Designed for middle school classrooms and meant to last an hour, this lesson plan is the perfect introduction to a unit on agriculture and food systems.
Countryside Classroom helps teachers to find resources, places to visit and school support relating to the themes of food, farming and the natural environment
This 3 1/2 minute video describes how farmers can use animal poop as energy for their farm. How does the anaerobic digester work to create energy and fertilizer? How can we use human waste as well?
This two-part interactive game introduces the concepts of interdependence and globalization through the geography of food. Educators will find the game and teaching guide for Grades 6-10.
Resources to use in your science class to explore plant raised for industrial and food needs. If you click the links, there is a sign-in prompt -- but you can bypass the sign-in by clicking the image instead and you will be able to access all the Google slides associated with that image
The Saskatchewan Organic Directorate (SOD) has produced these materials to help learners explore the challenges and advantages of local food production. The resource also involves students in the preparation of tasty dishes based on local, organic products.
This video will explain how scientists group organisms (living things) into kingdoms. Check out the karaoke song and the quiz to test your understanding.
This slide show has images of two types of plants without seeds: vascular and non-vascular. Test yourself with the quiz after you've reviewed the slide show.
In 2010, 30 billion dollars worth of fruits and vegetables were wasted by American retailers and shoppers, in part because of cosmetic problems and perceived spoilage. But what are these spots, anyway, and are they okay to eat?
Biofuels can provide energy without the reliance on environmentally harmful fossils fuels but scientists are still searching for a plentiful source. This video demonstrates how cellulose, the naturally abundant tough walls of plant cells, might be the solution.
This is a great Canadian site that has virtual interactive tours of eleven different types of farm (some of them are in Alberta). "Take a look inside the barns and through the fields to learn about the lives of the animals who live there and the farmers who work with them." (site)
To feed our rapidly growing and changing world, we need innovative solutions. In this video, you'll learn about some environmental issues related to the food we grow and eat.
A short overview by Manitoba Education on Indigenous knowledge and perspectives on the environment and sustainable development. Indigenous sustainability concepts are clearly defined.
Students can virtually explore the ways in which human activity is permanently changing the Earth’s natural systems using augmented and virtual reality, interactive art, photography and film.
You will find a collection of printable activities and articles to use with your students. Topics include: amphibians, bats, climate disruption and polar bears, elephants and eco-footprints.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s resources are developed collaboratively with a focus on both science and education. Our resource section is rich with valuable information you can access to learn more about wildlife, about conservation, about important issues and more.
The video was created as part of an International climate workshop to provide a youth perspective on Indigenous knowledge, practices, and multi-generational approaches to addressing the climate crisis.
Have you heard your parents or people in videos talking about climate change? Ever wondered what it is and why we care about it so much? NASA scientists have been studying Earth’s climate for more than 40 years. We used what we’ve learned in that time to answer some of your biggest questions in this site!
This resource from the David Suzuki foundation includes five cross-curricular lessons that inspire environmental stewardship in both the classroom and beyond.
This video, created by Inside Education, is a review of "groundwater in Alberta. Topics include quality, distribution, uses in the province, and how it links to the hydrologic cycle." (site)
High-Adventure Science brings several of the big unanswered questions in Earth and space science — think climate change, the availability of freshwater, land management and more — to middle and high school science classrooms.
Rachel Carson investigated into the misuse of chemicals and their toll on nature. In 1962, she published her findings in “Silent Spring,” which immediately drew both applause and impassioned dissent.
Indigenous peoples have wide-ranging knowledge of the land and its ecology. Through collaboration with Indigenous partners, Parks Canada and Canadians are benefitting from traditional knowledge systems that have been handed down over many thousands of year
Lands inhabited by Indigenous Peoples contain 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. Indigenous Peoples’ traditional knowledge and knowledge systems are key to designing a sustainable future for all.
Federal and provincial governments come and go and take with them their particular view of the value of protecting the environment. Indigenous Peoples on the other hand who do not come and go (have been here since time immemorial) place an extremely high value on protecting the environment and the resources that are important to them.
A PhD candidate at the University of Alberta is encouraging the government and other agencies to consider a pathway through climate change using the thoughtful approach of Indigenous knowledge for conservation and resource management.
This website provides K-12 students and educators with access to quality homework resources, lesson plans and project ideas for learning and teaching about the environment from the US EPA.
This 3 1/2 minute video describes how farmers can use animal poop as energy for their farm. How does the anaerobic digester work to create energy and fertilizer? How can we use human waste as well?
Welcome to R4R’s database of outdoor learning activities. This inventory has been created to strengthen our Step Outside series by connecting teachers and students to engaging outdoor activities that explore themes described in each of the nature guides.
This two-part interactive game introduces the concepts of interdependence and globalization through the geography of food. Educators will find the game and teaching guide for Grades 6-10.
You can use the orange arrows to move the slide show or let the images change on their own. After the slide show, test your understanding of fossil fuels.
The orange arrows will move the slide show or you can let the images change on their own. After the slide show, test your understanding of natural resources.
Play this video to learn more about the water cycle, the constant movement of water around Earth and the atmosphere. Test yourself with the quiz after you watch the video.
The Story of Bottled Water describes the environmental and financial impact of using bottled water instead of tap water. This animated documentary is by Annie Leonard and Free Range Studios, the makers of "The Story of Stuff."
The Story of Solutions explores how we can move our economy in a more sustainable and just direction, starting with orienting ourselves toward a new goal.
For humans, addressing climate change may mean using technology to find solutions. But for some plants and animals, adapting to these changes involves the most ancient solution of all: evolution. Learn how animals are adapting to climate change.
In this passionate call to action, 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg explains why, in August 2018, she walked out of school and organized a strike to raise awareness of global warming, protesting outside the Swedish parliament and grabbing the world's attention.
Clearing forests for agriculture and development can have severe consequences for our environment. "Learn the value of large-scale forest landscapes and their role in the carbon cycle. Discover how reforestation can impact climate change by decreasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere."
This video answers the question: What are nurdles? They are the tiny, factory-made pellets that form every plastic product that we use, from toys to toothbrushes. In their quest for ocean domination, they can wreak havoc on our oceans.
You’ve filled up your cart and made it to the front of the grocery line when you’re confronted with yet another choice: what kind of bag should you use? It might seem obvious that plastic is bad for the environment, and that a paper bag or a cotton tote would be the better option. But is that really true?
We’ve all been told that we should recycle plastic bottles and containers. But what actually happens to the plastic if we just throw it away? This video traces the life cycles of three different plastic bottles, showing the dangers these disposable bottles present to our world.
What would the planet look like if everyone became a vegetarian right now? The creators of this video take a look at the numbers, factoring in land and water use, carbon emissions and animal by-products.
To feed our rapidly growing and changing world, we need innovative solutions. In this video, you'll learn about some environmental issues related to the food we grow and eat.
Birds Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada have created an interactive Story Map that details the importance of the boreal region for birds. Click here to explore this colourful online resource.
As a legacy of the Canadian Forestry Association, the Canada's Forests Teaching Kit Series booklets were published to help educate youth about the value of forests and the importance of protecting and conserving them. Scroll below to access all 9 volumes
Explore this page about Canada's boreal forests. There are two short videos and teaching resources, as well as maps and descriptions of the many different life forms that inhabit those forests. What are the threats to this ecosystem and what kinds of actions are being taken?
The ten short films in the Beyond Bark Beetles series share the story of the bark beetle outbreak in our western forests and show how the U.S. Forest Service is responding. See how beetles choose trees and what they do once they burrow inside.
Welcome to R4R’s database of outdoor learning activities. This inventory has been created to strengthen our Step Outside series by connecting teachers and students to engaging outdoor activities that explore themes described in each of the nature guides.
PlantingScience is a free online resource to teachers and schools. The program provides volunteer scientists, resources, and activities to support innovation in teaching, learning, and mentoring.
Chris Martine hosts this channel focused on biodiversity, botany, and ecology. Videos are short (less than 20 minutes), informative (thanks to a knowledgeable host and great guests), and captivating (with lots of stunning nature imagery).
The orange arrows will move the slide show or you can let the images change on their own. After the slide show, test your understanding of natural resources.
For humans, addressing climate change may mean using technology to find solutions. But for some plants and animals, adapting to these changes involves the most ancient solution of all: evolution. Learn how animals are adapting to climate change.
Clearing forests for agriculture and development can have severe consequences for our environment. "Learn the value of large-scale forest landscapes and their role in the carbon cycle. Discover how reforestation can impact climate change by decreasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere."
This video explains some of the benefits of wildfire. Due to the way they grow, some trees (like lodgepole pines) need fire to survive. Learn about how wildfires contribute to the ecosystem.
The Tree story provides short video clips on the growth of trees, how trees adapt to their environment and the impact mankind has on trees. Choose from "the Living Tree", "From Root to Crown" or "The Tree Story".
An article that describes how Indigenous peoples around the world have fostered biological diversity through their traditional knowledge and practices.
A short overview by Manitoba Education on Indigenous knowledge and perspectives on the environment and sustainable development. Indigenous sustainability concepts are clearly defined.
After matching everyday products to their rock or mineral sources, students “mine” chocolate chip cookies to discover the impacts of many mining operations.
A lesson plan from BCTF focused on the rock cycle and how materials from the earth are used as resources to build homes, roads and other things in our communities. Click the download button to get the lesson plan.
You can use the orange arrows to move the slide show or let the images change on their own. After the slide show, test your understanding of fossil fuels.
The orange arrows will move the slide show or you can let the images change on their own. After the slide show, test your understanding of natural resources.
A short overview by Manitoba Education on Indigenous knowledge and perspectives on the environment and sustainable development. Indigenous sustainability concepts are clearly defined.
Students can virtually explore the ways in which human activity is permanently changing the Earth’s natural systems using augmented and virtual reality, interactive art, photography and film.
The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s resources are developed collaboratively with a focus on both science and education. Our resource section is rich with valuable information you can access to learn more about wildlife, about conservation, about important issues and more.
Rachel Carson investigated into the misuse of chemicals and their toll on nature. In 1962, she published her findings in “Silent Spring,” which immediately drew both applause and impassioned dissent.
At least a quarter of the world’s land area is traditionally owned, managed, used or occupied by indigenous peoples. But while their knowledge is increasingly being recognized, it is rarely taken into account by researchers and policymakers.
Resources and lesson plans to use with your class as they explore interactions in ecosystems. If you click the links, there is a sign-in prompt -- but you can bypass the sign-in by clicking the image instead and you will be able to access all the Google slides associated with that image
Resources and lesson plans to use with your class as they explore interactions in ecosystems. If you click the links, there is a sign-in prompt -- but you can bypass the sign-in by clicking the image instead and you will be able to access all the Google slides associated with that image
There are two main types of aquatic ecosystems: freshwater and saltwater. The main difference between these two ecosystems is, you guessed it, saltiness. Oceans, rivers, swamps, bogs, and streams are all aquatic ecosystems.
Learn about the common characteristics of arthropods (the largest animal group) by watching this slide show. Arthropods include: crustaceans, arachnids and insects. You can test yourself with the short quiz.
This video will explain how scientists group organisms (living things) into kingdoms. Check out the karaoke song and the quiz to test your understanding.
For humans, addressing climate change may mean using technology to find solutions. But for some plants and animals, adapting to these changes involves the most ancient solution of all: evolution. Learn how animals are adapting to climate change.
What flies through the night, silently guarding and protecting our world from evil? Batman? Not Batman but a bat. This video disproves the myth that bats are dangerous villains and explains why they deserve our protection.
Pollination is vital to life on Earth but largely unseen by the human eye. In this video, Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg shows the world of pollen and pollinators with high-speed images from his film "Wings of Life," inspired by the vanishing of one of nature's primary pollinators, the honeybee.
Our planet’s diverse ecosystems and wildlife populations are vulnerable. Jungles can become deserts, and reefs can become lifeless rocks. What makes one ecosystem strong and another weak in the face of change? This video explains why biodiversity is the key.
In the 2D sidescroller Thunderbird Strike, fly from the Tar Sands to the Great Lakes as a thunderbird protecting Turtle Island with searing lightning against the snake that threatens to swallow the lands and waters whole.
This game is available for free on Android, IOS, and PC.
Resources to use with students as they explore wetland ecosystems. If you click the links, there is a sign-in prompt -- but you can bypass the sign-in by clicking the image instead and you will be able to access all the Google slides associated with that image
This site is virtual experience; it uses science-based artwork to show the diminishing biodiversity on Earth. The map shows endangered or extinct species. You will find embedded videos as well.
An article that describes how Indigenous peoples around the world have fostered biological diversity through their traditional knowledge and practices.
