Blogs Temperatures are rising and spring fever is in the air! Keep your students’ brains engaged by bringing the great outdoors into your instruction.
Here are a few of our favorites ideas:
Elementary Math
How Old is That Tree?
Did you know that you can measure a tree’s age with just a few simple math equations (e.g., circumference)? Incorporate nature into your elementary math class by having your students calculate the age of a tree outside of your classroom or near their homes. If you and your students don’t have trees near, suggest a field trip to a local park. To learn more, view this math lesson from a teacher in Wisconsin and personalize as needed for your students.
Middle and High School Science
Moldy Jell-O
This is a great way to bring the warm weather into your science curriculum, even if you aren’t able to perform experiments outside. In this activity, students use Jell-O to determine how environmental conditions influence the growth of common molds.
Elementary School Science
Rain Clouds in a Jar
If you have the rainy day blues this spring, teach your elementary students about the weather and then have them create a rain cloud in a jar to understand how and why rain forms.
English Language Learners
Outdoor Picnic
Set up an outdoor picnic for your students by having them each bring a dish that represents their culture, and then asking them to explain what makes the dish unique or why it’s special to them.
Outdoor BINGO or Scavenger Hunts
Scavenger hunts are a great way to help ELLs practice their English in a non-threatening environment. You can use this free printable as inspiration for your own nature BINGO game or scavenger hunt. You can also use tips from this link if your school is located in a city and you don’t have access to “nature.”
Elementary School ELA
Poetry Kite
Celebrate Poetry Month and spring by combining poetry, crafts, parts of speech, and student collaboration in this activity. Have students write down a number of nouns and verbs that relate to spring and then write a poem using those words. Once the poem is complete, students re-write it on kite-shaped paper and decorate the classroom walls with their masterpieces!
