The Branch Archive

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Video Demo: Schoolyard Safari

Watch the Schoolyard Safari Demonstration video (6 minutes). In PLT’s Schoolyard Safari, students go on a safari to explore a nearby habitat – the schoolyard – while looking for signs of animals living there. This video was developed by Anita Smith, a Maine PLT Facilitator.

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Video Demo: Tree Lifecycle

Watch the Tree Lifecycle Demonstration video (10 minutes). In PLT’s Tree Lifecycle students discover that trees have a lifecycle that is similar to that of other living things.  This video was developed by Anita Smith, PLT Facilitator in Maine.

Extremely tall trees in a dense forest

Video Demo: Sounds Around

Watch the  Sounds Around Demonstration video (15 minutes). PLT’s Sounds Around engages students to listen and learn from sounds of nature. This video was developed by Danielle Ardrey, Colorado PLT Coordinator, this step-by-step instructional video offers guiding questions and an example of a “sound map”.

Green Jobs and Careers in Conservation

There are many “green” job opportunities in traditional fields such as forestry, wildlife conservation, fisheries management, soil and water conservation, and environmental law. There are also career opportunities with nonprofits and for-profit businesses that can help the Earth.

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Earth Now

If your students have an Apple or Android device and are interested in Earth Science, Earth Now is a free, 3D app that displays real-time global satellite data of the planet. Students can view carbon dioxide conditions, gravity anomalies, ozone levels over Antarctica, and more. Find more science apps to use with your students in… Read more »

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Kids and Youth—Yellowstone National Park

Plan a virtual mini-lesson using Yellowstone National Park’s Kids and Youth section for students to learn more about America’s first national park. Through educational and enriching information, illustrations, and even sound snippets, students can explore a specific theme of the park—Geology, Hydrothermal, Wildlife, History, and Preservation. You can also guide them towards the Ask a… Read more »

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Detroit Parks Coloring Pages

Learn what makes a city park great, such as local wildlife, spaces for public enjoyment, and community activities, with this Detroit Parks Coloring Book. Use these coloring pages (available for download, print, and color) for students to explore the parks around the city of Detroit, Michigan. Then, discuss with students ways your community might conserve… Read more »

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Go with the Flow!

NASA’s Space Place website engages upper-elementary-aged children in space and Earth science through interactive games, hands-on activities, informative articles, and engaging short videos. Find material in both English and Spanish and resources for parents and teachers. For example, in the online game Go with the Flow!, children direct a submarine to uncover hidden treasure and… Read more »

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Migration Game

Developed by the Smithsonian National Zoo, the Migration Game tests students on their knowledge about bird migration. Depending on their answers, students will either help or hinder Wanda the Wood Thrush get from her winter home in Costa Rica to her summer home in Maryland. Pair the online quiz with our article How Plants and… Read more »