The Arboretum offers many opportunities for students and their teachers to continue connecting with nature and learning about natural phenomenon virtually. Read below to find your next adventure!
30-Minute Nature
These are ready-made Google Slides available for download and use with Grades K-5 students. Their purpose is to allow children to notice and observe nature, engage in thoughtful science talk, and discover playful ways to take this learning outdoors. Each slide deck comes with extensive Teacher Notes in the speaker notes section of every slide. Each slide deck provides 30 minutes of nature learning, but inspires a lifetime of nature noticing!
Often one does not get to see the many animals that live in nearby habitats, but with a good eye, anyone can find the evidence they leave behind. This ‘whodunit’ deck of slides challenges students to carefully observe a piece of evidence, analyze the ‘suspects,’ make a claim, and explain the reasoning for their choice. Afterward, students can search for animal signs in their own schoolyard.
Nature has many different ways to tell us that the season is changing. Learn about some of the sights and sounds of emerging spring, then challenge your students to get outdoors and find them all.
Did you know that plants have many weapons in their arsenal to fight back against animal predation and environmental dangers? Discover physical and chemical defense mechanisms that allow plants to survive and thrive in New England habitats. Students can then get outside and discover the superheroes of their schoolyards.