EcoSTARS, Students, Teachers, and Real Science, is an exciting field experience with an environmental education focus for teacher candidates at St. Catherine University. All school sites are environmental education magnet schools. EcoSTARS teacher candidates teach about the environment through the lens of math, science, and social studies. Purpose: The purpose of this website is to share our love of teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) outdoors. The site is organized to mirror the school year and the natural cycle of seasonal changes (phenology). While there are easy connections to science in the natural world, students purposefully use reading, writing and math in the outdoors as well. Site Organization: The site is organized by seasons. Each season includes a lesson from one of our EcoSTARS teacher candidates. All of the EcoSTARS lessons are based on the citizen science program GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment), from NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). After the teacher candidate lesson, you can

find an example of a citizen science project for the season. Following the seasonal citizen science project, there is a monthly calendar of resources for teaching outdoors by month. What is Citizen Science? ­ Citizen science is broadly defined as anytime laypeople engage in science activities. For example, gardeners may keep annual records on the dates of planting, sprouting, budding, blooming, and dying in their gardens. Birders might keep a record of when and where they saw a specific type of bird. These are all science activities but the purpose of the data collection is more personal and not intended for dissemination of research. There are also citizen science projects where scientists engage citizens in methods to collect data for the purpose of sharing the data with the scientists. This is sometimes also called crowdsourcing. While the scientist has less control over the collection methods, there is much broader access to lots of data. SciStarter is a great clearinghouse for finding citizen science projects.on a variety of topics requiring varying amounts of time, materials, etc. Some of the projects are a one time experience while others require a longer time commitment. On the EcoSTARS website, we will highlight one citizen science website for each season. Why teach outdoors?

Listen to three generations discuss how play has evolved through the years. Nature Valley 3 Generations Why teaching kids outdoors engages them in STEM?: an annotated bibliography

Outdoor Tips and Tricks Presentation

Introduction: Energy and high expectations abound as students, teachers, and families begin the new school year. Just as the classroom year has a rhythm and cycle, so does the natural world. Classroom phenology: The first weeks of school is a time to learn rituals and routines for the classroom. Remember to include rituals and routines that include going outside to learn. Our student story from Katie Hoerna EcoSTARS student Spring 2013, is a great example of a simple way to teach these rituals and routines by adopting a tree to visit throughout the school year. Recording weather and seasonal data like temperature, hours of sunlight, cloud cover, and precipitation may provide information about how weather affects your tree. After introductory baseline assessments have been established for your students, focus on how you design formative assessments to collect information about your students’ progress. As late fall approaches, it is time to think about how you will maintain your outdoor classroom lessons when the weather gets colder and snow falls. This can be an engaging inquiry project for students as they define the problem and establish ways to collect more information about the problem and suggest solutions. Establish data points to track whether the solutions were effective.

Outdoor phenology: Some suggestions for outdoor phenology include observations of plants and animals as the weather changes. Weather data is an important backbone to analyzing phenology data. Establish a ritual and routine for weather data you would like to collect. Will students collect the data on a rotating basis? Maybe a weekly student job will be classroom meteorologist. Or will students collect the data in pairs, groups or some other assignment. How often will data be collected? In the Citizen Science project highlighted for the spring, the hours of daylight are collected on the first day of every month, autumnal equinox, winter solstice, and vernal equinox. You might collect data once a week. Some weather instrument stations store daily temperature highs and lows for a week, allowing fewer collection periods with a high volume of data. What tools will you use to collect the data? a meteorology website or on­site weather station. The right answers to these questions are the answers that work for your class. If this is your first time to collect this data, it is recommended to keep it simple and manageable until your comfort level increases. As the season progresses, predictable plant changes occur. There are a number of lessons related to autumn leaves, plant anatomy, plant life cycles, and plant identification. Through November, the changes in weather provide more opportunities to extend learning about life cycles or physical science standards, like the effects of temperature on the natural and designed world. The cold weather is an opportunity to share with students ways to adapt to changes in weather. Let students come up with ideas about how to stay comfortable in the cold, wind, rain, and snow. Sometimes students come to school without the proper clothing for the weather. There are a number of ways to address this issue. You might write a grant to get a classroom set of boots, hats, mittens, rain ponchos, etc. You might ask the parent organization to help collect these items at thrift stores, garage sales, or a organize a way to distribute outgrown outerwear to younger students. Creative solutions exist that work best for your own classrooms/schools.

Fall story: Adopt a Tree Katie Hoena

My name is Katie Hoena. I am a 2013 graduate of Saint Catherine University's MAED program. I have a STEM certification. I also hold a BA in Music and Women's Studies minor from College of Saint Catherine, 1998. I am currently teaching in the Lakeville schools as a STEAM specialist. STEAM is STEM plus arts integration. Fall Story ­ make as a pdf link The lesson I have shared is adapted from Project Learning Tree's Adopt a Tree lesson. It is intended to be an ongoing investigation of trees on school grounds or in the neighborhood. I introduced the lesson by showing my grade 1­5 students a brief, time lapsed video of a forest. Students shared their observations of how trees, landscape, and sounds changed with different seasons in the video. I told students they would get to adopt a tree to observe for the school year, to see how seasons affect their own tree. I brought my students to an area with about 10­12 trees to choose from (instructing children to choose whichever tree they want but to share trees with anybody else who wanted the same tree) Students had a laminated observation instruction sheet with required observations on one side and choice observations on the other. These observations are differentiated for primary and intermediate

students, as well as for multiple intelligences. Observations were recorded in their STEAM notebooks. One of the choice activities on the intermediate observation sheet is to give the tree a nickname; I informally gave this option to the younger students, as well. The students really loved that part!

Adopt a Tree Lesson https://docs.google.com/document/d/155oYWhn2vg4bPCHlR9aqJvcSY6m­UJ3x0XOOUVKCtRo/edit Documents: Citizen Science projects: Journey North Sunlight and Seasons Fall Leaf Clean­up with Freshwater Society Websites http://www.globe.gov/ ­ Citizen science website with phenology data from around the world and lessons for all grade levels. Science notebooks ­ Resource from science educators organized by Washington State presenting multiple aspects of science

notebooks including student examples. The following books provide tips on nature journals: Keeping a Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie and Carles E. Roth How to Keep a Sketchbook Journal by Claudia Nice Materials List Science Notebooks, “master” outdoor backpack with necessary gear (medications, first aid kit, clock/watch, timer) weather station, pencils, colored pencils, clipboards, weather gear (rain coats, rain boots), blankets, tarps, sit­upons Sit­upons can be any material that allows students to sit on the ground comfortably. Some examples are cut­up yoga mats, cardboard boxes, scraps of tarp.

School year focus Rituals and Routines and Science Notebooks Phenology Focus Autumnal equinox Lessons Minnesota Conservation Volunteer Phenology story Teacher's Guide phenology

Studying the Instrument Shelter

Students construct cardboard stations to house weather instruments.

What Makes Shadows

This lesson from “Fostering Reading through Science and Technology”(FIRST) allows students to observe how light in the classroom makes the shadow of a classmate. Then students go outside to trace each others’ shadow with chalk. After the first drawing, students predict how the shadow will change when they return to trace again after a couple of hours. This site also includes a list of children’s books to complement the topic. Keeping a Journal While this lesson is specific to the monarch butterfly life cycle, it has guiding principles for using a science notebook. Children’s literature Sun Up, Sun Down by Gail Gibbons Grades K ­2

The Reason for the Seasons by Gail Gibbons Grades 3 ­ 5

Why Do Seasons Change? by Dorling Kindersley

Our Seasons by Grace Lin and Ranida T. McKneally

What’s the Weather by Melissa Stewart provides examples of ways to make weather observations.

Watching the Weather: Clouds by Elizabeth Miles presents different weather phenomena on each page with text, photographs, and labeled diagrams.

Oh Say Can You Say What’s the Weather Today? by Tish Rabe is a Dr. Suess­inspired tale about weather concepts which is engaging for first and second graders.

Weather Words and What They Mean by Gail Gibbons explains weather phenomena and supports weather vocabulary.

School year focus Assessments Phenology Focus Leaves Lessons

Separating the colors in autumn leaves !CAUTION!: THIS LESSON USES ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL

Leaf Observations Writing Scientific Explanations Leaf Identification Children’s Literature

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert Sky Tree: Seeing Science through Art by Thomas Locker follows a tree with paintings of one tree through the seasons. The end of book contains artist’s notes on each of the paintings. From Seed to Maple Tree: Following the Life Cycle by Laura Purdie Salas Minnesota Guide to Trees by University of Minnesota or other tree guide appropriate to your site. Trout are Made of Trees by April Pulley Sayre tells the story of how plant matter breaks down and becomes part of the nutrient cycle

School year focus First report card cycle; Going deeper Phenology Focus Cold weather Lessons

From: Selly, P. B. (2013). Early childhood activities for a greener earth . St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, pp.173 & 175.These lessons can be done anytime of the year and can be adapted from Preschool ­ grade 6.

Taking the Temperature, Taking the Temperature can be done anytime of year but in November we start to see big changes in temperature and it will complement your discussions on how wearing weather appropriate outerwear for recess and environmental activities. Students will practice their thermometer reading and possibly graphing skills as they record the temperature at a variety of locations on the schoolyard and in the school. Repeating the lesson again in the spring using the same locations to compare and contrast results would be an opportunity to practice data analysis.

Color Connections builds on the thermometer reading skills and makes connections to the way color influences temperature. This lesson uses jars, water, and black paper but can also be done with various colors of mittens/gloves. Put thermometers under lights in different colored mittens or jars filled with water, one jar covered in white paper and the other in black paper. Turn a light on the mittens or jars. Record the temperature every 5 minutes for 20 ­ 30 minutes. Discuss results. Ask students to describe the effect color had on temperature.

Children’s Literature Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest by Steve Jenkins Owl Moon by Jane Yolen The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Introduction: Winter is a great time to go outside. It has some unique challenges: all students need proper winter clothing, it will take more time to get all the gear on, you may stay outside for shorter periods of time if it is exceptionally cold, and you will need to communicate with families about your expectations for going outside in the winter (what temps will you stay in for, expectations that students should be prepared to go out everyday, etc.). The payoffs are increased energy and exhilaration from being outside as at any other time of year. The best way to survive winter is to embrace it. Check out the book, Ten Minute Field Trips by Helen Russell, to find a short, engaging activity to get started. Our winter story and lesson is from Melissa Hebrank, EcoSTAR in Fall 2013. Classroom Phenology: December is often typically is a short school month due to winter break. The important outdoor phenology event signals the shortest day of sunlight which affects our daily routines. There may be many special events and field trips affecting our classroom routines. If you haven’t done so yet, it might be a good time to provide new seating charts and groups to recharge students. After the winter break is a good time to take a look at the classroom rituals and routines. If there is something that you’d like to change, this is a good time to do so as student re­learn the school routine. We will take look at increasing students’ vocabularies in February.

Outdoor Phenology: December is a good time to take about seasons as we celebrate the winter solstice. There are a couple of lessons and demonstrations on what causes the seasons. Allow students to show their understanding of what causes the seasons using technology apps, websites, and tools to present this information to a broader audience and use their creativity. After the winter break, our typically cold January temperatures keep the snow around, so this is a good time to explore the properties of snow. An exciting citizen science project, Project Feederwatch allows students to learn local birds, identify them, and collect data for a national database.

Winter story: Clouds by Melissa Hebrank Speakman Resources for this lesson are from The GLOBE Program: Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment unit on the Atmosphere: Clouds. The link for these lessons is below. http://www.globe.gov/do­globe/globe­teachers­guide/atmosphere?p_p_id=globegovteacherguideportlet_WAR_globegovcmsportlet_INSTANCE_2Tcr&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column­1&p_p_col_count=1&_globegovteacherguideportlet_WAR_globegovcmsportlet_INSTANCE_2Tcr_protocolCat=12270 Melissa Hebrank Speakman was an EcoSTAR in Fall 2013. She is sharing her cloud lesson inspired by the GLOBE curriculum.

Melissa’s bio: Melissa was born and raised in a small town in Southwestern Minnesota. After graduating from Marshall Senior High School, Melissa attended St. Catherine University to pursue a degree in Elementary Education. During her four years of undergraduate school, Melissa tutored for America Reads in a variety of schools and after school programs in the Twin Cities. Between her experience working with America Reads and the fieldwork placements through the St. Catherine University Education Department, Melissa had the opportunity to experience education in the Twin Cities in a variety of different school and after school settings. Melissa graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree Elementary Education with a pre­primary endorsement in 2014. She also earned a Minor in Psychology, and a certificate in STEM. After graduation Melissa moved back to Marshall, MN and is currently a 4th grade teacher at RTR Elementary in Ruthton, MN.

Melissa’s lesson: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IG1jjKKV5kBdsh9PMET_YFYysMrfCj88d‐x5skzjWr4/edit Citizen Science project:

Project Feederwatch Outdoor teaching tips and tricks:

Implement inquiry and expectations for going outdoors in cold weather Websites Earth orbit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2lP146KA5A

The Reason for the Seasons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgq0LThW7QA

Claymations by 4th graders: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=winter+solstice+for+children

Egyptian temple built to frame sunrise on winter solstice

http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv­shows/wonders­with­brian­cox/videos/wonders­of­the­universe­winter­solstice.htm

Citizen Science projects from Cornell University Ornithology includes background information on their birding projects. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=1162 Materials List

Warm clothes, rope to trace shadows, thermometers, bird feeders, bird seeds, binoculars, you might carry an extra hat or pair of gloves in the outdoor backpack and a couple of Heat Sheets.

School year focus Changing small group members or seating arrangements Phenology focus Winter Solstice Lessons

Angle of the Sun and Seasons

Season in the Sun Fish in Winter Children’s Literature

The Shortest Day by Wendy Pfeffer

When Winter Comes by Robert Maass

Our Seasons by Grace Lin and Ranida T. McKneally

School year focus Re­establish rituals and routines

Phenology Focus Snow activities: ­how much water in snow

­animal tracks in snow ­what factors affect how fast sleds go down a hill?

Lessons

How much water is in snow? Tricky Tracks Snow Density Snow Predictions and Observations From Frozen to Fascinating Children’s literature

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin All About Snow and Ice by Stephen Krensky Track That Scat! by Lisa Morlock, Carrie Anne Bradshaw Tracks in the Wild by Betsy Bowen The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

School year focus Academic Language Phenology Focus Bird watching and Feeder Watch Lessons Let's Go Birding Teacher's Guide

Amazing Birds What Makes a Bird a Bird? Bird Olympics Migration Obstacle Course STEM lab: Designing a Bird Feeder Children’s Literature Wild About Minnesota Birds by Adele Porter is a large bird field guide for youth containing beautiful photographs.

Cardinals, Robins, and Other Birds by George S. Fichter is a youth field guide of common North American birds. Look Up!: Bird­Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston

Introduction: We eagerly wait for spring with its longer days of sunlight and warmer temperatures. The challenge this time of year is mud, ice, the freeze/thaw cycle. You might choose to stay on paths to avoid ice and mud. Some schools are able to provide rain boots for all students. If you use this option, stop off at a place where you can rinse off the boots before returning to the building.

Classroom phenology: In the annual cycle of school, spring typically means a spring break and standardized testing season. Now that routines and rituals are comfortable, this is a chance to challenge students to engage in 21st Century Skills like critical thinking, communication, collaboration, problem solving, (For the complete outline see Framework for 21st Century Learning from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills)

Some student groups will be working at a smooth hum having mastered the challenges of science small group collaboration. Other students are ready for an opportunity to work on a project alone which is encouraged at the end of the year. By this time, students are more confident in their science skills and are ready to design their own investigation.

By May, you are beginning to think about how you will wrap up the year’s learning. What tools can you use to guide your students in reflection about their own personal learning and growth? How will you invite to students to help you reflect on your own teaching practice?

Outdoor phenology ­ The temperatures are warmer and it is a natural time to take students outdoors. At the beginning of spring, there will be ice and mud, and the occasional snowstorm but by May the school building may be really hot and you may seek the respite from the outdoors. Continue to use the rituals and routines you have built throughout the school year. It is a natural time to watch for the budding of plants and trees, returning birds and insects. Weekly observations at this time may show great changes, making spring a good time to embrace phenology if you haven’t implemented phenology into your curriculum earlier in the year. It is fun to make predictions: what day will the temperature reach 70 degrees F, what day will we have the first thunderstorm, when we will see our first butterfly. One favorite spring practice for me was to generate a list with students of signs of spring on a large piece of butcher paper ­ in February! Then when students witnessed the event we would record the date and other relevant details. Some of the events on our list: swimming suits at Target, first robin, ice out on Lake _________, all snow melted from playground, first tulip in the garden, first sighting of green grass, wear spring jacket to school, etc. Spring Story: The EcoSTARS lesson this season is from Riley Mooney, EcoSTARS student from Fall 2014. She used the Elementary GLOBE lessons as a guide to studying phenology in the primary grades using color studies outdoors. Resources for this lesson are from The GLOBE Program: Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, Elementary GLOBE unit on Colors of the Season. The link for these lessons is below. http://www.globe.gov/web/elementary­globe/overview/seasons/learning­activities

Brief Biography: I graduated from Saint Catherine University in May of 2015 with a Bachelor

of Science degree in Elementary Education, a minor in Language Studies: Teaching English as a Second Language, a STEM Certificate, and an

Endorsement in Pre‐Primary Education. I student taught 2nd graders at Dowling Urban Environmental School in Minneapolis. I am now a 2nd

grade teacher at McCartney Ranch Elementary School located in Casa Grande, Arizona. It is safe to say, there is a special place in my heart for

2nd graders! I love traveling, being outdoors, spending time with my family and friends, and I especially love to laugh.

How I used my lesson plans: The Color of the Seasons lesson plans took place at Dowling Urban Environmental School with a second grade class. I had a positive experience teaching these lessons and students were engaged and active participants. These lessons provided students' with the opportunity to enhance their understanding of the different colors we see outside each season. These three lessons include a read‐aloud, nature walk, experiments outside, and a mini arts and craft activity. The Color of the Seasons lessons is a fun and hands‐on experience. We all had the pleasure of spending time outdoors in the school's garden and observing colors.

Lesson: Riley Mooney lesson Colors of the Seasons Citizen Science project: Project Budburst

Websites

Sunlight and Seasons https://www.learner.org/jnorth/sunlight/index.html

Mystery Class https://www.learner.org/jnorth/mclass/index.htm

Green up! at this website sponsored by NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and NOAA(National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration) participants trackthe change of seasons as observed in the changes in plants.The lessons at the following link are suited to students grades 3 and up: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=1162

The lessons at Elementary Globe listed below is better suited for primary students. Students use color swatches to identify colors in nature at and throughout the various seasons.http://www.globe.gov/documents/348830/350902/ElementaryGLOBE_SeasonsActivity2_en.pdf www.kidsgardening.org. Materials List: rain gear, umbrellas, garden tools (trowels, kids gardening gloves), rulers for measuring the length of buds and plant growth, sunscreen, bee sting anaphylactics

School year focus 21st Century skills Phenology Focus Signs of Spring/Vernal Equinox Lessons

21st century skills from BUCK Institute Observing Tree Buds Starting Seeds Indoors Look at Those Seeds Grow!

Children’s Literature

Exploring Spring by Terri DeGezelle On the Same Day in March by Marilyn Singer takes readers to various places around the world illustrating the diversity of life on the spring equinox. A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston Living Color by Steve Jenkins The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

School year focus Independent work

Phenology Focus

Green up: Green up! at this website sponsored by NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and NOAA(National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) participants track the change of seasons as observed in the changes in plants.The lessons at the following link are suited to students grades 3 and up: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=1162 the various seasons.

http://www.globe.gov/documents/348830/350902/ElementaryGLOBE_SeasonsActivity2_en.pdf

Lessons

April 22 is Earth Day Read Rachel: The Story of Rachel Carson by Amy Ehrlich a picture book biography of Rachel Carson a founder of the environmental movement. Think Like a Bird Nest Engineers Massive Migrations

Children’s Literature Hawk Ridge: Minnesota’s Birds of Prey by Laura Erickson The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies tells the story of how John James Audobon uses his love of birds, nature and art.

Bird Talk by Lita Judge Not Your Typical Book about the Environment by Elin Kelsey The Adventures of a Plastic Water Bottle: A Story about Recycling by Allison Inches and Pete Whitehead

School year focus End of the year reflections and preparing for next year. The lesson links for this month include many lessons per link which may help you plan your outdoor lessons for the upcoming school year. There are also many resources geared to creating a school garden. Phenology Focus Gardens

Lessons

Acknowledgements of fellow student accomplishment activities from Origins: Responsive Classroom [ Education Outside Teaching STEM in the Learning Garden Ecological Science Inquiries

Children’s Literature

Schoolyard Mosaics: Designing Gardens and Habitats by Even Pranis and Amy Gifford is a great guide to creating a schoolyard garden with many creative designs.

One Small Square: Backyard by Donald. M. Silver One Small Square is a series of books in various environments leading readers through the natural wonders existing in a small square of the environment. Nature in the Neighborhood by Gordon Morrison highlights common plants and animals in urban North American neighborhods. Our City Gardens by Gail Williams walks readers through making, planting, and harvesting a city gardenThe Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller explains the natural history and life cycles of plants.

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons describe plant anatomy and follows the life cycle of plants.

Introduction: Summer is typically vacation time. If you have opportunities for summer enrichment classes, clubs, summer school classes, the Monarch Larval Monitoring Project is a local citizen science project which allows students to engage in a national database in a University of MInnesota research project.

Classroom phenology: In the annual cycle of school, summer means time for renewal. Student contact is minimal. Our citizen science project is perfect for a summer school enrichment class or club. Summer provides time for teacher to plan for big picture projects like major overarching themes. These themes might be a school­wide focus for the year, or assigned to specific grade levels. If you would like to enhance your schoolyard by adding a garden, summer is the time to plan through design, amend soil and/or write grants.

Summer is also a great time to engage in professional development. Here are some great STEM course offerings: Graduate courses in environmental education Minnesota Minerals Education Workshop Plant Science Investigation

Our Summer EcoSTARS story is presented by Rebecca Anderson EcoSTARS Fall 2014. She shares the GLOBE Soils Protocol. Outdoor phenology planning a school garden or outdoor learning area. Our citizen science project is perfect for a summer school enrichment class or club. The Monarch Larval Monitoring Project allows your school to be involved in a University of Minnesota project. Data is collected in the same milkweed area on a regular basis over the summer, so it is best started the last week of May or first week of June and then continued through the last week of August. The size of the monitoring space and the size of the monitoring group is flexible by site. In the resources and websites sections, many resources are provided for creating outdoor classrooms including gardens. Summer story: Soils with Rebecca Anderson, EcoSTARS student from Fall 2014. Resources for this lesson are from The GLOBE Program: Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, Soils unit. The link for these lessons is below. http://www.globe.gov/do­globe/globe­teachers­guide/soil­pedosphere?p_p_id=globegovteacherguideportlet_WAR_globegovcmsportlet_INSTANCE_5esR&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column­1&p_p_col_count=1&_globegovteacherguideportlet_WAR_globegovcmsportlet_INSTANCE_5esR_protocolCat=372023#13326838 Biography

Rebecca Anderson currently attends St. Catherine University. She is seeking her teaching license in Minnesota for K‐6 with a

preprimary endorsement. She grew up in Superior, WI, but now lives in St. Paul, MN. Most of her field experience comes from

younger grades such as kindergarten and second grade. Science class in school was never her favorite, but now teaching science and

other STEM subjects is a blast. She is excited about finding fun and exciting ways for students to be able to explore the world around

them.

The fifth grade students that I did this lesson with are very hands on learners. They like to move around

and often succeed with independent work. So I adapted this lesson to fit their needs. I started out talking about how much usable

soil there is on earth and had students brainstorm what we use this soil for. They also looked at different soil profiles and explored

why they look different in different around the United States and in Minnesota. We talked about how their soil profile might look

and why they look like that. I then broke these students into groups for the rest of the soil unit. Each group dug up their own soil and

then analyzed it themselves. Students dug up soil from the playground. This was important for students to be able to make

connections. For analyzing their soil samples, I set up stations so students could move freely between them and work at a suitable

pace. In the end, students determined what each level of their soil sample would be good for. This soil unit fit well into what the

students were doing in science. This was an introductory unit to the earth and soils. The next units that the students did were with

growing different kinds of plants in soil and experimenting with pill bugs in the soil. So both if these units involved them having

background knowledge of soil and its use.

One group’s soil profile

The finished product. Students determined what each of their soil levels from their soil sample would be good for.

Lessons Citizen Science projects: Monarch Larva Monitoring Project Great Sunflower Project Websites

The Teacher's Guide to Summer Break Apply for a Teacher Travel Grant Top 12 Summer Tips for Top Teachers A Practical Guide to the Beginning Science Teacher Materials List: time, friends, family, good books to read, library card, exercise routine

School year focus Renewal

Phenology Focus Summer solstice

Children’s Literature

Sharing Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell is a classic compilation of short field trips you can take in your neighborhood or schoolyard.

Schoolyard­Enhanced Learning by Herbert W. Broda provides frameworks, lessons, safety rules, and more for teaching outdoors

School year focus Applying for grants

Phenology Focus Monarch Larva Monitoring Project

Lessons/School Garden Grants

Garden ABCs ‐clearinghouse for school gardens grants Kids Gardening Monarch Lab National Wildlife Federation ‐ check the tabs for “community habitat” & “schoolyard habitat”

Other Garden Grant opportunities Pheasants Forever Children’s Literature

Starting Life: Butterfly by Claire Llewellyn shows the life cycle of monarch butterfly ­ my favorite children’s book on the topic. Monarch and Milkweed by Helen Frost and Leonid Gore is beautifully illustrated. It is a monarch butterfly life cycle book emphasizing the important relationship with milkweed.

Milkweeds, Monarchs, and More by Ba Rea, Karen Oberhauser, and Michael A. Quinn is a field guide for milkweed environments. Milkweed Visitors by Mary Holland has beautiful photographs of a variety of invertebrates found in the milkweed patch. Monarch, Come Play with Me! by Ba Rea. Beautiful illustrations in this book designed for primary grade students welcome the reader to learn more about the life of monarch butterflies. Available in Spanish, written at second grade reading level.

School year focus Site Inventory

Phenology Focus Nature’s Notebook

Lessons

Here is an assignment for teachers and students alike: Site Inventory Conducting a site inventory helps you get in touch with your school grounds and identify places to study, safety concerns, and more. The link leads to an inventory designed for elementary and middle school levels but the website also includes an inventory designed for high school students.High school inventory Schoolyard Biodiversity Soil vs. Dirt Temperature Hunt Children’s LIterature

Growing a Garden by Melanie Eclare with photographs of children starting a garden, includes “how to” directions for various stages of gardening while featuring individual children’s projects

Garden by Robert Maass

Dirt by Steve Tomecek covers soil composition, layers, organisms, and uses of soil It's Our Garden: From Seeds to Harvest in a School Garden by George Ancona Whose Food Is This?: A Look At What Animals Eat Seeds, Bugs, And Nuts (Whose Is It?) by Nancy Kelly Allen Sunflower House by Eve Bunting,