Discovery Programs has created a series of outdoor learning activities for students to complete in their own backyards, neighborhoods, and parks. Activities are designed for ages 5 and up. Adult guidance is recommended for some of the activities, particularly for the younger students.
SELF-GUIDED FIELD TRIPS TO AN EDMONDS FOREST OR BEACH
Visit a forest or beach park in Edmonds for a self guided Learning Adventure chock full of easy-to-follow maps and activities designed for hands-on learning. Learning Adventures are offered for free to students in grades K-6.
Download the Learning Adventure Guide Book, and turn to the checklist on the second page to get started on your adventure.
Meet the Trees: A Yost Park Forest Adventure.
Learn all about the trees that make up the forest at Yost Park and the web of life that depends on them. Explore what lives on 100 year old stumps, learn how to identify woopecker holes, and learn why the Western Red Cedar is called the Tree of Life.
Let's Explore the Edmonds Marine Sanctuary: A Tidepool Learning Adventure.
Get to know the plants and animals that make their home on the rocks, sand, and tidepools at Olympic Beach. Learn the best spots to find crabs, watch barnacles feed, and make a seaweed sculpture during your adventure. Don't forget to download the Trip Planning Guide to plan your trip for the best low tides.
ACTIVITIES FOR THE HOME, BACKYARD, AND NEIGHBORHOOD
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ACTIVITY 1
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Backyard Nature Bingo
Backyard Nature Bingo introduces students to the plants and animals that are located right in their own backyards or immediately surrounding their homes. All plants and animals included in the game can be seen in yards and neighborhoods in Edmonds and surrounding areas. The Bingo game can be used as a traditional tabletop game, or can be taken outside to search for the plants and animals outdoors.
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ACTIVITY 2
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How and Why do Birds Build Nests?
Spring is here with its budding flowers and birds singing away. These birds are into their nesting season, and many can be seen courting, searching for food, and gathering nesting materials. Dive in with your K-3 students to learn why and how these nests are built while recreating some of our common backyard bird nests.
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ACTIVITY 3
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Stormwater in Puget Sound
What happens to all the rain when a storm hits the Puget Sound area? Learn how rainwater travels and what is in it while creating your own city!
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ACTIVITY 4
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Flower Journal
Dive into the world of flowers with this 5 day flower journal. Create your own journal on the first day and then learn by observing something new about flowers each day!
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ACTIVITY 5
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Make Your Own Plant Press
A plant press is the perfect way to preserve the beauty of your favorite plants, which can be used to decorate cards and other craft projects. Learn how to transform ordinary household items into a functional press in this video tutorial.
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Download Bonnie Mearn's Puget Sound Bird Fest Kids' Activity Packet
BEACH RANGER PROGRAM ONLINE
To continue to provide marine education to our area's students during the pandemic, we've created a series of six videos that presents our spring Beach Ranger program online. Each video is approximately three to four minutes in length, and are most suitable for students in grades K-5. Our staff is currently developing supplemental activity sheets for the program, which will be available for spring 2021.
Video content builds on each previous lesson, so we recommend that students view them in order.
Download the Video Activity Packet grades K-2 students
Download the Video Worksheet Packet for grades 3-6 students.
VIDEO 1: Introduction, Tides & Zones https://youtu.be/4HzEed809rc
VIDEO 2: Plankton & the Food Web https://youtu.be/AVFi465RbKw
VIDEO 3: Mussels, Crab, Seaweed https://youtu.be/l9KuxCS9xco
VIDEO 4: Anemones & Sea Stars https://youtu.be/GwsJf5nWRJ4
VIDEO 5: Eelgrass, Clams, & Moon Snails https://youtu.be/4V2WnU1FgxI
VIDEO 6: How to be a Beach Hero https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suKPmPj8_P8
NATURE DISCOVERY IN THE CLASSROOM
Animal Adaptations (K-6)
Grades K-2
Part 1. What is a habitat, and what does it mean for an animal to adapt?
Watch Video Worksheet
Part 2. Explore what animal pelts, skulls, tracks, and scat tell us about an animal.
Watch Video Worksheet
Grades 3-6
Part 1. What is a habitat, and what does it mean for an animal to adapt?
Watch Video Worksheet
Part 2. Explore what pelts, skulls, tracks, and scat tell us about an animal.
Watch Video Worksheet
Owls of Edmonds (K-3)
Part 1. Learn about owls' unique adaptations and follow the story of Franklin & Eleanor as they raise a family in Yost Park.
Watch Video Worksheet
Part 2. Discover which owls live in Edmonds and learn their calls.
Watch Video Worksheet