Materials two sets of matching bird call cards (made ahead of time) Bird – Bird Call Black-capped Chickadee – Chick-a-dee-dee-dee Crow – Caw, Caw Barred Owl – Who cooks for you, Who cooks for you all Tufted Titmouse – Peter, Peter, Peter Wild Turkey – Gobble, Gobble, Gobble Great Horned Owl – Hoot, Hoot, Hoot…

Where Do All of the Dead Leaves Go? Materials: Orange peel Banana skin Dead leaves Candy wrapper Rock Paper napkin Styrofoam plate Shovel A patch of ground you can dig up Ask the children if they know what happens to the leaves that come off the trees in the fall. Introduce the word decay. Talk about the…

Observ-Ant Take your class outside to observe an ant hill or leave a piece of bread close to the window sill so the class may observe ants coming to eat. To investigate ants a little closer, bring them into your home or classroom. Fill a large jar with sifted dirt and sand and punch some small holes in the…

Materials Empty film canisters Baking soda Vinegar Red food coloring Preferably an outdoor space where children can make a volcano in the soil Fill half of the film canisters with baking soda. Have the children create their own volcano in the sand box, a patch of soil, or playground mulch. Pile up the soil/sand/mulch around the film canister. Give…

Objectives Students will discover and create the parts of a tree Students will learn about some of the animals that use trees Procedure Display various tree parts (nuts, cones and other seeds, leaves, twigs, fallen bark) and wildlife clues (feather, nest, chewed nut, fur) for students to observe. Read A Tree is Nice by Janet May Udry.…

Materials: 2 jars with warm water Baking soda String 12” long 2 weights Small plate Fill two jars with warm water. Add baking soda to each and stir until no more dissolves. Tie weights to the ends of a 12 inch piece of wet string. Place one end of the string with the weight into each jar. Position…

The children will learn the body parts of a spider, the importance of spiders, life cycle, types of webs, and that spiders have silk, and use it to wrap up food. Materials Spider costume Spider abdomen with rope (silk) inside Spider egg sack Pictures Spider Puppet Animal Puppets Spider Book Spider Puppet –using spider and…

Habitat Sounds That Match Fill film canisters with objects from different habitats. Label the containers A, B, C, etc. Have the children shake the containers and guess the contents. Match the contents to the correct habitat area on the habitat board. Canister A ~ Grass stalks – Prairie Canister B ~ Water – Pond Canister C ~ Small…

What is Soil? Materials: Crumbly rocks Newspaper Hammer Put the crumbly rocks on the ground or on top of a large rock. Cover them with several layers of newspaper. Let the children pound the rocks with the hammer until the rocks are a fine powder. Tell the children that is how soil is made. Ask the children if they…

To understand the concept of cold-blooded animals, wrap a pipe cleaner with wiggly eyes (snake) around a thermometer. Make two thermometers. Place the snake thermometers in different areas of the room. For example, in a sunny window and a cold corner. Talk about how to read the thermometers. Cold-blooded snakes are frequently slow and sluggish in the morning before the…

Students will learn about spring by exploring plants. They will learn the different parts of a plant, a plant life cycle, the different ways they become pollinated, and some of the ways animals use different plants in the spring season. Materials Plant parts magnet board Book The Acorn Story Pollination magnets and pollen Bee puppet…

Students will use their senses to observe signs of fall in the prairie, woodland, and water habitats, identify strategies animals have developed to cope with winter and give examples of animals that use them. Materials Animals- pictures, study skins, puppets (see below) Introduction: Turn on your Senses Hearing: Rabbit Ears Have students cup their hands…

Go outside. Give each child or child team a card with a shape on it. Ask the children to find the shape. Include a variety of shapes found in nature, circles, ovals, long thin ovals, triangles, and arrow heads. When they find the shape, they can trade their card for a new one. Try the…

Make a Rock Collection Rocks filling a driveway make an excellent first rock collection. Fill al large tub with rocks for the children to select from or go on a field trip to a driveway. Have each child bring an egg carton to use as a display for their collection. Sorting Rocks Have the children sort rocks by…

Materials: clear plastic bowl or plastic jar green tissue paper to line the bowl yellow construction paper for petals clear tape crunchy cheese balls wrapped candy (1 piece for each child) Children have difficulty understanding how pollen sticks to butterflies and bees. This activity simulates the stickiness of pollen. Prepare the bowl to look like a flower.…

Materials: Empty film canisters Cotton balls Different scents (vanilla, peppermint, orange, lemon, pine, maple) Soak ten cotton balls each in a different scent. Put each cotton ball into a separate film canister and close the lid. Have the children sit in a circle and talk about the importance of smell in nocturnal animals. Pass the film canisters around…

Setting up the classroom: Make it as dark as possible Have flashlights available for the children to use Hang a moon and stars from the ceiling Play nighttime noises on tape – crickets, cicadas, owls Have the children wear camping clothes or pajamas Set up a tent Make a campfire from sticks with colored paper…

First time campers will be introduced to the Nature Center and the Great Outdoors! We’ll use stories to introduce each day. Objectives: Orient and familiarize preschoolers with the center’s facilities and activities inside and out Develop and encourage an awareness and appreciation of nature through books, art and explorations Day 1: Planting a Rainbow Gathering Decorate cups for…

Materials colored yarn: a different color for each dinosaur yard/meter sticks (for older children) picture/word cards with the height and length of the dinosaurs that are going to be compared colored sidewalk chalk large playground or parking lot space (you can use a gym or classroom floor if you omit the chalk) For Younger Children Precut…

Materials scissors rulers, unit cubes, or non-standard measure groundhog printed on heavy paper pencils chalk Cut along the dashed line – – – – – – – around the groundhog. Fold on the dotted line . . . . . . . . to make the groundhog stand up. Take the groundhog outside on a sunny day.…

Using a Balance Set out various sizes of dinosaurs and a balance. Let the children experiment comparing the weight of the dinosaurs. Sticker Stories Let the children use dinosaur stickers and crayons to create a math story. They can then dictate their story for the teacher to record. Young children can make 3D stories with plastic dinosaurs and blocks.…

Materials Needed jumbo craft sticks plastic combs Background Information Grasshoppers have very strong back legs for hopping great lengths compared to their body size. Their front legs are used for holding on to grasses and other plants. The middle set of legs help them to walk. Some male grasshoppers sing or chirp by rubbing their back legs across their…

Materials Needed yellow tissue paper sandwich baggies clear tape black chenilles (pipe cleaners) cut in half (one half per child) yellow construction paper circles (trace around the top of an 8oz paper cup) & yellow triangles plastic (from clear report covers or left over lamination film) cut into wing shapes (2 per child) black permanent markers Background…

Leaf Concentration (Memory Game) Photocopy leaf shapes or glue real leaves onto cards and laminate them. Play a game of concentration. Place the cards face down on the table. Turn over two cards and try to match the leaf shapes. Replace the cards face down if they do not match. Each child takes turns until all of the cards…

Materials gray and green washable tempera paint 2 or 3 inch foam topped brushes bumpy balls white paper small index cards cut in half aluminum cake pans for the green paint Take the child on an exploratory walk outside. Look at green leaves from different trees. Compare the shades of greens. Bring one leaf per…

Read the story Mud Pies by Judith Grey. Have the children list their favorite pie. Make paper circles. Cut each into 6 or 8 pieces. Give each child a piece of pie and have them color it. Create a graph of favorite pies. Using fabric or a large sheet of paper, make a grid large…

Have fishing license pre-made. Put a picture of the student on it if possible. Make a “pond” out of a large cardboard box by painting it to look like a pond, with a hole cut in the top. One person is inside the box, waiting to attach cardboard animals to the fishing pole. Talk about…

Materials non waxed paper plates crayons (no shades of blue) small sponges watered down blue tempera paint small containers to hold the paint small “flippy frogs” – 1 per child Pass out the crayons and the plates. Story Frogs by Gail Gibbons. Read pp. 1 – 6. Explain that frogs begin their life in the…

Objectives Students will discover there are many different kinds of fish Students will create a fish print Display turtle shells, replicas of fish, frogs, tadpole, and live fish for students to observe. Read Habitats – Life in the Sea by Rius & Parramon. Using the live fish, rubber fish and/or Fish Iowa poster, talk about the variety…

Materials flower stickers yellow stamp pads or sponges with yellow paint white paper black and green washable markers Background Information Bees are important visitors to the flowers. Flowers give the bees a sweet drink called nectar. They drink the nectar through a long tongue that acts as a straw. While the bee is nectaring, it picks up pollen…

Students will use their senses to observe signs of fall, size and shapes of leaves, matching seeds, animals that eat the seeds, and fall migration of ducks and geese. Materials Seed collecting trays Leaf collecting guides Baggies Animals- pictures, study skins, puppets (see below) Black bags Puppets Introduction: Turn on your Senses Hearing: Rabbit Ears Have students…

This activity shows one way birds are not like humans, the way they eat. String Fruit Loop cereal O’s on pipe cleaner. Twist pipe cleaner ends together. Go outside and attach to rope (one end rope to tree, other end held by a person). Line students up with the tallest student at one and the smallest student at the…

Announce a Dirt Day for school. Make sure the children wear clothes that can get dirty. Provide spades, shovels, watering cans, buckets, aluminum pie tins, magnifying glasses, cups, small pile of rocks, and a large area of exposed soil. Let the children dig and just play in the soil. Make great mud pies with lots of soil, water, and an…

Materials grated Dial Soap small plastic dinosaurs water containers for the soap and bowls for the water small plastic sandwich baggies Background Information Dinosaurs like birds and reptiles laid eggs. Some dinosaurs, for example Miasaura, were too large to incubate their eggs with their bodies so they used decaying vegetation to keep the eggs warm. Activity This…

Talk to your children about cement. Cement is a mixture of crushed rocks and water. When cement dries, it glues bricks together with a hard and strong bond. Mix up a batch of cement in a 5-gallon food service bucket. Put the lid securely on the bucket and have the children roll the bucket around.…

Materials sponges cut into flower shapes washable tempera paint in a variety of colors wide brushes white construction paper bee and butterfly stickers washable markers Tell the children that bees and butterflies visit flowers to drink the sweet juice (nectar) that the flowers make. Many flowers have bright colors to attract these insects. Take an “eye spy”…

Use a large blue sheet as the pond. Have circle time in the pond. Use lily pad seat markers for each of the children to sit on. Other ideas for the pond sheet Make stepping stones to help you walk across the pond without getting wet. Turn a large box into a boat and float it…

Materials clear plastic bags masking tape Background Information Water used by plant leaves during photosynthesis passes, as water vapor, through openings on the surface of the leaf called stomata. This movement of water vapor is called transpiration. Water as a gas can’t be seen but when you stand under a tree on a hot day you know that transpiration…

Materials: cotton swabs clear tape sandwich sized baggies masking tape permanent marker Background Information Pollen grains vary in color and shape. Only pollen specific to a given plant can fertilize that plant. Pollen can be shades of yellow, orange, green, brown, and blue. It can also be white or grey. Activity When collecting pollen, children can use…

Materials jar filled with water flashlight Background Information When light is passed through a prism such as the water in the jar, the light separates into a rainbow. Children don’t need to understand this concept, they will enjoy the process. This demonstration works best if done on a white surface; a white topped table or…

Announce a Camouflage Clothing Day. Have the children wear clothes that match a particular habitat. Solid colors, spots, and stripes would all work well. Ask the children to identify their chosen habitat for hiding. Paint whiskers, noses, and spots on faces. Activity provided by: Story County Conservation Board Nature Boxes for Early Childhood Educators Debbi…

Discuss the importance of camouflage with your children. Go to a grassy area. Throw ‘bugs’ all around with the children watching. Bugs can be plastic bugs, pieces of colorful yarn, or different colors of macaroni. Have the children find as many bugs as possible. Hiding the bugs in grass under the dappled shade of a tree makes the hunting a…

Materials 4 inch – 6 inch dinosaurs of varying colors (at least 1 per child) an outside grassy playing area boundary markers; cones, ropes etc. the book My Dinosaur by Mark Alan Weatherby Background Information Many animals use camouflage to hide within their habitat when they hunt or when they are being hunted. Although scientists don’t know…

Materials Cardboard cut-outs of common birds Nylon string Pre-program Make cardboard cut-outs of five or six common birds in flight. (red winged black bird, Canada goose, robin, bluebird, warbler, woodpecker) If children are unfamiliar with these birds, make a poster showing what the birds would look like if they were perched in a tree. Activity In a circle, have…

Take the children on a belly hike outdoors during the warm months and inside when it is cold. Belly hikes involve getting down in the grass with a small magnifying glass and moving along on your belly, carefully observing your surroundings. During the winter months, repeat the same activity on the classroom floor after you have carefully placed select items…

Children should echo back the chant and imitate the actions. Begin by tapping your hands on your thighs to make footstep noises. We’re going on a bear hunt We’re going to find a bear I’ve got my camera Open the door, squeak Walk down the walk Open the gate, creak Walk down the road Coming to a…

Materials 2 empty paper towel rolls per each set up 2 aluminum pie plates per set up masking tape rulers Background Information Insect-eating bats are nocturnal hunters. Bats use their voice boxes to send out high pitch sounds either from their mouths or noses. When the sounds bounce off an object, the bat gets information about the texture,…

Materials: a sunflower still on its stem tape permanent marker Story Seed to Sunflower by Barbara Reid Sunflower House by Eve Bunting Background Information Sunflowers can be collected in fields and ditches throughout Nebraska. Many farmers grow them as a crop. (I’ve seen them for sale in grocery stores during the fall as people use them as…

Materials: Dry erase/magnet board Container with fake food Container with job props 2 mini tunnels Large ant hill magnet Large ant body part magnet Pencil box containing: Ant magnets Eraser and dry erase markers Ant job words magnets Life cycle magnets Book “Hey Little Ant” Small envelope with game pick up piece examples Big envelope…

Materials Needed: 10 film canisters (or use small yogurt containers with lids) large cotton balls scent makers vanilla flavoring maple syrup orange flavoring peppermint flavoring lemon flavoring Prep: Make the smell canisters by placing the scent on the cotton ball. Then place the cotton ball at the bottom of the container. You’ll need to make two containers…

Fill your sensory table with green plastic grass. Hide small animals in the grass and have the children locate them. Categorize the animals into groups. Or, fill a large cookie tin with plastic grass and hide the bugs inside. Have the children match the bugs they find to pictures of the real bugs. Activity originally…

Materials: large plastic bin feed corn scoops and measuring cups Story: Share a book about the life cycle of corn. From Kernel to Corn Cob by Ellen Weiss is a good choice. Activity: Give each child an ear of feed corn. Let them fell, smell, and experiment with the ear. Help the children understand that just one…