The activities in this section were designed to be performed by teachers and students in the Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve, Unionville, NewYork. However, they may also be used in almost any outdoor environment that contains flora and fauna. The activities were authored by Brandwein Fellows, veteran science teachers who use the outdoors as a learning lab for student field investigations. The material in the “Skill Building” section includes “How Tos” on using technology tools and doing field studies in natural environments.
The Brandwein Institute invites teachers to submit their own original activities to web editor Marily DeWall, at mdewall@cox.net, for posting on this website. Please follow the same format as the existing activities. Also if you have comments or suggestions for enhancements, or just want to share your observations and experiences with students and outdoor learning, please also email these to Marily.
In addition to the activities included in the lesson plans below, there are many outdoor science investigations for children online. A good source of biodiversity activities for kids can be found in the free PDF “The Youth Guide to Biodiversity.”
- Brandwein CSI: Exploring the Past Based on Observations Today
- Aliens Among Us: The Effects of Invasive Exotic Plants on Forests
- An Interview with a Forest: Interpreting the Biome
- Caught You! Using Digital Cameras to Investigate Science
- Introduction to Birding: Interpreting Bird Behavior
- One is the Loneliest Number: Exploring Monocultures
- To Know a Tree: Identifying Natural Communities
- Water: Is It Clean Enough to Drink?
- Suggestions for Elementary School Activities
- Inventory and Mapping: A Beginner’s Guide to Basic Inventory and Digital Mapping of Non-timber Forest Products on Small Private Forestlands