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If short winter days have you longing for more time outdoors, how about bringing a bit of the outdoors to your desk? Research shows that indoor plants can improve your outlook and even reduce stress (see, for example, this article on the benefits of plants). Our family has a long-standing practice of keeping fresh flowers …

  Your students may have an idea about how much they weigh, but have they ever weighed objects they find outside? For the activity this week, you will need:  Bags for collecting the objects A bathroom scale  A kitchen scale  First, head outside with your students to collect 3 different natural objects. Instruct them to …

This weekend, head outside and search for animal tracks! Don’t just look for tracks made by your pet — see what other types of tracks you can find. Even if it has not snowed in your area recently, you can also find tracks in the dirt or mud. When you find some animal tracks, snap …

Are the grey skies of winter getting you down? Don’t worry — there are plenty of ways to enjoy the season. Here are some ideas to get you started:   Try a new winter sport, like skiing, snowshoeing, or snow tubing. Catch a snowflake with your tongue. Have a competition among your family and see who …

Whether mild or cold, winter is here! Take your students on a nature walk in search of signs of winter. Instruct the students to make a list of what they see (or don’t see!). When you reach the end of the walk, have the students compare their lists. Photo by Erean

The stars you see in the night sky change from season to season, so even if it’s a little chilly outside, take advantage of a clear evening. Not sure what to look for? Check out this page for everything to watch for in the sky during January 2019.

Sometimes the new year is so full of new resolutions and goals that it can be a bit overwhelming — and stressful! If you’re already feeling over-committed, try these simple ways to help you relax, refresh, and reconnect. Take a walk every day. This can be a nature walk, a walk to work and back, or …

This weekend, get together with your family and brainstorm ways you can spend time outside together on a regular basis. Some ideas may be: Walking or Hiking Playing an outdoor gameBirdwatching Gardening Going on a picnic Stargazing Next, choose one that everyone would like to do this year. It could be once a week or …

Play a guessing game! Have your students choose something they’ve seen outside (they can refer to their lists of objects if necessary). Instruct the students to write down adjectives and phrases describing the object, making their descriptions as detailed as they can. Teach them how to choose words that are vivid and exact rather than general …

The whole class can be involved in preparing for this activity. First, have the students brainstorm together and think of objects they have found outside. It may be an object they have only seen one time, or it could be something they see every time they go outdoors. Ideas can include animals, tree varieties, or …

‘Tis the season when many children think about sleighs and reindeer. Or should we say, sleighs and caribou?   How They Are Similar Reindeer and caribou are all found in the northern regions of the earth. Besides Alaska and Canada in North America, they also live in the icy regions of Norway, Russia, and Greenland. Both …

When artists draw, they think about the shapes of the objects they’re drawing. You’re students can think about shapes as they head outside this week. Before You Go Discuss lines and angles.  Discuss various geometric shapes the students might find outside. These can include circles, ovals, triangles, rectangles, squares, and other parallelograms.  Discuss symmetry.  Gather …

This week is a short school week because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Take advantage of the season and head outside for a gratitude walk. As you go, have the students take turns naming things in nature that they are thankful for. Write down the ideas as the students name them. Next, have the students create …

Many cities offer turkey trots on Thanksgiving Day — fun foot races to help you burn off some of those calories you will be eating later. So this weekend, find one near you that the whole family can participate in. Then head outside for some practice! You may even be starting a new Thanksgiving tradition!  …

This week, talk about condensation! Some good online resources include: “Dew”. National Geographic  “Condensation”. Geography for Kids Students are probably familiar with finding condensation on a window or drinking glass. But they may not have thought about finding it in nature. Go out early in the morning to find examples of condensation on grass, leaves, …

Is your class learning about circles, diameter, radius, and circumference? Then measuring trees can give your students some hands-on experience!   Provide each student with a flexible sewing measuring tape. Students should also carry with them a pencil and notebook.  Have the students choose a tree in the schoolyard to measure. Show them how to wrap …

This weekend, call your local nature center or park to find out how you and your family can volunteer. These positions may include jobs such as working at the front desk, helping to prepare meals for the animals, cleaning the habitats, or watching over a petting area.    Photo by cheriedurbin

You don’t need a lot of supplies to make some good rubbings. Just provide the students with plain paper and some crayons. Instruct them to remove the paper from the crayons before they begin.  Next, head outside and search for leaves or bark to rub. Place a piece of paper on top of it, then …

Fall is in the air! This weekend, head to a local farm and go pumpkin picking! Many farms offer small pumpkins for just a few dollars, making it easy for everyone to choose a favorite to take home.  Want to learn more about how pumpkins grow? Check our this page on the Old Farmer’s Almanac.  …

Many poets have found their inspiration in nature. Inform your students that each one is going to write an original poem. Then take them outside. Together, brainstorm topics they may write about based on what they see around them. Ideas could include clouds, a storm, trees, branches, birds, butterflies, roots — whatever catches their eye. …