Follow-Up Activities

Follow-Up Activities and Ideas

We feel that your visit to Hillside should complement the teaching you are doing at your school. Following up with activities based on the learning that happened while on your trip can help consolidate the learning that happened. Below are some websites, activities and ideas that you may find helpful in continuing this learning.

Why not start by downloading these two free resources from the Back to Nature Network:

Into Nature, (K-8) activity cards tied to the curriculum for learning outdoors

Ready, Set, Wonder! (Early Years) inquiry based activities great for Kindergarten and beyond! 

http://www.back2nature.ca/resources-research/

Into Nature      Ready, Set, Wonder     

 

The following two articles outline the importance of doing follow-up activities after the field trip. These follow-up activities do not need to be extensive or time consuming, but by doing some follow-up, the information learned on the field trip will be consolidated learning, and allow students to make those important connections between the learning on the field trip, and what you, the teacher, is providing in your class.

Field Trip Followup    Article by: Lisa Felix and Bruce Johnson

Environmental Field Days:  Recommendations for Best Practices   Article by:  Stephan Carlson

Please feel free to contact us for further ideas on how you can extend the learning from Hillside.

GET OUTSIDE LESSONS:

Get Outside Lessons are developed by the Outdoor Education Staff in partnership with Curriculum Instructional Leaders of the Toronto District School Board.  These lessons are designed to be taught outside, sometimes with a specific focus (literacy, numeracy, etc.), sometimes just random areas of interest. Have a look at these lessons, we are sure that you and your students will enjoy and learn a great deal from them.
G.O. Lessons


NATURE STUDY AREAS: A Resource by FRW (Friends of the Rouge Watershed)

This resource has some great ideas about how to start and maintain your Nature Study Area (NSA) in your school yard. This resource was developed by Friends of the Rouge Watershed (FRW) in conjunction with TDSB departments in the TDSB and other organizations.
Nature Study Area Program Guide
Lesson Plans
Resources


GREAT WEBSITES TO VISIT:

Boston Schoolyard Initiative
The Boston Schoolyard Initiative has some great ideas, lesson and tips on how to take your teaching outside. Below are some links to their website and some of their documents that will help you with taking your students outside to learn.
Outdoor Classroom User`s Guide There are some great tips and tricks for every teacher.
Science in the Outdoor Classroom There are some links to science lessons taught outside.
Outdoor Writer`s Workshop There are some links to lessons on informational and explanatory and writing

Green Teacher
Green Teacher is a great on-line resource for a variety of lessons and activities to use with your students of any age.
http://greenteacher.com/

Rooted in Math Toolkit
This toolkit, by NEEF (National Environmental Education Foundation) has many terrific ideas on how to incorporate Math and the environment into your programs.
Rooted in Math: Educator Toolkit

The Science Spot
The Science Spot is a great website housing a variety of ideas for supporting great science in your classroom.
The Science Spot website

Natural Curiosity
Natural Curiosity is a great website offering ideas for "Featured Stories", book suggestions, professional development ideas and much more.
Natural Curiosity website

SOME GREAT VIDEOS:

Our Earth Breathes
This short video shows ice forming and melting across the planet, which forest grow in spring
and become dormant in the fall. It appears like our earth is breathing.
Earth is a Miracle by GOOD
 
Flight of the Monarch Butterflies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Yy7mXCNms   (5.39 minutes)

Water Leaders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=358LoVXt60w&list=UUUpX-Xwedl4qgFzQnZ00GFA  (6.05 minutes)
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/watersheds/map/index.aspx?path=english/watersheds-list
Yacouba Sawadogo - The Man Who Stopped a Desert
Yacouba Sawadogo Facebook Page

Simple Nature Art
http://www.filthwizardry.com/2012/10/autumn-woodland-treasure-sculpture.html (link to website with some simple nature art ideas)
http://www.craftiments.com/2013/06/NatureWeavingCraftandSolarOvenSmores.html  (link to website with simple nature weaving idea)

The Rock Cycle
A great little video on the rock cycle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bkyXvYP4jM

When Lava Meets Water

This video is a rare climpse into times when lava meets water. A very interesting little video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahZD95l1MvM



INTERESTING CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES AND LESSONS:

Make Your Own Biosphere or Eco-System
This link will show you how you and your students can create your own table-top Biospheres for your classroom.
Make your own Biosphere 
That Chickadee Feeling A short poem/chant that you can use with your students. Chickadee Chant

Kindergarten Ideas
Scavenger Hunt Environmental Art Ready, Set, Wonder Document Nature Walk Animal Tracks Booklet This small booklet contains the tracks and pictures of mammals and birds

likely to be found in your local ravine, park, beach or park.

Animals Tracks Booklet by Shannon Bennett

Native Seed Balls Here are the ingredients and directions on how to make native seed balls. Making Seed Balls

Animal / Plant Adaptations This lesson encourages students to create their own species, and to be able to describe each of the adaptations their creative plant or animal species.
Animal / Plant Adaptations

Simon Beck's Amazing Snow Art
Simon Beck creates amazing works of art in the snow.  Have a watch of this video.