Homeschooling on a Shoestring Blog » nature

Project Noah

Jodi — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:21:45 +0000

Project Noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere. Discover thousands of organisms from around the world. Document nature with your mobile phone. Help scientists with ongoing research.

Think Green

Jodi — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:14:53 +0000

It’s important to protect the environment for future generations. National Geographic Society’s collection of Think Green resources has been designed for families to support learning together about environmental-education topics. Explore activities, articles, maps, and multimedia about the Earth’s physical features and human imprint on the planet.

You’ll also find stories about inspiring conservationists and a book list with picks from National Geographic Education staff. Get even more materials from their partners in the Thinkfinity Consortium. Think green!

Molly the Owl wins Gold Medal from Nautilus Book Awards

Jodi — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:26:46 +0000

Molly The Owl has won a GOLD medal from Nautilus Book Awards!

The enchanting book chronicling the true story of this unforgettable event has been honored with the Gold Award in the category of Children’s Nonfiction.

For 11 years, the Nautilus Books Awards recognizes books that promote spiritual growth, conscious living and positive social change as they stimulate the imagination and inspire the reader to new possibilities for a better world.

To learn more about Molly the Owl, view beautiful pictures and learning links for the kids view Molly’s Blog

Calculate Your Carbon and Cash Savings

Jodi — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:17:22 +0000

Stop Global Warming calculator The Stop Global Warming calculator shows you how much carbon dioxide you can prevent from being released into the atmosphere and how much money you can save by making some small changes in your daily life. It’ll promote action, awareness and empowerment by showing you that one person can make a difference and help stop global warming.
I don’t see a link to the calculator from when I posted this on another blog back in 2008, but they do offer tips to take action.

Frogs

Jodi — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:28:56 +0000

Accordian Frog Lifecycle Booklet
http://www.everythingesl.net/downloads/tadpole_frog.pdf

Frog Dissection
http://frog.edschool.virginia.edu/Frog2/

Frog Crafts
http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Themes/frogs/frcraft.html

Frog Downloads
http://www.kinderprintables.com/frogs1.htm

Frog Life Cycle Wheel
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/lifecyclefrogactiv.htm

Frogs Thematic Unit
http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/Christine_Gorman.php

NAD Pathfinder by the Seventh-Day Adventists. The program is similar to scouts except they also offer Bible and marching. Info is on amphibians.
http://www.pathfindersonline.org/pdf/ayhonors/amphibians-a.pdf
http://www.pathfindersonline.org/html/honors/honors_ay_manual.htm#D

Frog Pictures & Facts
Wonderful pictures and facts for notebookers and lapbookers
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/living-green/living-green-citizen/for-kids/frogs-for-kids.html
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/food/food_menu.html
http://www.hear.org/AlienSpeciesInHawaii/species/frogs/index.html
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/topics/frogCalls.html
http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/frogs/calls.html
http://www.frogsonice.com/froggy/
http://www.naturesound.com/frogs/frogs.html

Build a Virtual Pond
http://webspace.webring.com/people/gu/um_8517/createapond.htm

EcoBrain Freebie John James Audubon Nature Unit Study

Jodi — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:25:23 +0000

EcoBrain Freebie

John James Audubon: A Great Appreciation of Nature Unit Study.

John James Audubon is considered one of the first naturalists in America. This unit explores his life and interests in nature, and takes you on a journey of lessons related to nature and environmentalism. Each unit contains explanatory content, online resource links, book suggestions, 6-8 lesson plans and 2-10 worksheets.

Lesson Plans Included:

Bird Watching Album (Grades K-12)
Ecology in your Backyard (Grades 3-12)
Endangered! (Grades 3-12)
How Ecologically Savvy Are You? (Grades 6-12)
The Animal Gallery (Grades K-12)
If You Build It They Will Flock! (Grades K-12)

Recycler-opoly

Jodi — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:24:09 +0000

Many of us don’t realize that while we are stomping, separating, and bundling our recyclables, other creatures are also busy recycling. Nature’s recyclers are responsible for turning dead plants and animals back into usable nutrients for new plants and animals.

Play Recycler-opoly, an online quiz game from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to test your knowledge of nature’s recyclers.

Freebies at Wal-Mart on Earth Day

Jodi — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:29:15 +0000

As part of Earth Month 2008, Wal-Mart will be giving away a million custom-made reusable shopping bags on Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 8:00am Local Time.*

Plastic bags can take as long as 1,000 years to degrade. If you miss out on the free reusable shopping bag, don’t panic. Wal-Mart sells their reusable shopping bags made from recycled materials for just $1.

Your kids can also pick up a free, Nickelodeon’s The Big Green Help seed card, that you can plant and watch grow into a beautiful wildflower.*

These wildflowers help promote biodiversity and create great environments for honey bees and birds.

*While supplies last

Also check out Wal-Mart’s T-Mobile Handset Recycling Program

Earth Day – April 22

Jodi — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 03:48:59 +0000

Celebrate Earth Day EPA’s Earth Day Web site offers you many tips and fun ways to protect the environment and your health every day. Check out the Earth Day Take Home Kit.
Earth Day Network find all the information you need to plan your event, get involved, and help protect the environment.
Planetpals Greatest Earth Day Pages has earthday activities, teaching aids, earth science and history. Make every day Earth Day.
Order free from the Environmental Protection Agency coloring books, poster and comic book environment topics.
Play Earth Day games
US EPA Endangered Species Picture Book
Trees Coloring Pages
Reduce, Recycle and Reuse Song for kids
EPA Kids K-12, fact-sheets, interactive games, and more
Environmental News Network
The Nature Conservancy
Sierra Club
Earth Day coloring pages
Earth Day EarthSavers
The Story of Earth Day
Caring For Earth and Earth Day Theme Unit
Earth Day worksheets and printables

Amazon.com Widgets

Learn 50 ways to help the planet.

Download free Earth Day activities from Evan-Moor with a sample from their book Seasonal Activities EMC 2004

Butterfly Unit Ideas

Jodi — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:16:17 +0000

Food Idea: An easy item for lunch (or even breakfast sandwiches) is after the sandwich is made, cut it diagonally. Separate the two pieces (the butterfly’s wings) and put in the middle a baby carrot or gherkin.
Bugs for Your Belly kind of looks like a butterfly.
A butterfly unit by Barbara Pratt.
Symmetry – Find patterns in nature.
Print off some butterfly writing paper. You could do your spelling lists or notes on this.
Look at the life cycle of a butterfly online.
Make chenille stem butterflies with this easy project.
Make a butterfly salad for lunch.
Butterflies and Moths pictures and information from Smithsonian Institute.
Coloring pages, worksheets and other printables from abcteach.
Butterfly fingerprint craft.
Learn the art of Butterfly Gardening.
Make a Butterfly Mask from PBS NATURE: Alien Empire.
Club Caterpillar for Kids has a butterfly activity kit to download in pdf and games & puzzles.