I was involved in the Wild Wanderers Group, part of the Environmental Leadership Program at the University of Oregon. Our mission was to inspire young students to create relationships and bond with the natural world, promoting belonging, positive attitudes in self-identity, and inspiring stewardship. I specifically worked with 1st-grade students and created and facilitated along with 4 other team members 3, 30-minute in-class lesson plans and 1 all-day field trip to Mt. Pisgah Arboretum. We reached over 300 1st and 2nd grade students in 16 different classrooms at 3 local elementary schools. Through the Wild Wanderers 1st grade outdoor program we mentored students through building observation skills, questioning, and cultivating nature activities that discuss seasonal changes and ecosystem interactions of the Oregon White Oak Savanah. 

This lesson was created by Lydia and edited by the 2024 Wild Wanderers team. This lesson utilizes kinesthetic movement to offer interdisciplinary learning strategies for first-grade students. It highlights the lifecycle and seasonal changes of the Oregon white oak tree and the key species that interact with the tree. 

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify one lifecycle trait of the Oregon White Oak from each season when the facilitator acts it out.

2. Demonstrate at least one aspect of a key species throughout each season using body movements, or recognize when the facilitator acts it out.