By Jessie Walthers, Conservation Program Manager Groundhog Day. Who doesn’t love this most random of…
Learning from a Distance
Social distancing guidelines and shelter-in-place orders to prevent the spread of Covid-19 have resulted in school closures across Flathead County. Flathead Conservation District has also cancelled several education activities and outreach events that we normally host with local schools and partner organizations. As a result, students and educators are rapidly adapting to virtual classrooms and distance learning. During this time of adaptation, the Flathead Conservation District has reviewed and compiled some resources to help!
If you are a teacher, parent helping to homeschool a child, or student searching for online and at-home activities to supplement standard curriculum focused on natural resources, check these out:
Virtual Lessons, Videos, & Online Activities:
Discover water
https://www.discoverwater.org/
From Project WET (Watershed Education Today), grades 3-7 students can watch videos and play interactive games that demonstrate the water cycle, explore watersheds, and learn about the many ways we use water. Parents and teachers can view educational standards correlations for each activity.
Watershed Academy
https://www.epa.gov/watershedacademy
From the Environmental Protection Agency, the Watershed Academy provides self-paced training modules, webcast seminars, and information on watershed management from national experts about a range of watershed management topics for grades 9-12, college, and adult learners.
Water Science School
https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school
The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Water Science School offers information for any age group on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you can give opinions and test your water knowledge.
Digital Riparian Lessons
http://www.remarkableriparian.org/education.php
From Remarkable Riparian, grades 9-12, college, and adult learners can watch YouTube mini-modules and workshop modules all about riparian zones and the important services they provide in the environment.
Pollinator Live!: A Distance Learning Adventure
https://pollinatorlive.pwnet.org/index.php
PollinatorLIVE brings the excitement of pollinators to you through webcasts, webinars and online education resources.
Living Soil
From The Soil Health Institute, this 60-minute documentary features innovative farmers and soil health experts from throughout the U.S. Accompanying lesson plans for college and high school students can also be found on this site.
At-Home Activities:
Make a mini-water cycle!
Observe how the water cycle works by using the power of the sun and simple supplies from around your house. Instructions for this simple activity found here: https://thewaterproject.org/resources/lesson-plans/create-a-mini-water-cycle#
Explore soil texture and composition!
This simple activity requires simple supplies you can find around your house and in your yard, including: dirt/soil sample, clear container with a lid, water, and ruler. Check out the lesson plan here: https://kidsgardening.org/lesson-plans-soil-texture-and-composition/
Build a bee condo!
Attract native pollinators and provide them with shelter by building a bee condo in your yard. Use supplies from around your house such as recycled materials (a tin can or yogurt container), paper and pencil, and string or glue. Check out the instructions here: https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator.org/assets/generalFiles/Build-Bee-Condo.pdf
And don’t forget about the most effective kind of learning: immersion! Get outside for a breath of fresh air and experience your natural resources firsthand.
“The most beautiful gift of nature is that it gives one pleasure to look around and try to comprehend what we see.” – Albert Einstein
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