Outdoor Maker Activities: Embracing the Changing Seasons

As summer winds down and we approach the early days of fall, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy outdoor maker activities. While July’s Parks and Recreation Month may have passed, the pleasant weather of late summer and early autumn provides perfect opportunities to get creative outside. Let’s explore some engaging maker activities you can … read more »

Let’s Talk About: Great Outdoors Month

June is Great Outdoors Month, a time to celebrate our local, state, national parks, and waterways. As we straddle the line between pandemic and endemic COVID-19, we need to balance safety for those still vulnerable and learning to live with COVID19 as an endemic disease. In 2020 we discussed staying close to home with your … read more »

Celebrate Great Outdoors Month

In all of nature there is something of the marvelous. Aristotle What is your favorite outdoor activity? Perhaps you enjoy swimming, hiking, boating, or another way to enjoy Mother Nature. Many others share your enthusiasm, in fact, June is Great Outdoors Month. Started in 1998, this celebration of the outdoors has grown from a weekly event … read more »

Celebrating Juneteenth!

Why do we celebrate Juneteenth? On June 19th 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and freed enslaved African Americans—two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This historic moment marked the beginning of Juneteenth, a holiday long celebrated by African American communities and officially recognized as a federal holiday … read more »

Classroom Gardening and the Sustainable Development Goals

April is National Garden Month, an opportunity to celebrate gardening’s physical and mental health benefits. It also provides educators with several opportunities to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages. One recent report shows that school gardens lead to significant increases … read more »

Celebrating the Grand Canyon’s 105th Anniversary: Unleashing Nature’s Wonders in Your Classroom

Did you know that on January 11th, 1919, the Grand Canyon achieved a historic milestone, transforming from a National Monument to a National Park? This pivotal transition showed a commitment to preserving and celebrating the canyon’s breathtaking beauty for generations to come. Another significance of this transition is that it embodies a higher level of … read more »

Incredible Resources from the National Park Service to Use in Any Classroom

You are in for a treat if you haven’t visited the National Park Service website. In addition to providing information for those looking for tips on visiting or enjoying national parks, the site shares an abundance of resources for classrooms and educators to use in many different lessons and activities.  A visit to the website … read more »

We Have Liftoff! Using Better Lesson to Teach About Space and the Moon

Did you know that dust busters, wireless headsets, and invisible braces link back to inventions initially intended for use in space? This interesting USA Today article shares more everyday innovations created for space use. July 20 is Space Exploration Day and Moon Day, which coincides with the annual commemoration of the first moon landing in 1969, Apollo … read more »