5th-8th grade

Read the text that shares interesting facts about pinecones: Fun Facts About Pinecones

Hike With Child in backyard, wooded area, or nature center nearby. Use the Constant Conifer Hike as a guide.

Look for trees that have needles...These are conifers.

Collect and Identify different examples using this guide: Pinecone Identification

Find a quiet spot in your backyard to sit and listen for bird calls. Morning is Best! Record predictions for how many different calls you would hear in the time you are sitting? Were you right? Were there more or less than you predicted?

-How many different calls/songs do you hear?

-Are the calls high or low pitched?

-Are the calls fast or slow paced?

Create a Bar Graph of the different calls you hear (high vs. low pitch)

Create a Bar Graph of the different speeds of the calls (Fast vs. Slow)

After observing what parts of a birds’ habitat are in your yard, create a plan with your child to add more food, water, and/or cover to your backyard.

Choose a feeder station to design with your child. Build it and find a place to put it where you are able to observe birds using it. Try to count the number of birds on the feeder, near the feeder, above the feeder, or below the feeder.

Watch The Presentation: Let's Feed The Birds

1. Complete the Bird Observation

2. Complete the Wing Beat CER

3. Complete the Bird Research Document

Manipulatives are sets of materials that kids can use to help them learn to count, add, subtract, and just think about number sense and logic.

Gather a set of manipulatives from nature. These can be sticks, seeds, stones, bark, or anything your child enjoys collecting.

Create a 1's Set (1-10)

Create a 10's Set (10-100)

Want to do more? Here are 25 activities using Math Manipulatives from Nature for you to try.

Find a day where it still warms up enough to melt ice! Grab a bunch of ice cubes and head outside...

• Give your child some unstructured time with ice outside.

• Give children a plastic bowl of ice cubes and let them play. You can play, too, but participate as a peer, not a teacher. The goal is to let kids make their own discoveries.

• If you like, you can also encourage kids to record their observations by drawing.

Discuss: What makes ice melt? What eventually happens to your ice "paintings"?

Read the Article: How Ice Melts

Help your child understand that the energy from the sun still drives change in materials even during late fall!

• Make predictions before beginning the experiment. Discuss about what makes ice melt. Ask kids to make a guess:

  • Where do you think ice will melt faster?

    1. In the sun

    2. In the shade.

• Have kids put one ice cube in the sun and the other in shade.

• Watch and note the results.

Discuss: Why did the ice left in the sun melt faster? Ask kids to stand in the sun and then stand in the shade. Can they feel the difference?