The SMILE Program @ OSU

This post contains Schoolyard Ecology activities that were presented at our Summer Teacher’s Workshop in August. Schoolyard Ecology provides an excellent opportunity for students to get outside to explore and learn about their local environment. The activities included are examples of inquiry-based, hands-on, place based learning and environmental education. These lessons cover basic ecological concepts and promote environmental literacy.

Home, Home in a Tree
Trees provide a habitat for a host of plants and animals. In this activity students will discover how plants and animals depend on trees in many ways. If you don’t have trees available for observation shrubs, bushes, plants, and other greenery can be used for this activity.

Weaving the Web
Food webs are a way to show examples of how plants and animals interact. Food webs in a community can be very complex and this activity will allow students the chance to identify links in the web of life.
There are two sets of pictures that teachers use. One is very generalized and one is plant and animal specific to Eastern Oregon. This can be used to teach the differences of plant and animal life within Oregon.

Forest Cycles/ Stumping Around
The life that stems from a stump or rotting log can be fascinating. In this activity students will gain awareness of the different plants and animals that may arise from a stump or rotting log. If there are no stumps or rotting logs available feel free to use anything that may represent these items. A piece of a rotting log can be brought into the classroom or club, or maybe a shovel-full of bark chips from a nearby playground, get creative; there are always ways to demonstrate the decomposition and lifecycle of trees.

Owl, Mice and Seeds
This activity is a highly active way for students to gain understanding of the dynamic natures of populations, food webs and the changes that can happen in between predator and prey.  Data sheet link: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0FEoHyeIyePQTl0QTM2S0VXeGs/edit?usp=sharing