Conservation Connect is a middle school level web-based video series produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This series inspires a new generation of conservation stewards by taking students on e-fieldtrips across the country to learn more about wildlife species, conservation careers, and technology used to study and protect these wild creatures.
Want to start a school garden? Nature Conservancy’s lesson plan cover planning, building, and caring for your school garden, plus a video on overcoming common student fears.
Elementary GLOBE’s modules introduce students in primary grades (Grades K-4) to the various aspects of Earth system science. Using a storybook approach, the modules utilize a science-based, fictional narrative to engage students in the scientific method. The modules also challenge them to extend their lessons into the natural world through observation and measurement of their surrounding environment.
These video programs explore how children learn. Based on recent research, as well as the pioneering work of Piaget and others, Minds of Our Own shows that many of the things we assume about how children learn are simply not true. For educators and parents, these programs bring new insight to debates about education reform.
They offer free ready-to-teach lessons for middle school that challenge stereotypes and feature authentic conservation champions breaking barriers around the world. We also provide trainings to help educators bring diverse role models and approaches to environmental literacy into their classrooms.
Site for teachers to find free and pay-per-use educational K-12 school resources. It allows teachers to come up with fresh ideas to inspire new ways of learning.
Nature Lab has been recognized with an Anthem Award and a Telly Award for video content and learning modules that raise awareness about the challenges facing the natural world—and what young learners can do to help solve them.
The primary resources support core subjects like English, Maths, and Science, while also covering the wider curriculum with resources for Geography, History, Art, and Culture – which includes opportunities for SMSC (spiritual, moral, social, and cultural) development.
Each primary resource comes with a list of the curriculum areas that it covers, to support you in finding a balanced learning plan. The writing follows the same tone as National Geographic Kids magazine, and every primary resource is sure to engage children by making learning fun and accessible.
Students will learn that people in countries with fewer resources suffer disproportionately from climate change, even though their countries contribute fewer emissions than wealthier countries.
There is a glossary at the end of the book.
These courses are guided, to be inspired to embed connections to the more-than-human-world in my day-to-day life, continuously self-reflect, and adapt my practices to meet community needs over time
A community garden is a wonderful way to bring people together while growing fresh, healthy food. Kids can ask their school, local library, or community center if there’s space to start a garden, then invite neighbors and classmates to help plant, water, and harvest vegetables or flowers. Some gardens even donate their extra produce to food banks or share it with neighbors who need it. It’s a hands-on way to learn about nature, teamwork, and taking care of your community’s shared spaces.
Wildlife centers take care of injured or orphaned animals, and they always need extra support to keep helping. Kids can host a bake sale, lemonade stand, or online fundraiser, or organize a “walk-a-thon” with friends and family to raise money for a wildlife rescue near them. You could also collect donated supplies the center needs, like towels, blankets, or pet food. Even a small donation can help feed, shelter, or heal an animal in need.
Recycling projects let kids turn everyday trash into something useful — or at least keep it out of landfills! You could start a recycling bin program at your school, organize a can and bottle drive to raise money for charity, or get creative and turn old materials into art, planters, or bird feeders. You might even research your town’s recycling rules and make a poster or flyer to help neighbors recycle correctly. Small habits, like rinsing containers or separating paper from plastic, add up to a big impact when a whole community joins in.
Setting up a booth at your local farmers market is a great way to get your whole neighborhood excited about helping the planet. You could raise money for a cause you care about — like a wildlife shelter, a tree-planting group, or a beach cleanup fund — by selling homemade crafts, lemonade, or baked goods. You could also use your booth to teach people about recycling, showing them fun facts or simple tips for sorting their trash the right way. It’s a great way to practice public speaking, teamwork, and making a real difference in your community.
Every year on the third Saturday of September, people around the world celebrate International Coastal Cleanup Day, and you can sign up with local groups in your community to join thousands of other volunteers picking up trash along the shore. But you don’t have to wait for that one day — cleanups can happen any time! Grab some gloves, trash bags, and a few friends, and organize your own cleanup day at a nearby river, stream, lake, or beach. It’s a fun way to hang out with friends while protecting fish, turtles, and birds from plastic and litter. Nationalcleanupday.
Planting trees is one of the easiest ways kids can help fight climate change and give animals a home. You can join organizations like SAFE Worldwide, One Tree Planted, or the Arbor Day Foundation, which often have kid-friendly volunteer days and even let you sponsor a tree from home. Or, team up with your family, neighbors, or scout troop to start your own mini tree-planting project in a local park, schoolyard, or empty lot (just ask permission first!). Every tree you plant helps clean the air, cool the planet, and grow into a home for birds and squirrels for years to come.
