We’ve selected some of our favorite resources for elementary school to include here. Be sure to check out the middle & high school resource page, too. Have specific requests for resources? Contact Tim at tim.miller@mountaincastles.org.
Go Outside!
Don’t get too bogged down with “virtual” learning in front of a screen. Encourage kids and adults to go outside and explore backyards and nearby “wild” spaces.
- Powerful, yet simple family activities from Learning in Places
- Easy and fun activities from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
- Easy backyard activity ideas from Virginia Project Learning Tree
- Adopt a tree and watch it leaf out!
- Create a sound map
- Start a garden with kids!
- Take a nature photo for our photo contest
- Read a book (outside if weather permits)
- Go for a hike — through the field, down the street, on a trail (optional: play some short forest games)
Virtual Field Trips
- Great Virtual Visits from Virginia State Parks
- These 5 National Parks around the US have amazing virtual tours
- Yellowstone National Park
- Virtual field trips from Discovery Education
- Skype a Scientist — live events that are free to join; archived talks, too.
- Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants — more free, live events; archived talks, too.
- Smithsonian virtual tours
Virginia Tech Science Festival
The 2020 festival was virtual, but there’s lots of great on-line content!
National Geographic Collections
National Geographic has put together some amazing “learn at home” collections that feature articles, videos, maps, and more!
National Science Teaching Association
Awesome index of units, lessons, and activities from the National Science Teaching Association
North American Association for Environmental Education
Another great index of teaching & learning resources from the North American Association for Environmental Education.
Plants, Trees, & Pollinators
- 4-H Virtual Forest — awesome interactive resource!
- Forest Facts — learning pages and puzzles on a variety of tree topics from the Virginia Dept of Forestry
- Project Learning Tree has some great at-home activities, including things to do in the backyard
- Agriculture in the Classroom — great resources and links
- Plant a Seed Day activities & resources
- Journey North — observe (and record) seasonal change through plants and wildlife
- Tree Ring Expeditions (TREX) — designed for older students, but contains lots of resources for younger learners, too
Wildlife & Fish
- Ranger Rick — great resources from the National Wildlife Foundation
- Project Beak — Bird education & awareness for kids
- All About Birds — ID guides, bird cams, and more!
- Richmond Falcon cam and observation log
- Critter cams from the Wildlife Center of Virginia
- Project EduBat — bat activities and lessons
- Meet the Virginia state bat!
- Virginia bats at a glance (PDF)
- Virginia is for frogs!
- Virginia fish
Water & Weather
- Explore the James River watershed in this series of videos called “Watershed Wonder Wednesday” (a new video is added every Wednesday, so check back often)
- Learn more about the water cycle from the USGS
- Try this interactive water cycle model from Project WET
- More great interactive water resources from Project WET
- Check out these short, informative “Bay 101” videos from the Chesapeake Bay Program
- Learn more about the critters that live in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
- Activities, virtual field trips, and lessons from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Make “glacier goo” and more glacier resources from The Earth Institute at Columbia University
- Videos on climate, hurricanes, and weather from Weather STEM
- Current global weather info at Weather Underground
- GLOBE weather monitoring instructions
- Ocean lessons from National Geographic
- Ocean Today videos from NOAA
- NOAA and the Octonauts videos and resources
Soil, Weathering, and Erosion
- Soils have names and every state has a state soil, including VA
- “Earth as Apple” animation shows just how little of Earth’s surface is suitable for growing
- Soils 4 Teachers — lesson plans & activities
- “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil” page from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — great interactive activities
- Check out theses resources that accompany the PBS Dust Bowl film.
- Great weathering & erosion resources (including video) from Generation Genius.
- Lots of cool resources on caves (including video from Luray Caverns) from CavesLIVE.
- Here’s a link to the National Geographic short film, “Explore the Hidden and Fragile World Inside Caves”