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Watershed Studies: Where Does Your Water Flow?

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This series of 5 high-quality, standards-aligned, inquiry-based lessons have been field-tested by the fifth grade students of Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and their teachers. These lessons encourage students to use natural areas around their school as they improve their science and engineering skills as part of a unit on earth's systems. Created as a part of a WISELearn OER Innovation project, Connect, Explore, and Engage: Using the Environment as the Context for Science Learning was a collaboration of the Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and the Wisconsin Green Schools Network. One of the goals of the project was to create standards-aligned lessons that utilize the outdoor spaces of the school . These lessons were created to take place during late winter. A stewardship project to reduce the impact of stormwater run-off was planned for the spring.

Material Type: Lesson, Unit of Study

Authors: Sandy Benton, Erica Baeten, Catherine Ciarlette-Hansen

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Observe, Wonder, Connect in Nature

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This series of 5 high-quality, standards-aligned, inquiry-based lessons have been field-tested by the 4K students of Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science, their teacher and educational assistant. These lessons encourage students to use natural areas around their school as they improve their science and engineering skills as part of a unit on observing changes. Created as a part of a WISELearn OER Innovation project, Connect, Explore, and Engage: Using the Environment as the Context for Science Learning was a collaboration of the Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and the Wisconsin Green Schools Network. One of the goals of the project was to create standards-aligned lessons that utilize the outdoor spaces of the school . These lessons were created to take place during late winter.

Material Type: Lesson, Unit of Study

Author: Sandy Benton

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Slip, Slide, Roll, and Drag: Wintertime Exploration of Forces and Motion

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This series of 5 high-quality, standards-aligned, inquiry-based lessons have been field-tested by third grade students of Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and their teacher. These lessons encourage students to use natural areas around their school as they improve their science and engineering skills as part of a unit of forces and motion. Created as a part of a WISELearn OER Innovation project, Connect, Explore, and Engage: Using the Environment as the Context for Science Learning was a collaboration of the Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and the Wisconsin Green Schools Network. One of the goals of the project was to create standards-aligned lessons that utilize the outdoor spaces of the school . These lessons were created to take place during the winter.

Material Type: Lesson, Unit of Study

Author: Sandy Benton

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Wequiock Wave Watchers

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This series of 5 high-quality, standards-aligned, inquiry-based lessons have been field-tested with the fourth grade students of Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science, their teacher, and a community science volunteer . These lessons encourage students to use natural areas around their school as they improve their science and engineering skills. Created as a part of a WISELearn OER Innovation project, Connect, Explore, and Engage: Using the Environment as the Context for Science Learning was a collaboration of the Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and the Wisconsin Green Schools Network. One of the goals of the project was to create standards-aligned lessons that utilize the outdoor spaces of the school . These lessons were created to take place during the winter and spring.

Material Type: Lesson, Unit of Study

Authors: Sandy Benton, Joanna Wiitanen

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Plant and Animal Interdependence

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This series of 5 high-quality, standards-aligned, inquiry-based activities and one STEM challenge have been field-tested by secong grade students and families of Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science during Safer At Home orders. These activities encourage students to use natural areas around their homes and in their neigbhorhoods as they improve their science and engineering skils relating to plant and animals interdependence. Created as a part of a WISELearn OER Innovation project, Connect, Explore, and Engage: Using the Environment as the Context for Science Learning was a collaboration of the Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and the Wisconsin Green Schools Network. One of the goals of the project was to create standards-aligned lessons that utilize the outdoor spaces of the school (as well as those of the students' homes).  These lessons were created to take place during the spring. However, some of the lessons could be conducted during the fall. Cut flowers from a florist may be used in place of ones found living outdoors.The title image was used with permission and is courtesy of Joe Riederer. The observation protocol "I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds Me Of, I Think Maybe" has been adapted from that of the BEETLES Project.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Sandy Benton, Jennifer Beno

Kindergarten Pushes and Pulls

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This series of 5 high-quality, standards-aligned, inquiry-based activities and two environmental STEM challenge activities have been field-tested by kindergarten students and families of Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science during Safer At Home orders. These activities encourage students to use natural areas around their homes and in their neigbhorhoods as they improve their science observation and reasoning skils as they explore the science of pushes and pulls in nature. The materials used are ones generally available at home and the activites require little preparation on the part of caregivers. Created as a part of a WISELearn OER Innovation project, Connect, Explore, and Engage: Using the Environment as the Context for Science Learning was a collaboration of the Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and the Wisconsin Green Schools Network. One of the goals of the project was to create standards-aligned lessons that utilize the outdoor spaces of the school (as well as those of the students' homes).  Each section of this resource is an individual activity. While each activity builds on the previous ones, it is possible to use them individually.The title image was used with permission and is courtesy of Joe Riederer.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Sandy Benton, Michelle Vanlieshout

1rst grade Cultivating Genius Framework science "How do human interactions negatively affect sea turtles and how can we help the turtles and other animals survive? "

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Details: This lesson can be added to the Amplify first grade science unit: Animal and Plant Defenses: Spikes, Shells, and Camouflage. It can also be used with any unit on animal defenses and structures.Amplify Chapter 3 Driving Question: How can Spruce the Sea Turtle’s offspring survive where there are sharks?  Pursuit addressed:Toward the pursuit of Skills: Students participate in a class reading of an informational text. Students use the information outlined in the text to develop their knowledge of plastic pollution and its negative impact on sea turtles and the environment. They then use this knowledge to inform others or take other steps to help with reducing plastic pollution.Toward the pursuit of Intellect: In this lesson students learn about a topic that affects the environment and specifically how plastic waste affects sea turtles which they have been studying.  They can better understand an environmental problem and turn their understanding into action.

Material Type: Lesson

Author: The genius group from Madison Wisconsin

Becoming Better Observers: How does observing, asking questions, and making connections help me understand things in nature?

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This series of 5 high-quality, standards-aligned, inquiry-based activities have been field-tested by first grade students and families of Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science during Safer At Home orders. These activities encourage students to use natural areas around their homes and in their neigbhorhoods as they improve their science observation skils. The materials used are ones generally available at home and the activites require little preparation on the part of caregivers.Created as a part of a WISELearn OER Innovation project, Connect, Explore, and Engage: Using the Environment as the Context for Science Learning was a collaboration of the Wequiock Children's Center for Environmental Science and the Wisconsin Green Schools Network. One of the goals of the project was to create standards-aligned lessons that utilize the outdoor spaces of the school (as well as those of the students' homes).  Each section of this resource is an individual activity. While each activity builds on the previous ones, it is possible to use them individually.The observation protocol "I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds Me Of, I Think Maybe" has been adapted from that of the BEETLES Project.The title image was used with permission and is courtesy of Joe Riederer.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Sandy Benton, Karla Koch

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Boston School Forest - Backyard Habitat Investigation

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The Boston School Forest is a field trip destination for 6,000 students each year providing high quality outdoor environmental education programs that expand and authenticate classroom learning. Science education in our district is transitioning to provide greater opportunity for inquiry, and teachers are now searching for resources that can be used in either face-to-face or e-learning formats. The Backyard Habitat Series focuses on connecting kids to an outdoor place through use of sensory observation, exploring the natural features and animals, and engaging in the improvement of habitat for neighborhood wildlife species. Classroom teachers, preservice teachers, and families will discover straightforward instructions, few materials or background knowledge required, and a format that is easily adaptable to the e-learning environment.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Other, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study

Author: Karla Lockman

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Can I Eat This? Wild Edibles and Literacy

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Wild edible, medicinal and poisonous plants are an ideal way to connect students to the natural world just outside their door. In this unit, students will be able to identify edible, medicinal and poisonous plants using guide books and plotting them on the Siftr app. Using the collected edibles, students will then follow a procedural text to create food from their wild edibles. Students will then create recipes on their own based on a wild edible of their choice to create community cookbooks.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Author: Amanda Bolan

Chief Oshkosh: Leader in Troubled Times | Wisconsin Biographies

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When the United States Government’s land grabs put his people in harm’s way, this Menominee leader pushed back and proposed a new plan to protect their homeland and way of life. Resources available for exploring this story include: - A short animated video with captions and transcripts in English and Spanish - A short biography book accessible as a slide deck, with per-page audio for listening along, and maps of key locations in the story - Questions that can be used for conversation, reflection, and connection with the story - A historical image gallery full of primary and secondary sources to explore - A guide for activating the media with learners that includes story stats, extension activity ideas, and standards supported This story is part of Wisconsin Biographies, a collection of educational media resources for grades 3-6. Explore the full collection at pbswisconsineducation.org/biographies.

Material Type: Other

Author: PBS Wisconsin Education

Compare Human-Made Objects with Natural Objects

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In small groups, students experiment and observe the similarities and differences between human-made objects and objects from nature. They compare the function and structure of hollow bones with drinking straws, bird beaks, tool pliers, bat wings and airplane wings. Observations are recorded in a compare & contrast chart, and then shared in a classroom discussion, along with follow up assessment activities such as journal writing and Venn diagrams.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Katie Feuerhelm

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Connect, Explore, Engage: Familiarizing Preservice Teachers with the Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy & Sustainability

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This resource is an action plan that includes inquiry, exploratory activities, discussion, and application. It is intended to familiarize preservice teachers with the three interconnected strands of the Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability including: Connect, Explore, and Engage. This plan will allow preservice teachers to identify and integrate the standards associated with Connect, Explore, and Engage and implement the standards.

Material Type: Other, Syllabus, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: Kathleen Kremer

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