Soil & Water in Your Classroom K through 12 Visiting Educator Programs

Your school grounds' outdoor wonders can provide real-world lessons about concepts learned in your classroom. These 45-minute, free programs are tailored to meet state curriculum standards for your grade level. Contact us to learn more and schedule your program!

In all programs, we strive to meet "Science as Inquiry" Essential Standards:

• Conduct investigations
• Make careful observations and measurements
• Work in small groups and share findings with the larger group
• Use data to create explanations of results
• Use appropriate safety procedures

Kindergarten Cloud Detectives

Students examine clouds and discuss their favorite kinds of weather and observe weather changes from place to place and season to season. Their discoveries will help them attain a deeper knowledge of weather. (Science Essential Standard Correlation: K.E.1.1)

1^st Grade Super Soil

Students will make observations of different types of soil. They will learn the basic needs required for life, including air, water, nutrients, and light. Students will make their own "soil buddy" to grow a plant at home or in the classroom. (Science Essential Standard Correlation: 1.L.1.1)

2^nd Grade Weather Toolbox

Students will get to examine and use the tools used to measure temperature, wind direction, wind speed, and precipitation. (Science Essential Standard Correlation: 2.E.1.2)

3^rd Grade Thinking Like a Soil Scientist

Students will dig into the importance of soil, including the characteristics that allow it to support plant growth. Using a soil auger, they will work together to dig a soil profile on their school grounds, and observe how soil texture (sand, silt, and clay) changes throughout the profile. They will get the chance to consider how soil is the foundation of life on earth and learn about basic soil conservation. (Science Essential Standard Correlation: 3.L.2.4)

4^th Grade From Soil to Your Lunch Box Vitamins & Minerals

Which foods contain the most vitamins and minerals and how are they connected to healthy soil? Students will use critical thinking to make observations, create connections from the lesson to the real world, and come to conclusions about vitamins and minerals through hands-on learning. (Science Essential Standard Correlation: 4.L.2.2)

5^th Grade Incredible Journey

Students will experience a kinesthetic simulation of the water cycle, including how the sun's energy drives evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, and runoff. They will understand how humans and life in general depend on this cycle, and how we may engage responsibly with it especially regarding water use and runoff. (Science Essential Standard Correlation: 5.P.2.1)

6^th Grade Know Soil, Know Life

Students will look at the importance of soil and how we live. They will discuss the origin of soils across North Carolina and investigate the soil that is found in their own schoolyard. (Science Essential Standards Correlations: 6.E.2.3, 6.E.2.4)

7^th Grade Follow the Water

Students will experience a simulation of the water cycle, including the cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere. They will understand how humans and life in general depend on this cycle, and how we may engage responsibly with it especially regarding water use and runoff. (Science Essential Standards Correlations: 7.E.1.2)

8^th Grade Enviroscape

The Enviroscape program brings an interactive model of a watershed into the classroom. Our instructors will engage your students in a demonstration to visually learn about stormwater runoff, water pollution, water quality, watersheds, and personal stewardship. (Science Essential Standards Correlation: 8.E1.1)

High School Seeing Watersheds

Students will model river systems to illustrate the function of a watershed and apply these concepts to an investigation of the Cape Fear River Basin. They will discuss human impacts in the Cape Fear River and learn about water conservation practices. (Science Essential Standards Correlations: EEn.2.3.2, EEn.2.4.1, EEn.2.4.2)