friday, February 12 and ending Sunday, February 15, this Citizen Science project offers an excellent opportunity to observe, record and contribute to real scientific research. Youth and adults are motivated by helping scientists and knowing that their data has real meaning. Join with thousands of other Citizen Scientists from all over the world who are following basic scientific protocols and submitting their observations to databases that scientists use to answer real-world questions. Citizen Science takes us outside and learning, learning to appreciate our local environment. Bird count observations takes as little as 15 minutes a day!
The American Chestnut, a Free Online Course
An online interactive course on the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) has been developed by Stacy Clark, Research Forester with the U.S. Forest Service, Southern Research Station. This is a free course available to anyone through a simple registration process. Participants will be introduced to the basic ecology and silvics, historical significance, and the demise of this tree species that once occupied 200 million acres in the eastern United States. The course contains a glossary and links to dendrology tables, external webpages, and published scientific papers.
To learn more and register, visit this website. A certificate of completion available at the end of the course qualifies for 1 CFE credit with the Society of American Foresters.
Great Backyard Bird Count – 2021
Each February, for four days, the world comes together for the love of birds in the Great Backyard Bird Count – 2021. From February 12-15, 2021, you’re invited to join the fun by watching, counting, and reporting as many birds as you can find in your backyard, schoolyard, or favorite place.
Learn more about how to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) with students, in this upcoming free webinar. The GBBC is a great way to introduce kids to bird watching and citizen science in the classroom, virtually, or with your family at home. Hear from the experts, and share resources, activities, and apps that make bird ID easy. Registration is required to join the webinar. Click on the dates you wish to join in Tuesday, January 19, 2021 @ 6:00pm ET or Thursday, January 21, 2021 @ 8:00pm ET.
Every time a river floods, it subtly or drastically changes its path. Scientists have long endeavored to capture this complex process in mathematical models because it includes many variables, including the softness or hardness of the soil the river erodes, groundwater and the vegetation within and along its shores. Ever wonder how rivers meander? These meanders are formed by the removal and deposition of silt, sand, mud, and rocks along the outside and inside of bends, which build up characteristic features. What is an oxbow lake? This short-animated video explains…Why Do Rivers Curve?
In case you missed the live, “Science is Cool” (ScIC): Family Holiday STEM Night– this egg in a bottle experiment demonstrates one of the many ways, Santa Claus can go down the chimney…STEM Science Experiment
PocketLab and Jason Lindsey are teaming up, on Saturday, December 19th, at 3:00 Eastern Time for “Science is Cool” (ScIC): Family Holiday STEM Night. You’ll discover the science secret behind how Santa gets down the chimney, watch as Jason uses a human circuit to power a gigantic Christmas light, create a holiday fireball, and more. Join in live.
Snowflakes and the Water Cycle as Seen by Frosty the Snowman
So how does a snowflake form and why are no two snowflakes alike? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the answers to these questions and you can too.
Want to take a challenge? Follow this link for the design of a snowflake’s lifetime.
Turkeys, Birds of Courage?
In the early twentieth century, turkey populations were in steep decline. People banded together to save the species by transplanting turkeys from healthy populations to areas where they were dwindling. The strategy worked and turkeys were brought back from the brink! Watch this 10 minute video about Birds of Courage and learn interesting facts about wild & domestic turkeys that you never knew. Brought to you by Homeschool Pop.
Do you know what a watershed is? A watershed is an area of land that channels rainfall and snow melt to creeks, streams and rivers before going to larger rivers, bays and oceans. You are always in a watershed even if you don’t see water around. So where does your water shed? You can find that answer to the question by visiting My Waterway. You can keep a watershed science notebook by clicking on this link, Explore Watersheds Science Notebook , courtesy of Project WET.
We expect water to move downhill, right? Rain falls down from the clouds and rivers flow downhill to the oceans. But water can move uphill too. This walking water experiment will demonstrate how water can travel uphill against gravity through capillary action. Capillary action is very important for moving fluid in our bodies and also important to plants for moving water from the roots up to the leaves. Watch this time-lapse video of walking water. Next, try the experiment for yourself and watch the water walk with these step-by-step directions Walking Water Experiment.
Celebrate Bat Week October 24-31. Take a little bit of time to learn about this often vilified flying mammal (they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight.). A unique pollinator that works the night shift. Though, unfortunately, a number of bat species are declining throughout the world and in Virginia we have multiple species that are listed as Threatened or Endangered. You can gain a better understanding about the bats of Virginia in this guide, courtesy of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) Guide to Virginia Bats. One more resource, Bat Blitz is a Project Wild activity for upper elementary and middle school students.
Exploring Webs and Spider Gliders
It’s not just Halloween when we see giant artificial spider webs as decorations…in reality, spider webs “trick-out” our porches, basements, under chairs and in the corners of the car port all year long, not just in the fall. But this is the time of year when a few noticeable species like orb-weavers, house spiders and wolf spiders find a mate and lay eggs before winter arrives. These types of spiders are much more active and visible in the fall. In this activity students can make Spider Gliders a fun way to learn how spiders construct and travel their web. So why don’t spiders stick to their own web? You’ll find answers along with Spider Glider instructions & material list. Plus another outdoor activity (adult supervision advised).
This activity will visibly demonstrate how layers of sediment are formed. Sediment is solid material that is moved and deposited in a new location. Sediment can consist of rocks and minerals, as well as the remains of plants and animals. It can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a boulder. Erosion can move sediment through water, ice, or wind.
Fifteen Minutes in the Forest
Every Friday at noon – Fifteen Minutes in the Forest with the Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program. Free. Join live or watch past videos.
Eight great activities for students K-12. Courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Discover the diverse community of birds. These activities will lead you into the life of birds from the evolution of birds to feeding wild birds in your backyard. These activities will teach bird identification, courtship, nests & eggs, behavior, life cycles, flight and migration. Spread your wings and fly.
Keeping a nature journal is a fun way to get students, kids & adults, learning outside in their yards and neighborhoods while building writing and observational skills. It doesn’t take much to get started, just a small journal and a pen or pencil will do. Nature journals can reflect your own unique self—writing poetry or sketching/drawing your observations (animal tracks, birds, flowers, clouds). Capture the texture of a tree or a leaf with a pencil rubbing. Make a map to your favorite spot in nature. To discover many more suggestions & ideas, click on this link to begin your Nature Journal.
Our ears are constantly being bombarded with sound – so much so that we automatically “tune out” a lot of it. This activity from Planet Learning Tree, helps children “tune in” to the sounds of their environment and helps them to explore the sounds of nature. Katydid Chorus
Watch this video (15 minutes) and get step-by-step instructions, some guiding questions and see the backyard “sound map”.
More Than a Few Sparrows to Spare
Sparrows can be tricky to identify but look closely and you’ll find more than just ho-hum brown birds…here you’ll find 49 Sparrow species identified by the color and intricate patterns on their feathers. Learn to identify the House Sparrow, a non-native invasive species, that can pose a serious threat to our native Eastern Bluebird when competing for nesting boxes.
Most plants reproduce with seeds, which come in all shapes and sizes. Some are large like a bur oak acorn with an average of 75 acorns per pound, and some are small like the eastern cottonwood with an average of 350,000 seeds per pound. The ways plants disperse seeds are both amazing and necessary.
This 4-H video The Great Seed Escape explains the importance of and mechanisms for seed dispersal.
In this activity, students will learn about food webs, discovering the many ways that plants and animals of a forest ecosystem are connected.
Put your word searching goggles on and start finding words grounded in soil.
This link will take you to Bat Conservation International, a website full of fascinating information and helpful tips for one of our many important pollinators. Bat species worldwide are experiencing habitat loss, and building an artificial roost can give our bat friends a safe and comfortable place to live. Building your own bat house is a great way to get involved in bat conservation. Interested in a DIY weekend project? Here are two different types of roosts to consider Multi-Chamber Bat House Blueprint or a Two Chamber Rocket Box Blueprint
Filmmaker, Louie Schwartzberg shows us the intricate world of pollen and pollinators with astonishing high-speed images and scenes from his film “Wings of Life”.
Consider planting native flower beds, gardens, or local grasses instead of traditional lawns, if you’re able. Purchase the Piedmont Native Plant Guides from TJSWCD. Even a small project such as planting local flowers in pots or in a windowsill can help students take concrete action toward learning about and protecting pollinators.
Pollination: It’s Vital to Life on Earth
Did you know, beetles are attracted to spicy or fruity odors, and most of them need a wide opening in the flower, because they are clumsy fliers. One out of every three bites of food we eat as Americans, we owe to pollinators! Many crops, from apples to almonds, rely almost exclusively on pollinators to survive and thrive. Pollinators have declined worldwide as a result of habitat loss and other factors, so it’s more important than ever to appreciate them and help improve the places they call home. Next time you stop to smell the flowers near you…thank a local pollinator!
This fact sheet prepared and provided by The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC).
June 22-28, 2020 has been designated National Pollinator Week! This is the time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what you can do to protect them. Thirteen years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week has now grown into an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.
Pollinator Week was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. Click on the link above for all kinds of information, resources, activities and events happening this week, nationwide.
SciStarter is the place to find, join, and contribute to science. With more than 3,000 projects and events searchable by topic, location, age-level and more, you’re sure to find the right match, anytime, anywhere.
This activity helps students, of all ages, to understand the components that make up soil.
Oil and Water…Simply Do Not Mix
One pint of oil can produce a slick of approximately one acre of water.
Next, try this “kitchen experiment” to see how oil spills can be removed from water. Kitchen Experiment – Oil & Water
Its Video Week – Lights, Camera, Action!
This week you will find links to a selection of short videos to watch now or later that connects Soil & Water to all it touches.
Upstream Downstream follows a middle school girl, Suzy (and her dog, P.D.) on her quest to find out where her water comes from and where it ends up once it goes down her drain. This film presents water as a necessary resource that sustains all life. Going through a rite of passage all her own and learning through members of her community, through conversations with a farmer, park environmentalist, water treatment plant engineers, and environmental engineers at a local manufacturing plant.
Video Week – Take Two!
S.K. Worm, the official annelid, or worm, of the Natural Resources Conservation Service helps students explore and learn about soil. Join him for a performance of a lifetime in this animated music video for his hit song “Sharp Dressed Worm.”
The Compost Story is video that invites viewers to learn about nature’s most astonishing processes. Compost as the regenerating, probiotic, solution for our depleted land, could play a major role in rebalancing the world’s carbon cycle. Created by Kiss the Ground.
Video Week – Standing Room Only!
Parental Guidance advised due to brief video of whale killing & removal.
You can be a “stormwater sleuth” at your home. Grab your rain gear and take a stormwater walk. First, think about and predict where rainwater goes after it falls on the property. Then go outside and explore where rainwater likely flows after it lands on a roof-top, driveway or sidewalk, the basketball hoop, the dog, the grass, the flowers, the garden…then if you want, you can draw a map of your stormwater walk.
What’s Making That Hole in the Ground?
Do you have something digging holes around your home or farm? Use this diagram to help diagnose common holes and tracks left by animals.
Where does the water flow?
Explore America’s larger streams. You can trace upstream to their source or you can trace downstream to where they empty. The interactive map helps you learn about the larger streams in our area and the places they pass through. Streamer is a resource found at the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Renewable or Non-Renewable…what’s the diff?
Children (and adults) often do not know which resources are renewable and nonrenewable. Use this activity, from Project Learning Tree, to learn what these terms mean and discover why sustainable use of natural resources is so important.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service bring you this educational booklet packed with information and activities to learn how soil is alive beneath our feet and all the magical properties and surprise soil holds. Grades 3-4.
Search high and low for items on this list! Sketch and label what you find.
Extra Credit: Find 3 different tree leaves—compare and contrast.
Follow Michelle Tuesday, a Private Investigator. She hasn’t nabbed a big-time thief, or solved a high profile whodunit, but she does do important work. Inspector Tuesday is an expert in animal cases. It’s because she can talk their language. The Inspector has been summoned by the residents in a worried watershed for HELP! Read more, gather the facts and help solve the Waterproof Case written by Deborah Rodney and illustrated by Jessica Bonin funded by and created for World Water Monitoring Challenge.
A History Lesson in Soil Conservation and a Snack!
Students learn about the small fraction of the planet available for growing food and ways this important land can be protected. This two-part lesson is an excellent way to introduce students to the importance of preserving soil and soil’s role in feeding billions of people.
Students will also view historical images of the Dust Bowl and read a diary entry representative of the time. Students learn how human actions can effect soil, and in turn, the landscape and people. In the second part of the lesson, students look at what was learned from the Dust Bowl, and changes it made in farming methods and soil conservation practices.
How many macroinvertabrates can you identify? Take the quiz.
What’s That Smell…Energy From Garbage Experiment
The average person in the United States creates about four pounds of trash every day! Some of this trash break down at the landfill. Have you ever driven by a landfill and wonder why does it smell? Decaying garbage creates an odor because a gas is being created as the trash decays. You can’t see the gas, but you can smell it! That trash, even when it’s decaying, contains energy!
Crumpled Paper Watershed Activity
A watershed is the land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean. So if you are in the Rivanna River Watershed (part of the larger James River Watershed) or the North Anna River Watershed (part of the York River Watershed), all the rain that falls on your property eventually goes to the Chesapeake Bay. What?? In this activity using a piece of crumpled paper, markers and water– students create a watershed model to demonstrate the geographical flow of water across the landscape, and the relationship of natural/cultural activities to water quality impacts.
Germinating a bean sprout in a cup has graduated…this activity will help students identify and understand the three requirements all plants need to germinate and live while watching their Soil Buddy grow. Send us pictures of your new Soil Buddy.
Follow this link and discover 19 websites that offer science podcasts for kids (…and kids of wonder and kids at heart). Photo by Phil Voystock- Cook Forest State Park, PA
You (yes, you) have been asked to provide some advice on the park design in order to make it more environmentally friendly. Click on link to find out more.
BirdSleuth Explorer’s Guidebook
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology wants to help get kids outside and enjoying the backyard, neighborhood, and local parks. Take kids on a habitat scavenger hunt, create a sound map, and test bird ID skills with this adaptable activity book designed to be used by families, school groups, and anyone looking for a fun way to connect to nature. Geared towards fourth graders, this step-by-step guide will help to explore our country’s diverse habitats and the birds that live there. This BirdSleuth Explorer’s Guidebook is available as a free download in both English and Spanish! Click on the link above for more details.
To the river! Macroinvertebrates.org offers a tool for interactive views of freshwater macroinvertebrates. Zoom in, zoom out, move left, move right to see the dorsal, lateral and ventral view of our local river residents. This site will help you closely explore the macroinvertebrates that are living in our waterways and their populations help to indicate water quality based on their pollution tolerance.
Pencils down, grab a spoon and dig into this tasty soil layering activity.
Peregrine Falcons once nested on the cliffs in Virginia’s mountains they now nest on city buildings, bridges and other tall structures as well as cliffs. In cities, falcons use special boxes placed on the roofs of buildings to nest in. These are called hacking boxes. The falcons are nesting in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Hatching to begin any time now. Watch them on the Falcon cam. More information can be found at www.dgif.virginia.gov. Photo courtesy of DGIF
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Maps and Maps and Maps
Here, you will find The Chesapeake Bay Watershed in a variety of views—Geographical, Land Use, Pollution, Aquatic Life and many more. Start exploring.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Awareness & Activities–understanding the characteristics of water, that precious resource we are trying to protect and understanding how it interacts with other elements in the environment, some of which pollute it and cause problems for people and animals. This EPA link shares seven experiments for you to try that will teach you the characteristics of water.
What can we learn about a tree’s life and history by examining tree rings? During this session, students will learn how to analyze tree rings and how dendrochronologists use tree-ring research to improve our understanding of past climate and environment. Presenter: Cari Leland, Lecturer in Earth & Environmental Sciences, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. (Grades 3-5)
EYES WIDE OPEN…LOOK, BUT DON’T TOUCH. Looking for a fun outdoor activity? It’s amazing how many different things you can spot in your own backyard. Print out these Backyard Bingo sheets and head outside to see what you can identify and find! Courtesy of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
K-12 Soil Science Teacher Resource
Teachers, here it is! A bank of many lessons and hands-on activities all about soils and topics related to soils. You can search for materials by grade level and/or subject and/or type of lesson.
Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators?
Participate and Celebrate in Stewardship Week, April 26-May 3. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) established Stewardship Week 65 years ago to educate the public on the importance of soil health, water quality, pollinator habitat and other conservation topics.
Now here’s the buzz…NACD takes flight to foster education and awareness of pollinators in this activity-packed guide. The Pollinator Field Day Curriculum Guide provides interactive learning opportunities for students in K-8 grades. This is a free, downloadable PDF for local printing. You must complete a survey to download the document. For more information and to get started go to the NACD webpage.
“Stewardship Week helps to remind us all of the power each person has to conserve natural resources and improve the world.”
Where does water come from and where does it go? This interactive lesson from Project Wet will help you find your way from beginning to end again and again.
For a little more fun…
The Sun, Biomass and The Wind take on beautiful shapes and colors now try these designs at home. Brought to you by the national Energy Education Development (www.NEED.org). Check out their website for more games, puzzles and activities.
Climate Camp with the Community Climate Collaborative
Activities, videos and online books for all ages…stave off boredom and remain engaged on helping the climate. Follow this link to the Community Climate Collaborative (C3) and join the team as C3 created these weekly virtual and interactive activities throughout Earth Month for the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day (April 22).