Classroom Resources and Group Programming

Best for grades K-5

Explore your urban habitat and study the biodiversity right in your own neighborhood! Through a combination of scientific observation, songs, community-service work, and creative design, students will explore how the health of an urban ecosystem is influenced by people's choices and actions (e.g., preventing litter, recycling, etc.).

Best for grades 2-6

Participate in hands-on activities and experiments to discover how stormwater impacts our local waterways and aquatic ecosystems. Students will explore how the Omaha watershed fits into the global water system. Through these activities, students will gain a better understanding of how litter impacts an ecosystem and actions they can take to help prevent pollution.

Best for grades K-8

The Compost Kit helps students discover what happens when yesterday’s food scraps and other organic materials become tomorrow’s valuable resources. Through hands-on, inquiry-based lessons, games, and experiments, students will explore decomposition, investigate how composting works, and learn about different methods of composting. Students will see how small changes in the way we manage organic waste can contribute to a healthier ecosystem.

Best for grades 2-6

Dive deep into an exploration of waste reduction and recycling! Through a variety of hands-on experiments, games, and learning activities, students will discover how to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily lives, and understand how the health of an urban ecosystem is influenced by actions such as reducing waste.

Best for grades K-12

Examine schoolyard trees to explore the importance of a healthy urban tree canopy. Through activities, experiments, and games focused on how trees function and biodiversity, students will delve deep into the benefits of trees and importance of a healthy urban ecosystem.

Best for grades K-8

This 2-lesson mini-kit introduces students to the difference between habitats and ecosystems, with a focus on the interdependence of animals within urban environments. Through hands-on modeling and engineering, students explore what animals need to survive (food, water, shelter, and space) and how these needs are met in ecosystems. They apply this knowledge by using Make-Do toolkits to design and build creative model habitats.

Best for grades 2-8

Dive into the world of paper recycling by exploring the process from tree to paper! This three-lesson mini-kit includes scientific observation, movement activities, discussion, and supplies to make your own recycled paper. Students will investigate the parts and function of a tree, discover the many resources trees provide for people, and learn how paper is made and recycled. This lesson helps students connect tree biology and natural resources to material use and recycling, while encouraging them to think about how we can conserve resources and reduce waste.