Lesson 1: Introduction to the Outdoor Lab

Timing: Fall

Objective: Introducing students to the outdoor lab. How to think about science using their senses. Basic introduction to making observations. Overview of safety in the lab. Help students see that science is fun!

SMART Learning Goals:

• K-2nd Grade: The student will draw 3 things they see, hear, and feel during the outdoor lab walk and share one with the class by the end of the lesson.
• 3rd - 5th Grade: The student will write a short journal entry using their 5 senses to describe 4 things they observed during the outdoor lab walk and share their favorite thing with the group.

Materials:

• Science journal
• Magnifying glass
• Rulers
• Pencils, crayons, markers
• Clipboard

Activities:

• Discuss what a scientist does. Discuss some basic areas of science, including biology, geology, chemistry and physics.
• Lead students on a tour of your outdoor science lab space. Point out some of the common features and unique features. Explain what purpose the lab serves.
• Perform a safety briefing appropriate for the age of the students.
• Lead the students on a sensory scavenger hunt: What do you smell? What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? (Skip taste unless your garden has plants or vegetables that are safe to eat). Find something: that chirps, that sings, that crawls, that buzzes, that flutters, etc.
• Ask the students to create reflections to share with you and the rest of the class.
• For younger students, make a picture about things they noticed.
• For older students, write a short journal entry about things they noticed

How this activity supports Common Core Science Standards

K–2:

• K-ESS2-1: Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
• K-PS3-1: Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface.
• K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change.

3–5:

• 3-ESS2-1: Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.

**Related Lessons: **

Lesson 2: Living vs Non-Living Things Lesson 3: Soil Discovery and Decomposers Lesson 4: Plant Growth Lesson 5: Wind Direction and Study Lesson 6: Pollinator Patrol Lesson 7: Butterfly Garden Lesson 8: Seed Dispersal Lesson 9: Solar Energy Exploration Lesson 10: Microhabitat Study Lesson 11: Decomposition Detectives Lesson 12: Building a Scale Model of the Solar System

Lesson 1 - How to Build and Teach From Outdoor Science Learning Labs.pdf