PLT Seeks K-2 Teachers to Review New Science Unit

Project Learning Tree is seeking Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 classroom teachers to review a new, online instructional unit for students at these grade levels. The K-2 unit, called Treemendous Science!, will invite students (and their teachers) to explore, experience, observe, and collect tree data to develop understandings about how trees grow, roles they play in ecological systems, and the ways in which trees and humans interact.

K-2 classroom teachers interested in reviewing PLT’s new Treemendous Science! unit this summer are invited to complete a brief application at http://pltpilot.org by May 31, 2016.

 

Accepted K-2 practitioners will be asked to review the draft Treemendous Science! unit for their specific grade level (Kindergarten, Grade 1, or Grade 2). You will be asked about certain common unit components (such as unit introduction, teacher background, learning centers, and green schools connections), as well as the customized age-level specific instructional content.

Selected practitioners will not be asked to field test any of the content, rather they will be asked to read, review, and respond to detailed questionnaires. Stipends are available for all accepted selected K-2 participants, based upon the successful completion of all project components. 

National PLT will confirm teacher participants in June, and the review period will last approximately 6-8 weeks immediately following (approximately July – August). Classroom teachers of Grades K-2 will be given priority.

Treemendous Science! is truly novel in its approach, as it was constructed around—rather than correlated to—targeted Performance Expectations within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

NGSS Performance Expectations
Created for kindergarten to second grade classrooms, Treemendous Science! is built around the following NGSS Performance Expectations:

• K-LS1-1 – From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes.  Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
• K-ESS2-1 – Earth’s Systems.  Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time. 
• 1-ESS-1-2 – Earth’s Place in the Universe. Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.
• 2-PS1-1 – Matter and its Interactions.  Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
• 2-LS4-1 – Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.

 

 

Review

PLT Early Childhood Online Training

Project Learning Tree's (PLT) award-winning early childhood materials help you foster young children’s wonder and curiosity about the natural world as you safely take your young learners outdoors and bring nature into the classroom. 

PLT’s new online workshop consists of 5 self-paced online coursels (each a 20–30-minute learning experience) with simulations and videos that model PLT’s early childhood activities, along with accompanying planning worksheets that provide guidance and support for you to try out PLT activities with children in your context.

What’s Included
This professional development experience will teach you how to use PLT’s materials effectively in your own educational setting and how to access many additional resources.

The course includes:

• An electronic copy of PLT’s Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood activity guide and music.
• Access to a self-paced online workshop (approximately 3 hours). 

The Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood e-guide contains over 130 experiences that engage children ages 3 to 6 in outdoor exploration and play, and downloadable music files that encourage children to sing, dance, and move. A print version of the guide and music CD are available for an additional fee. Topics include exploring nature with five senses, meeting neighborhood trees, and experiencing trees through the seasons. 

The workshop can be completed during your own time, wherever you are, as long as you have internet access. It provides useful links to online resources, state-specific resources, and 5 coursels which are 20–30-minute self-paced learning experiences that make up the larger course. Exercises and worksheets will help you plan and facilitate group experiences with early learners, and design environmental experiences that maximize their use of 6 types of Learning Centers found in your Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood activity guide. 

Cost $30.00

Get wild with National Wildlife Week

Celebrate this wild week by learning about Iowa’s wildlife! Check out these cool Iowa wildlife facts, fun classroom activities and MORE.

Cool Things You Should Know about:

Bald Eagles
Bats in Iowa
Bobcats in Iowa
Coyotes
Crayfish
Foxes
Golden Eagles
Iowa's Turtles
Opossums
Otters
Raccoons
Snakes
Spiders

Crafts (from the KinderNature website)

Bat Finger Puppet
Bird Shapes
Buggy Antennas
Butterfly Puppet
Colorful Butterfly
Deer Ears
Pine Cone Owl
Snake Marionette
Spider Hats

Games (from the KinderNature website)

Bats Eat Bugs
Bee Games
Camo Frog
Catch a Butterfly
Owl I Spy
Sticky Spider Web Play

Lesson Plans

Ants on Parade
Fashion a Fish
First Impressions
Hiding in Plain Sight
Oh Deer
Spider Web Wonders
Tracks
What's Wild?
Wildlife is Everywhere
Wildlife as Symbols

Snacks (from the KinderNature website)
Ant Snacks
Bee Snacks
Butterfly Metamorphic Snack
Deer Snack
Fishing Snack
Insect Cookies
Nest Nibblers
Owl Snack
Peachy Spiders
Rabbit Pears
Snake Pretzels
Tasty Turtles
Yummy Caterpillars

Songs (from the KinderNature website)

A Little Turtle
Animals Underground
Bee Songs
Bird Songs
Bunny in the Woods
Froggie Grows Up
Grey Squirrel
Little Skunk Song
Monarch Metamorphosis
Snake Surprise
Turtle Songs
Woodpecker

Free Seedlings for Iowa Schools from Trees For Kids

To celebrate Earth Week next month, the Trees for Kids program is offering free seedlings to schools and communities across Iowa.

Each school building and community may order one free custom packet consisting of 200 bare-root seedlings, 50 each of four selected species. Recipients are not required to plant their trees during Earth Week (April 17-23, 2016), but must have them planted before May 31, 2016.

To take part in this offer, schools and communities need to complete a simple application form and return it to the Trees for Kids program via email or postal mail by April 1, 2016. The application form can be found at www.iowadnr.gov/urbanforestry by clicking on “Trees for Kids Earth Month Celebration.”

Schools and communities receiving packets will be asked to email at least one photo of the trees being planted and a short paragraph indicating where and why they were planted.  No other requirements are necessary to receive the free trees.

The Iowa-grown, native trees and shrubs provided by the State Forest Nursery are naturally adapted to Iowa’s weather and soil extremes. Trees provide many benefits including wildlife habitat, environmental protection in the form of improved energy efficiency and water quality. They are vital hosts to pollinators and provide seasonal beauty to our landscape. Planting trees has been a traditional way to celebrate Earth Day since its beginning in the 1970s.

Schools and communities can create their own custom packets or select from a variety of recommended specialty packets, such as:

• Fall Color –Trees and shrubs with vibrant fall color
• Fastest Forest – Great along streams and wet areas, these grow at least 3 feet per year
• Pollinator Packet – Provides vital host species for butterflies and other pollinators
• Privacy Packet – Great to use as a visual barrier or along a fence line
• Spring Flowers – Create spring color with these flowering shrubs and small trees
• Storm Resistant Packet – These trees resist breakage from wind and ice storms
• Wild Edible Packet – Enjoy an edible landscape

Photos and information about various packet species can be found at www.iowadnr.gov/ seedlingcatalog. The seedlings are between 8 and 24 inches, depending on the tree or shrub species. Size requests do not apply to this program. Order early for best species selection.

The Trees for Kids and Trees for Teens grant programs are funded by Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry Bureau, MidAmerican Energy, Black Hills Energy, Alliant Energy, Iowa Bankers Association, Trees Forever, Iowa Tree Farm Committee and the Iowa Woodland Owners Association.

For more information about ordering no-cost Trees for Kids seedlings, contact Laura Wagner, DNR Trees for Kids Coordinator, 515-725-8456 or laura.wagner@dnr.iowa.gov

Reconnecting Children with Nature: Growing Up WILD Early Childhood Training

 

This workshop leads you out the door and provides hands on activities and resource materials to help you lead your own nature explorations. Growing Up WILD activities use age appropriate practices and concepts to build on children’s sense of wonder and invites them to explore nature and the world around them. Specially written for children 3-7, activities include sections to address many learning areas: math, science, language, literacy, health living, play, and creativity.

 

Growing Up WILD received the 2009 Family Choice Award and the 2011 Renewable Natural Resource Foundation Excellence in Journalism Award.

April 23, 2016
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Story County Conservation Center (56461 180th St, Ames)
Registration: Iowa Child Care Providers Training Registry— Click on Search Trainings, then search Reconnecting in the Title.
Registration Deadline: April 15, 2016

Cost: $35

For more information, contact Malisa Rader at 515-708-0822 or mrader@iastate.edu

 

Drawing on Nature

A sense of wonder is sparked when art and nature meet. Nature provides the stage and art provides the script to help you awaken a love of learning in your students complimented by a lifelong bond with their natural world.

·         Spend a class just drawing patterns in nature.

·         Students can spend a class drawing lines they see tree branches making.

·         Students can create texture rubbings of various textures they find in nature.

·         Students can spend a day just drawing leaves on various plants.

Reading Connections

Martin, L. C., and D. Cain. 2003. Nature's Art Box. Storey Books.

Ryall, J. 2012. Nature Art. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Thomas, P., and C. Orback. 2007. Nature's Paintbox: A Seasonal Gallery of Art and Verse. Lerner Publishing Group.

Nature Themed Songs

Nature is filled with music and movement. Children love to sing their favorite songs, learn new ones, and make up their own. Songs help children remember content and improve their ability to learn new words.

Add these songs from the KinderNature website to your collection.

I See the Wind

I see the wind when the leaves dance by. (dance hands around)
I see the wind when the trees wave “Hi!”(wave hand)
I see the wind when the kites fly by. (raise arms high)
I see the wind when the clouds float up high. (wave hand gently)
I see the wind when it blows my hair.(lift hair with hands)
I see the wind ‘most everywhere! (hold hands out, palms up)

The Magic of Seasons

(sung to “Clementine”)

It’s like magic, seasons changing

Summer, fall to winter, spring
Summer, fall to winter, spring
Changing seasons can be seen

In the summer sun is shining

Butterflies dancing on a breeze
Insects buzzing, fish a jumping
Little fawns run through the trees

In the fall time days get colder

Geese are flying through the sky
Tree leaves change to fancy colors
They go crunch as we walk by

In the winter snow is falling

Winter trees are dressed in white
Bats and woodchucks winter sleeping
Owls are calling in the night

In the spring time rains are falling

Birds are singing all around
In the forest trees are growing
Baby animals can be found

I’m a Little Fishy

Sung to “I’m a Little Teapot”
I’m a little fishy, I can swim
Here is my tail, here is my fin
When I want to have fun with my friends
I wiggle my tail and dive right in

Have You Ever Seen a Tadpole

(tune “Have You Ever Seen a Lassie”)

Have you ever seen a tadpole, a tadpole, a tadpole?

Have you ever seen a tadpole with a long fat tail?

Have you ever seen a tadpole, a tadpole, a tadpole?

Have you ever seen a tadpole with just two back legs?

Have you ever seen a tadpole, a tadpole, a tadpole?

Have you ever seen a tadpole with four little legs?

Have you ever seen a tadpole, a tadpole, a tadpole?

Have you ever seen a tadpole jump up so high?

WAIT ……. That’s not a tadpole!

That’s a FROG!!!

Leaves are Floating Down

Leaves are floating softly down (Flutter fingers)
They make a carpet on the ground (Spread hands apart)
Then swish! The wind comes whirling by (Bring hands around fast)
And sends them dancing in the sky (Flutter fingers upwards)

Fishing Song
Have you ever been fishin’ on a bright and sunny day?
With all the little fishies swimmin’ up and down the bay
With your hands in your pockets and your pockets in your pants
All the little fishies do the hoochie-koochie dance!

Monarch Metamorphosis

(Sung to Frere Jacques)

Little egg, little egg

On your leaf, on your leaf
Growing very quickly, growing very quickly
What will you be? What will you be?

Funny caterpillar, funny caterpillar

Wearing stripes, wearing stripes
Eating, eating, eating; Eating, eating, eating
Milkweed leaves, milkweed leaves

Magic chrysalis, magic chrysalis

Green and gold, green and gold
What great treasure, what great treasure
Do you hold, do you hold?

Beautiful monarch, beautiful monarch

Glide and fly, glide and fly
Moving off to Mexico, moving off to Mexico
By and by, by and by

The Queen of all of the Ants

(Sung to the tune of Noble Duke of York)

The queen of all the ants, she had 10,000 men

She marched them up the hill and she marched them down again
And when they’re up, they’re up
And when they’re down, they’re down
But when they’re only have way up they’re neither up nor down