Sketching and journaling

journal

Much of our understanding of science comes from interpreting visual images. The images that accompany scientific writing can enhance our knowledge of a subject and can add more precision to … Read more

Nature Poetry

journaling

April is National Poetry Month! Celebrate with a study of nature poetry! Start by reading nature poems. Depending on the age and level of students, make a study of the … Read more

Learn about invasive species

zebra mussels

Learn more about Iowa invasive species as we celebrate National Invasive Species Awareness Week February 20-26, 2023. What are invasive species? Invasive species are species of organisms that are not … Read more

School Gardens

garden

Why a school garden? School gardens provide hands-on learning in a wide variety of disciplines including science, math, language arts, and visual arts. Being involved in school gardens gets students … Read more

Phenology at Play

acadian flycatcher

Looking back over the past year using observations of the natural world, you can start to see seasonal changes. Each week, each month, and each season brings newness to our … Read more

Famous Conservationists

John F Lacey

Famous Conservationists with Iowa Ties! To understand Iowa’s early conservationists we need to examine the world in which they grew up. Many of our early conservationists were growing up when … Read more

Birding

girl with binoculars

Bird watching is a great way for children and teens to become aware of birds. Birds can be found anywhere, all year round. You can feed birds outside your window, … Read more

Keeping Classroom Animals

classroom anole

Animals can be a wonderful resource to enhance learning and understanding in the classroom. Many children today have limited exposure to wildlife and animals. Having an animal in the classroom … Read more

Become a wildlife scientist

testing o2 levels

Wildlife scientists study wildlife to learn how they live and interact with the environment. These scientists may focus on one wildlife species or a group of species during their studies. … Read more

Celebrate Iowa’s Catfish

channel catfish

Celebrate National Catfish Day (annually on June 25) by learning more about Iowa’s most abundant and widely distributed sport fish. Catfish are opportunistic bottom feeders that are active at night. … Read more