K-ess2-2 Activities
Niklas Terki
In this Life Science unit, Kindergartners explore plants and what they need to live and grow. This page is a high-level extract of lesson four in which students make models of adult sunflower plants to explore how plants have different parts that help them get what they need to grow.
In the second unit of Kindergarten, students explore living things and discover what plants and animals need to survive. This page provides a snapshot of lesson five which has students conducting a class experiment with bean plants to observe what they need to live and grow.
In this Life Science unit, students explore living things and discover what plants and animals need to survive and thrive. During this portion of the unit, the focus shifts from plants to animals as students begin to explore animal habitats.
In this unit, students are introduced to living things on Earth. They begin by exploring the differences between living and nonliving things and then investigate what plants and animals need to survive by watching bean plants grow and observing a cricket in its habitat. They then create a model to show how living things depend on other living things and their environment to survive, and can change their environment to help them get what they need.
In this unit, students are introduced to living things on Earth. They begin by exploring the differences between living and nonliving things and then investigate what plants and animals need to survive in their habitats. Now students take their understanding of animal habitats to then apply their understanding of the topic to consider how human shelter varies depending on where we live.
In the second unit of Kindergarten, students explore living things on Earth. They analyze the differences between living and nonliving things and then investigate what plants and animals need to live and grow. Following this, students explore human needs and activities and how those impact the planet.
Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.
description: Students will learn about food waste and strategies to reduce it, including composting and vermicomposting (worms). This program utilizes hands-on activities. Please inform the educators prior to your program of any student allergies such as trees, grass, tree nuts, or eggs to ensure proper precautions.
DESCRIPTION: Students will learn about the design of a landfill with an understanding of environmental impact and pollution. This program includes a creative activity to emphasizes the reduction of our waste production.
DESCRIPTION: Students will learn about the conservation of water and energy in and around their home, as well as how to create healthy habitats for wildlife. Students will also learn how to identify household hazardous waste and ways to reduce its negative environmental impact.
What animals are found in Alaska? Where do they live? How do they survive? Games, hands-on activities, and natural items immerse learners in the diverse habitats of Alaska animals. Students investigate animal evidence and learn about adaptations that help animals survive.
Science Standards K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, 1-LS1-1, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS4-3
Venture into the great outdoors using senses! Explore nature through hands-on activities and games that focus on sight, smell, touch, and hearing. Students use simple tools such as hand lenses, binoculars, and thermometers to amplify their senses and allow them to collect information just like scientists.
Science Standards K-LS1-1, K-PS3-1, 1-PS4-1
Grab your boots and go with the flow to experience the dynamic Campbell Creek watershed! In this inquiry-based program, students learn about the connections in watersheds. They analyze how moving water shapes the landscape and investigate nearby riparian habitats. Students conduct chemical and physical water quality tests and identify aquatic macroinvertebrates to evaluate the health of the creek.
Science Standards 4-ESS2-1, 5-ESS2-1, 4-LS1-1, 5-ESS3-1
Examine the diversity of habitats in a forest and discuss how factors like competition, interdependence, and succession lead to that diversity. Students will use field science techniques to compare different areas of a forest. Students will also look for animal signs to examine how animals use the forest.
Science Standards 4-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1, MS-LS1-6
Discover the forces that drive the rocky cycle while hiking trails around Campbell Creek. In this program, students learn how to look for geologic evidence, signs of erosion, and the importance of minerals in the ecosystem. They also explore how glaciers change the surface of earth using models and hands-on activities.
Science Standards 5-ESS2-1, MS-ESS2-2, MS-ESS2-1
Students investigate the physical properties of snow by observing crystals, measuring snow temperatures, and conducting experiments. In addition, games and hands-on activities help students discover the winter environment.
Science Standards 5-ESS2-1, 5-ESS2-2New accordion content
What does it take to survive in the Alaska subarctic environment? How should we prepare to spend time outdoors? What can we do to stay alive when things go wrong? Through hands-on experience with fire starting, shelter building, orienteering, and other skills, students learn techniques to stay warm, healthy, and secure in the outdoors.
Science Standards 5-ESS3-1
What makes a great team? Learn the fundamentals of effective, student led teamwork in the supportive environment of Campbell Creek Science Center. Experiential activities get participants moving, cooperating, communicating, trusting, and problem solving in positive ways.
SEL Standards 2A, 2C, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4C
Our educators have experience working with learners of all ages. Shorter program lengths, hands-on nature exploration, and guided play keep young learners engaged. Program themes include dinosaurs, insects, animals, senses, and more. Contact us to set up your preschool program.
Continue the learning experience outside the traditional school day. We offer field trips on afternoons, evenings, and weekends for Scouts, 4-H, and other after school and extracurricular groups. Choose from our standard program options. Contact us to set up your program.
We offer field trips for homeschoolers, mixed-grade groups, and families. Minimum of 10 participants. See program descriptions above for options. Home school groups of 10 or more may sign up for a field trip through Recreation.gov. Also, check out our activity calendar for public program options for individual learners of all ages.
If your school is Title I or near Title I (>33% participation in the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Program) and needs a partial program scholarship or full bus scholarship, please visit this Recreation.gov page to register.
What challenges does a baby dinosaur face while it is developing inside the egg? What adventures might it have once it hatches? Students will listen to a story about young dinosaurs found in Oklahoma and participate in engaging activities and experiments.
How can you tell the difference between things you find in nature and things that people have made? Students will classify a variety of objects to decide if they are natural or produced by humans and learn how people use natural resources, such as oil, in everyday life.
What is conservation? Why is it important? Caring About Conservation explores the meaning of "conservation," some of the animals Smithsonian scientists are trying to save, and what we can all do to protect wildlife.
This virtual school program is part of Conservation Classroom, a collection of monthly lessons for K-5 students. Each lesson has four elements: wonder (video), engage (live virtual program), act (activities), and connect (video). Follow along with all four parts or pick and choose the videos and activities you want to explore.
In this free, live virtual program, students learned about wildlife conservation and met some of the animals Smithsonian scientists are working to save. Access the recording to enjoy the program that aired on September 20, 2023. Recording includes English captions, as well as Spanish and ASL interpretation.
During the program, follow along with a conservation actions matching activity. Then, complete the post-program drawing activity to reveal how you will be a conservationist. Teachers and adults, send your students' drawings to the Zoo's education team at nzp-ed...@si.edu.
Conservation Classroom: Caring About Conservation s best suited for grades K-5. The full lesson consists of two videos, a live program, and two activities. Refer to the Smithsonian Learning Lab collection to help teach this lesson.
Our educators provide thought-provoking learning experiences designed to ignite curiosity and encourage reflection. We emphasize learning through scientific method: using observation, developing a hypothesis, testing, data collection, analysis, and reflection.
Constellations & Cultures (Grades K-8)
Constellations are created when people look up at the sky and draw lines between bright stars to create images. Even though we all see many of the same stars each night, every culture creates their own images based on what is important to them. In this planetarium program, we will explore stories from cultures around the world about constellations that are visible in our night sky. NGSS 1-ESS1-1
Magnificent Metamorphosis (Grades PreK-2)
Butterflies are probably the creatures that come to mind when you hear the word metamorphosis, but there are many other creatures that also go through this amazing process. In this class we will touch on a few of these special insects, learning not only about their metamorphosis, but about their anatomy and behavior, too. Students will look closely at butterfly and moth specimens under the microscope and act out and create their life cycles. NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, 2-LS2-2 Available only in Fall and Spring