Details
| Type of Product: | NSTA Press Book (also see downloadable PDF version of this book) |
| Publication Date: | 3/1/2010 |
| Pages: | 140 |
| Stock Number: | PB272X |
| ISBN: | 978-1-935155-12-6 |
| Grade Level: | Elementary School, Informal Education, Middle School |
| Author Blog: | Read Steve Rich's blog |
Using Outdoor Science in your classroom is easier than ever! NSTA’s ClassPacks, each sufficient for a class of 28 students,
are lesson-specific collections of materials—an unmatched time-saver and a great deal.
[Click here to view all ClassPacks]
|
Our reviewers—top-flight teachers and other outstanding science educators—have determined that this resource is among the best available supplements for science teaching.
[Read the full review] |
Description
Research shows that environment-centered education improves student achievement. Whatever your school’s setting—urban, suburban, or rural—you can create stimulating outdoor classrooms for your students, with a little help from Outdoor Science. Author and state science specialist Steve Rich shows teachers how to create outdoor learning spaces that can be used from year to year—with little extra effort or resources.
These practical suggestions for creating, maintaining, and using outdoor classrooms work for both elementary and middle school students. The simple and inexpensive lessons satisfy national standards and curriculum objectives in the areas of life, Earth, and environmental sciences—without a field trip permission slip in sight! Math, social studies, and language arts activities that can be easily integrated into the curriculum are also included. Additionally, Rich offers ideas for increasing community involvement and funding to help teachers develop their outdoor classrooms.
Get your students thinking outside the traditional classroom walls. Outdoor Science: A Practical Guide can help you make it happen.
Additional Info
| Intended User Role: | Curriculum Supervisor, Elementary-Level Educator, Informal Educator, Middle-Level Educator, Teacher |
| Educational Issues: | Achievement, Assessment of students, Classroom management, Cultural awareness, Curriculum, Inquiry learning, Interdisciplinary, Professional development, Teacher preparation, Teaching strategies |
Contents
Foreword: by Page Keeley
Chapter 1: Creating a Space for Learning
Chapter 2: Does Money Grow on School Yard Trees?: Resources for Your Outdoor Classroom
Chapter 3: Birds, Bugs, and Butterflies: Science Lessons for Your Outdoor Classroom
Animal Habitat Survey
How Birds React to Environmental Changes
The Great American Backyard Bird Count
Do You Hear What I Hear?
The Migration Sensation
Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle
What Do Swallowtail Caterpillars Swallow?
What Do Adult Swallowtail Butterflies Swallow?
Milk a Weed for All It’s Worth!
Raising My Caterpillar
Animals Living on the School Grounds
School Yard Food Chain
Tag, You’re It!
Chapter 4: It All Adds Up! Math + Science + Outdoors = Fun
Hunting for Numbers
Graphing Animal Behavior
What’s Your Net Worth?
What Can You Learn From a Seed?
Germination Determination!
Too Many Seedlings
Weather or Not
Math in a Tree
Building and Using a Compost Bin
Measuring and Analyzing Erosion
Simple Machines Are for the Birds
Chapter 5: Reading and Writing About Nature
My Friend, My Bud
Writing About the Seasons
The Diary of a Seed
The Story of Life in a Tree
Animal “Arti-Fact” or Fiction?
The Novelization of Migration
Poetry in the Great Outdoors
Listening to a Story About Wetland Ecosystems
Learning About Caterpillars and Butterflies
Solving an Ecological Mystery
A Migration Story
Reading From Nature Journals
Chapter 6: Social Studies: Humans and the Outdoors
Planting a Native American Garden
It’s About Time and Human Sundial
Planting Historical Herbs
Be an Archaeologist!
Rocks and Man
This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land
Create a Map!
Migration Mapping
Paper “Migration” of Monarch Butterflies
References
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Index
Published Reviews
“Useful for homeschoolers. … Fun sounding projects! … Examples of projects from Outdoor Science include building simple machines, planting an historical herb garden, and investigating how humans use fences.”
Homeschooling Resources
“Many of [the] suggested activities could be accomplished by kindergarteners. It could also be a useful resource for a parent trying to keep kids engaged with learning during the summer. … Of particular interest [to teachers] was the social studies chapter that recommended activities that could provide a lens for discussing the ways that humans interact with the environment, providing the instructor a valuable opportunity to create both an intellectual and emotional connection between science and the daily lives of the students.”
TechRevu
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