Featured Lessons
- Invertebrates- Superstars of the Animal Kingdom
- Developing a School Garden
- Soil: Dig a little and you will learn a lot!
- Pollination
- Water: The Driving Force of All Life
Invertebrates- Superstars of the Animal Kingdom:
In his 2005 BBC television series, Life in the Undergrowth, Naturalist Sir David Attenborough made a dramatic statement regarding the importance of invertebrates: “If we and the rest of the back-boned animals were to disappear overnight, the rest of the world would get on pretty well. But if they (invertebrates) were to disappear, the land’s ecosystems would collapse. The soil would lose its fertility. Many of the plants would no longer be pollinated. Lots of animals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals would have nothing to eat. And our fields and pastures would be covered with dung and carrion.”
Master Gardeners have developed a series of lessons to provide students with contextual information on invertebrates to support outdoor learning.
Grades TK-1: Friend or Foe? What is that creature in my garden?
Pre-School Life Science 1.1, 2.2; K-LS1.C; K-EES3.C; 1-LS1.A, 1-LS1.D
Grades 2-3: How Do Insects Grow? Observing insect life cycles in the garden
2-LS4.D; 3-LS1B; 3-LS3.B
Grades 4-5: A Close-up View of Insects: Exploring their structure and function
4-LS1.A, 4-LS1.D; 5-LS2.A
Grades 6-8: Invertebrate Classification: There’s a whole lot of phyla in the garden!
MS-LS2.C; MS-LS4.A
CTE AgriScience Pathway C12.1; C12.3; Ornamental Horticultural Pathway F4.1; F4.3
All lessons include:
- Anchor phenomena
- Guidance for developing an initial and final model
- Science vocabulary that is supported with display cards for TK-1 and 2-3 lessons and is hyperlinked within lessons at grades 4-5 and 6-8.
- Check for understanding questions
- Additional video(s) to reinforce key concepts
- Application activity exploring the phenomena outdoors
- Extension activity providing further research opportunities
- Option for teachers to provide lesson feedback to the Master Gardener Program
An additional Grades TK-8: Pest or Beneficial? Identification PowerPoint is also featured that includes bingo game cards to actively engage students in learning to identify common invertebrates found in the garden. This is designed so that it can be adapted for use at all grade levels.
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Developing a School Garden:
A school garden is an outdoor classroom; a living laboratory that provides authentic science-based learning experiences. These lessons also address the following California Standards for the Teacher Profession: 1.3; 2.2; 3.4, and 3.5.
Advocating the Benefits of a School Garden
Planning and Development of a School Garden
Gardening in a Drought-Hydroponics
Gardening in a Drought-Vegetables
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Soil: Dig a little and you will learn a lot!
We may walk all over it, take it for granted and treat it like dirt. However, it is SOIL, and our lives depend on it! Master Gardeners’ featured lessons for the winter quarter focus on increasing student awareness of the scientific phenomena of soil.
Grades TK-1: What is in Our Garden Bed?
(Pre-School Life Science 1.3; KEES3.A & E; 1LS1.A)
Grades 2-3: Exploring the Changing Surface of Land
(2-ESS2.A; 2-ESS1.C; 2-ETS1.C; 3-ESS2.D; 3-ESS3.B)
Grade 4-5: Impacts on Earth’s Systems-From Rocks to Soil
How is Soil Formed? (4ESS2.D; 5LS2.B)
What is the Ideal Soil for Growing Plants? (4ESS2.E; 5LS2.B; 5LS1.C)
Grades 6-8: Soil: Exploring Biodiversity and Soil Management
Soil is a Living System (MSLS2A: MSLS2B)
Biodiversity and Soil Health (MSLS2.C)
Soil pH-Where Chemistry and Biology Meet (MS LS2.C)
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Pollination:
Pollinator Week is an annual celebration held every June in support of pollinator health. These lessons focus on increasing student awareness of the scientific phenomena of pollination.
Grades TK-1: What Do Bees Need?
(Pre-School Life Science 1.3; KLS1.C; 1LS1.A; 1LS1.D)
Grades 2-3: Plants and Insects Need Each Other
(2LS4.D; 2LS2.A; 3LS3.A; 3LS1.B; 3LS4.C)
Grade 4-5: Why Do We Need Bees?
(4LS1.A; 5LS2.A; 5LS1.C)
Grades 6-8: Pollination- Exploring Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystem
Pollen and Plant Reproduction (MSL1.A; MSLS1-B)
Pollinator-Plant Relationship (MSLS2.A)
Impacts on Pollinator-Plant Relationship (MSLS2.C)
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Water: The Driving Force of All Life
In her book Last Oasis: Facing Water Scarcity, Conservationist Sandra Postel writes, “For many of us, water simply flows from a faucet, and we think little about it beyond this point of contact. We have lost a sense of respect for the wild river, for the complex workings of a wetland, for the intricate web of life that water supports.”
Master Gardeners’ featured lessons for the warmer growing months of spring into fall focus on increasing student awareness of the scientific phenomena of water.
Grades TK-1: Why Do Plants Need Water?
Pre-School Life Science 2.2; KEES3.A; 1LS1.A
Grades 2-3: Water’s Role in Plant Adaptations
2-LS2.A; 2-LS4.D; 3LS2.C; 3-LS3B; 3-LS4.C
Grade 4-5: Water Resources and Plant Survival
Freshwater is a Valuable Natural Resource: 4-ESS3.A; 5-ESS2.C
Watering Tips to Conserve This Natural Resource: 5-ESS3.C
Grades 6-8: Water-The Hydrosphere
What is the Hydrologic Cycle? MS-ESS2.C
A Closer Look at the Role of Plant’s in the Hydrologic Cycle: MS-LS1.A; MS-LS1.C
Weather and Water in the Garden: MS-LS1.B