Citizen Science Projects Citizen science projects are powerful, real-world opportunities to develop your students’ science skills, get them involved with the community, contribute to the scientific community, and nurture future stewards of the Earth. But what are they? Citizen science projects are opportunities that involve non-scientist participation in data collection and reporting for scientific research. […]
Podcast
Outdoor Classroom Routines and Procedures: 5 Easy Activities for Your First Week Outside [Ep. 14]Classroom Routines and Procedures Practicing classroom routines and procedures is essential in the first few weeks of school. When done consistently, you can set you and your students up for success for the rest of the school year. The same can be said for your outdoor classroom routines and procedures. In this episode, I describe […]
Podcast
Teaching with Phenology: How to Plan Your Science Standards Around the Seasons [Ep. 11]Teaching with Phenology Organizing science standards with phenology in mind can truly benefit your students’ overall learning. Not only does it encourage the use of all the senses, lends itself well to a variety of different science activities, and provides a scaffolded approach to understanding of content, it most importantly gives your students authentic phenomenon […]
Podcast
10 Best Nature Apps to Use in the Elementary Classroom [Ep. 10]Best nature apps We’ve made it to the 10th episode of this podcast! Statistics show that more than 80% of podcasts don’t make it to this point, so to celebrate, I’ve put together a list of the 10 best nature apps that I use for teaching elementary students. 🥳 All of these apps have free […]
Podcast
Exploring Invertebrates: 10 Picture Books to Introduce Animal Characteristics [ep. 9]Invertebrates and animal characteristic picture books Invertebrates make up the majority of the animals on Earth, but students aren’t as familiar with them as they are vertebrates. Introducing a variety of animal groups in your science studies is important for your students’ overall understanding of the curriculum. Using picture books to introduce the characteristics of […]
Podcast
Learning Gardens: Creating Dynamic Outdoor Classrooms with Victoria Hackett [ep. 8]Learning gardens I am so excited to be able to offer you a guest interview all about teaching with gardens! My experience is with wild ecosystems, but Victoria Hackett from Outdoor Classrooms has researched teaching gardens across the U.S. Through this research, she developed a framework of 4 different types of gardens that can be […]
Podcast
Animal Characteristic Breakdown: Reaching Your Curricular Goals By Teaching with Animals [ep. 7]Animal characteristic breakdown Children love animals and are interested in their unique traits. By embracing this interest and teaching with animal characteristic activities in your classroom, you can reach your curricular goals in a student-driven way. In this episode, I introduce a Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for each grade level K-5 that can be […]
Outdoor Education
Podcast
5 Outdoor Education Safety Tips for Teaching Outside [Ep. 6]Outdoor education safety tips If you’ve considered teaching outside, but safety concerns have held you back, I’m here to help! Outdoor education safety can be managed just like any other aspect of teaching and can come as second nature when practiced regularly. In this episode, I share 5 tips to help you feel more at […]
Podcast
Science Skills for Students: 10 Picture Books For Encouraging Kid Scientists [ep. 5]Science skills picture books Teaching science skills with picture books gives your students the opportunity to see them in action. Questioning, observing, persistence, and other science skills are abstract concepts and can be hard for early childhood learners to understand. Picture books also let students see the results of their science skills, showing them why […]
Podcast
6 Invasive Species Activities to Use in the Elementary Classroom [ep. 4]Invasive species activities The ultimate conservation preservation hack…invasive species activities! If you’re worried about maintaining your schoolyard ecosystem but you still want to provide your students the opportunity for hands-on experiences, invasive species are your new best friend. In this episode, we’ll talk through what a native species is compared to an exotic species and […]