Grants for Teachers!
Transportation and Field Trip Assistance
Nature Net’s Nature ExpressComplete an online application to
receive up to $80/bus to offset your
nature field trip bus expenses.
Field Trip Savvy
Make the most of your day with Nature Net’s field trip guide! Suggestions on how to create fun, affordable, learning experiences.
Alternative Transportation
See what options might work for you & give it a try!
Opportunities for Teachers
Become an
ALNC Ambassador!
Please contact education@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org with inquiries.
Resources by Topic
Nature & Environment • Climate • Energy
Nature & Environment
Wisconsin Aldo Leopold Writing Contest: The Wisconsin Aldo Leopold Writing Contest uses Leopold’s ideas to inspire students to participate in the evolution of the land ethic through the written word – It takes place annually in winter-time, and each year features a new essay topic and classroom resources connected to Leopold’s writings – All students enrolled in grades 9-12 in public, private and home schools in the state of Wisconsin are eligible
Featured Scientists: Learn about the women and men with STEM careers who help us understand the world around us, with a different environmental science topic featured each month – This blog is maintained as part of ALNC’s Climate Education Center digital curriculum, where “high-touch” outdoor programs are combined with “high-tech” multimedia exhibits and interactive, visual, hands-on, and immersive experiences
Habitat Earth in the Classroom: Cal Academy educators and digital artists designed these 3-12 grade-specific classroom guides including animations, key concepts, glossaries, articles, guiding questions and answers, and linkages to the Next Generation Science Standards
Big Ideas: Created in partnership with National Geographic, find examples of K-12 learning experiences — newly aligned with NGSS, Common Core, and other academic standards — for linking food, culture, health, and the environment
All About Birds: Learn about the lives of birds, enhance your birding skills, and be a part of the community with eBird, YardMap, Project Feederwatch, citizen science information, birdcams, articles, and other resources!
BirdSleuth K-12: BirdSleuth is an inquiry-based science curriculum that engages kids in scientific study and real data collection through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s exciting citizen-science projects. Find info for teachers, educational kits and resources, and more!
GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment)
GLOBE Program for Teachers: Engage your class in a collaborative, scientific exploration of the world around you, collaborating with teachers and students from around the world – The GLOBE website provides access to materials designed to engage your students in science and scientific discovery
GLOBE Teachers Guide – online toolkit and collection of background information, data collection procedures, and learning activities organized by Earth spheres: Atmosphere, Biosphere, Hydrosphere, and Pedosphere (Soil)
Living Schoolyard
Schoolyard Activity Guides: Created and edited by Green Schoolyards America, this page includes activity ideas from over one hundred organizations working in the US and beyond, intended for PreK – 12 grade students!
Monarch Watch
Monarch Watch: Resources and information to help you learn about monarch life cycles, raise monarchs in your classroom, grow your own milkweed, track monarch migrations, and more!
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Earth Observatory Global Maps: An excellent resource to view satellite images showing global views of what’s happening on our planet. Access beautiful maps, images, stories, and discoveries about climate and the environment.
NASA Water Falls Pre-Visit Lesson: This water cycle lesson is intended to be used by teachers before they take their students to view the Science On a Sphere movie, “Water Falls.” (This SOS movie is available by request at ALNC!)
My NASA Data: These tools enable K-12 teachers, students, and citizen scientists to easily explore the large volumes of real data that NASA collects about the Earth from space – you can even make your own charts and graphs!
Lesson Plans – access a listing of K-12 lesson plans related to Earth science, climate change, and more!
National Ecological Observatory Network
Project Budburst: Resources to guide participants of all ages in participants making careful observations of the timing of leafing, flowering, and fruiting phases of plants (plant phenophases) throughout the year
National Environmental Education Foundation
Nature Education Resources: Explore myriad resources for learning about Land, Water, and Plants + Animals
Surrounded by Science Educator Toolkit – collection of lesson plans and curriculum guides to help educators introduce students to many ways they can discover the science going on around them, both within the classroom and in the field, from the front steps to the solar system
National Geographic
Nat Geo Kids: Kid-friendly multimedia website with videos, games, photography activities, fun facts, and more!
National Science Foundation
Earth: The Operators’ Manual: Video clips, classroom activities, vocabulary, tips and tools that provide objective, accessible assessment of Earth’s problems and possibilities, leaving learners informed, energized and optimistic
National Wildlife Federation
NWF Kids: Kid-friendly multimedia website with songs, outdoor activities, crafts, Educator Pages, and more!
Nature Net
Nature Net: Provides “one-stop shopping” for environmental education resources for teachers and families of South-Central Wisconsin and beyond! Find curricular connections, classroom activities, tips and tricks for taking kids outside, and more!
Craft Archive – nature-themed crafts and activities linked with monthly topics and resources
Nature Book Nook – a compilation of some of the best and most engaging nature stories for readers of various ages, also linked with monthly topics and activities
Project Learning Tree
PLT Curriculum Offerings: Award-winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12 – Newly updated and organized, browse standards-aligned curricular offerings by education level, by unit, or search by keyword
Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development (SEED) and Earth Science Week
SEED Earth Science Online Toolkit: Earth science education resources in both Spanish and English, categorized into Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere, and Atmosphere
The Story of Stuff
The Story of Stuff Project: Educational video and interactive media accompanied by solutions-focused curriculum and activities discussing production, consumption, and ecological sustainability
USA National Phenology Network
Nature’s Notebook: National, online program where amateur and professional naturalists seasonal changes of plants and animals to generate long-term data sets used for scientific discovery and decision-making
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
EEK! Environmental Education for Kids: Surf around the critter corner, nature notes, teacher pages and more to learn about Wisconsin’s great outdoors!
Yahara 2070
Teaching Tips: These lesson ideas will use scenarios for our local watershed to help your 7-12 class learn about future thinking and why it’s important for our waters and communities
Climate
Climate Change in Wisconsin: Connecting global climate change with local impacts and stories, this blog is maintained as part of ALNC’s Climate Education Center digital curriculum, where “high-touch” outdoor programs are combined with “high-tech” multimedia exhibits and interactive, visual, hands-on, and immersive experiences
Our Climate Our Future: Award-winning multimedia experience that educates young people about the science of climate change and empowers them to take action
Climate.gov
Teaching Resources: Reviewed resources for teaching about climate and energy
Teaching Essentials of Climate Literacy – there are many ways to approach climate and energy depending on the grade level, course topics and instructional method
Why Fly South? How Climate Change Alters the Phenology of Plants and Animals – this activity introduces students to plotting and analyzing phenology data for date of first lilac bloom and number of days of ice cover of Michigan’s Gull Lake, over a 30-year time span
Climate Generation
Our Changing Climate Curriculum Guides: Interdisciplinary, standards-based curriculum guides for grades 3-12 which has students investigate data, communicate about global changes, research and monitor impacts, and learn about solutions to minimize repercussions in the Midwest and globally
Climate Interactive: Tools, interactives, and simulations to help illustrate climate change concepts
World Climate Simulation Game – interactive and experiential science-based role playing exercise simulating the UN climate change negotiations for groups (7-12, adults)
CLEAN Collection: This excellent collection of climate and energy science resources is peer-reviewed by NSF, NOAA, and other federal agencies – it is searchable by grade level and topic and includes teaching tips, links to standards, and benchmarks based on science standards and climate and energy concepts
Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies
CIMSS Educational Resources: Features interactive weather and climate activities (applets), satellite imagery and data, complete curricula and student and teacher workshop information
CIMSS Global and Regional Climate Change Course – in-depth online unit geared towards educators, clarifying concepts, processes and graphs from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
CIMSS Changing Weather and Climate in the Great Lakes Region – activities, videos and web apps developed by University of Wisconsin scientists and geared towards a broad general audience
Great Lakes Climate Data – this interactive walks you through accessing and interpreting climate data for communities within the Great Lakes Region and other U.S. locations
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Education Outreach
Climate Science Academy: Online, self-guided tutorial presented by climate science experts to support learning about and understanding the Earth’s climate system and climate change. Provides educators with access to reliable resources that apply accurate scientific information and an Earth systems perspective for learning and teaching about climate with confidence in alignment with the Climate Literacy Essential Principles
Earth Day Network
Story of Climate Change iTextbook: The first of its kind, interactive digital textbook for middle schoolers. Students watch glaciers melt, dive into the world’s coral reefs, and explore how bike share programs reduce carbon emissions – all from their personal tablets!
Educational Communications Board
Climate Wisconsin: Multimedia stories and data based on research specific to Wisconsin people and communities. Includes short videos, interactives, teaching tips, and activity ideas
Environmental Literacy and Inquiry, Lehigh University
Climate Change Unit: Middle school science inquiry curriculum (Earth Science, Weather, Greenhouse Effect, Climate Connections, etc.), aligned to the Essential Principles of Climate Literacy with GoogleEarth extensions and support materials
Carbon Emissions Calculator for Students
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Climate Change: Includes basic info, tangible solutions, carbon footprint calculator, and more!
EPA Student’s Guide to Global Climate Change: Geared towards upper elementary students, this site will help you Learn the Basics, See the Impacts, Think Like a Scientist, and Be Part of the Solution!
Kids’ Carbon Calculator
Educator Resources – find a Student’s Guide to Climate Change and supplemental lesson plans, tools, and tips!
Gikinoo’wizhiwe Onji Waaban (Guiding for Tomorrow)
G-WOW Changing Climate, Changing Culture: A service learning web-based curriculum that integrates Native Wisconsin culture and perspective with place-based scientific evidence of climate change and provides learners with knowledge about what they can do to mitigate or adapt to a changing climate
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Global Climate Change: Includes current vital signs, videos, articles and imagery
Climate Kids: Geared towards younger kids, this site uses games, animations and fun facts to teach about weather, oceans, energy, climate and more!
Guided Tour – this overview of big questions is a great place to start
Teacher Pages – images, activities, NGSS guides and more!
National Environmental Education Foundation
Weather + Climate Resources: Explore this site to learn science and solutions and discover how weather and climate affect our communities and the world around us
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Data in the Classroom: Systems approach to learning about the Earth using real scientific data, including downloadable curriculum modules that demonstrate techniques for using real data in the classroom
Science on a Sphere Explorer: Flat screen classroom-oriented version of the widely popular Science on a Sphere® (SOS), which provides accessibility to SOS datasets (usually only seen on a 6-foot sphere in large museum spaces, such as the Aldo Leopold Nature Center). SOS also provides lesson plans, which can be done in conjunction with a visit to ALNC!
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Climate Change – Wisconsin Activity Guide: E-appendix to DNR’s Climate Change: A Wisconsin Activity Guide book, geared towards Wisconsin 7-12 teachers and students, highlighting local impacts and perspectives, and featuring classroom activities
Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts
WICCI: Data, information, reports, stories, and resources about how Wisconsin’s climate is changing, what impacts we will see, and how we can adapt
Wisconsin Geological & Natural History Survey
Ice Age Geology: See the long view of Wisconsins’ changing climate and landscape over the past 21,000 years and learn about the landscape and watch animations of glaciers moving across Wisconsin
Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Climate Communication: Modern, user-friendly portal to research on public climate change beliefs, attitudes, policy support and behavior, and insights on how to engage different publics in climate change solutions
Visualizations and Data Hub – understand climate change communication and public opinion with graphs, maps, presentations and more!
Energy
Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
Classroom Materials: K-16 materials aligned with NGSS, developed by teachers and professional educators, with input from GLBRC scientists, to engage students in in learning about science and engineering challenges associated with producing sustainable biofuels
Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program
KEEP Curriculum: Activity guides developed by Wisconsin educators, aligned to WMA, Common Core, and NGSS
Energy Education Guide – 44 hands-on, interdisciplinary lessons aligned with academic standards and designed to make energy relevant to students’ lives
US Department of Energy
Energy Literacy: Essential Principles And Fundamental Concepts For Energy Education: The framework provides an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning about energy, organized into seven Essential Principles and a set of Fundamental Concepts to support each principle
Conocimiento De Energia: Conceptos de energía que, cuando se entienden y se aplican, ayudan a individuos y a comunidades a tomar decisiones sobre la energía con conocimiento de causa
Educational Resources: Bioenergy In The Classroom: Education Toolbox with lesson plans and lab activities for use in your classroom – Filter by subject, grade level, and energy literacy principle
Girls of Energy: Dynamic set of lesson plans and activities to enable students and educators to interact with the world around them, learn more about the different forms of energy, and learn about cutting-edge research and technologies spearheaded by women scientists within the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories
US Energy Information Administration
Energy KIDS: Kid-friendly site teachers energy basics and includes K-12 lesson plans, activity guides, teacher pages, and other resources