Environmental Education Activity Collection

For Grades 3 - 5

Biodiversity Blitz is a downloadable resource for educators of students in grades 3-5. Learners investigate the variety of species in an ecosystem, and how this variety – or biodiversity – helps sustain life on Earth. 

Students imagine viewing Earth for the first time and become more aware of the diversity of life.

Students explore different ways that organisms are adapted for survival to understand why there are so many species on Earth.

By conducting research and modeling a food web, students learn how diverse organisms are connected in a forest or other ecosystem.

Excite children's imagination and foster their innate curiosity — both are important motivators for lifelong learning.

• Subject background info
• Prep instructions
• Material list
• Step-by-step instructions
• Assessment suggestions

• Practical
• Adaptable
• Flexible

• “Differentiated Instruction” techniques
• “Take It Outside!” ideas for outdoor learning
• “Did You Know?” forest facts
• “Career Corner”  introduces youth to forest-related careers

Each PLT activity displays explicit connections to practices and concepts mandated by the following national academic standards. See below for an example from the “Discover Diversity” activity.

Practices

• Analyzing and interpreting data
• Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information

Concepts

• Biodiversity and humans
• Patterns
• Cause and effect

Practices

• Evaluating sources and using evidence

Concepts

• Geography: geographic representations
• Human-environment interactions

Practices

• Presentation of knowledge and ideas
• Vocabulary acquisition and use

Concepts

• Language: vocabulary acquisition and use

“Right now, in the second decade of the 21st century, preparing our students to be good environmental citizens is some of the most important work any of us can do. It is for our children, and our children’s children, and generations yet to come.”

— Former US Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan

Project Learning Tree helps develop students’ awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the environment, builds their skills and ability to make informed decisions, and encourages them to take personal responsibility for sustaining the environment and our quality of life that depends on it.

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