VIRTUAL LEARNING
Backyard Birding
Bird Watching/Identify/Biology
- Beginning Birding [Video]
- Migratory Birds (Grades K-3) [Video]
- Birding by Ear
- Birding activities for kids (all ages)
- Bird-focused lesson plans (all ages)
- Bird Anatomy (all ages)
- How birds fly (Grades K-4) [Video]
- Bird Mystery! (Grades 5-8)
- Urban Birding by Ear
- All about woodpeckers [Podcast episode]
- Migratory Birds (Grades K-5) [Video]
- What to plant to attract birds
- Project Feederwatch Citizen Science Initiative
- Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
- Prairie Rapids Audubon Society
- Find local birds (check local hotspots)
- Iowa Young Birders
- Iowa Ornithologist Union
- Bird Friendly Iowa
- Iowa-centric Birding Facebook Groups:
- Iowa Birding
- Iowa Young Birders
- Iowa Ornithologists' Union
- Iowa Bird Photography
- Owl About Iowa
- John J. Audubon's Birds of America - Each print is also available as a free high-resolution download.
Plants & Pollinators
Identification/Biology
- "Bug Hunt" by Tom Story (Ages 4-6) [video of story being read]
- Life of a Butterfly (Grades K-3) [video]
- How a plant functions (Grades K-3) [video]
- Parts of flower and pollination Grades (K-3) [video]
- Plant Excretion/Byproducts (Grades 1-5) [video]
- All about Insects (Grades 2-5) [video]
- Flower Dissection (Grade 4+) [video]
- Plant Terminology (Grades 8+)
- Nat'l Park Service Bee Week Curriculum (Grades 5-8)
- Bee ID Guide (Note: This is for Missouri but many of these species are also found in IA)
- US Forest Service - Just for Kids (all ages)
- Planning a Pollinator Garden lesson plans (Grades 4-8)
- General Kids Plants & Gardening lesson plans (Grade K-8)
- Bumblebee Watch Citizen Science
- Gardening for Pollinators
- Pollinator Friendly Practices
- The Nature Conservancy - Midwest Pollinators
- Iowa-centric pollinator/native plants Facebook Groups:
- Iowa Wildflower Report
- Iowa Native Trees and Shrubs
- Monarchs of Eastern Iowa
- Iowa Prairie Network
- Backyard Abundance
- The Nature Conservancy in Iowa
- Blooming Flowers Time lapse [video]
- Recipe: Dandelion Donuts [video]
- PBS Nature: Watch a Butterfly Swarm [video]
- Story of Flowers: A botanical animation [video]
Backyard Buddies (Mammals)
Identification/Biology
- Backyard Mammals [video] (Grades 1-5)
- National Geographic Kids: Raccoons [video] (Grades 1-5)
- National Geographic Kids: Bats [video] (Grades 1-5)
- National Geographic Kids: Recording Chipmunks [video] (Grades 3-6)
- Iowa Bats
- Top 7 Amazing Opossum Facts [video]
- Can you name all of these backyard animals? [game] (Ages PreK-3)
- Rabbits vs. Hares: Remarkable Rabbits [video] (Grades K-3)
- PBS Learning: Opossums [video] (Grades 5+)
- Bat Box building plans
- UNI Springtime Segment: How to build a bat house [video]
- How to tell if baby animals are orphaned, injured, or perfectly fine.
- Iowa-centric mammal Facebook Groups:
- IOWA Critters
Amazing Amphibians
Identification/Biology
Iowa-centric amphibians Facebook Groups:
- Amphibians [Video] (Grades 3-5)
- Frogs and Toads of Iowa
- Differences in Iowa Toads by appearance and sound
- From Egg to Frog in 7 Weeks [Video]
- From Egg to Salamander in 11 Weeks [Video]
- Iowa Outdoors: Frog Call Monitoring [Video]
Iowa-centric amphibians Facebook Groups:
- Reptiles and Amphibians of Iowa
- Midwest Snakes Turtles Lizards Frogs Salamanders Reptiles
- Make Froggy Bread! (Adult supervision)
- Toad makes waves with its song
Little Bitty Babies
Identification/Biology
- Learn the names of baby animals of the forest [animated video] (Grades PreK-2)
- Baby animal names from A to Z
- Hartman Reserve Nestling Naturalist program 5/21/20 [video, story, activity] (Ages 2-5)
- Cute baby animals Kitten, hedgehog, opossum, bunnies, and more! [video]
- Pip: A Short Animated Film [video]
To Infinity & Beyond: Space and Weather
Identification/Ologies
- United States Geological Survey (USGS) (Grades 7+) Cool maps, videos, photos of Mars' surface, webcams, and more!
- NASA: Space Place (Grades 5+) Space and Earth science interactive games, hands-on learning, play, and more!
- To Scale: The Solar Systems [video] (Grades 5+)
- Solar System 101 | National Geographic [animated video] (Grades 4+)
- Earth 101 | National Geographic [video] (Grades 4+)
- Space Compilation: Crash Course Kids [video] (Grades 6+) Includes constellations.
- Exploring Our Solar System: Planets and Space for Kids [video] (Grades 3+)
- SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show [animated video] (Grades 1-4)
- Weather Current Events: Crash Course Kids [video] (Grades 4+)
- Weather Channels: Crash Course Kids [video] (Grades 4+)
- Severe Weather: Crash Course Kids [video] (Grades 3+)
- Fly Guy Presents Weather [book video] (Grades 1-3)
- Weather|National Geographic Kids [book video] (Grades K-3) Quiz and weather jokes included. :-D
- What to Do in Severe Weather: FEMA [video] (Grades K-3)
- Facebook:
- US National Weather Service Des Moines Iowa
- Zach Sharpe Storm Chaser
- Real images of the Planets (Grades 3+) [video and images]
- Outer Space: "We are the Planets," The Solar System Song by StoryBots | Netflix Jr [animated video] (Grades 3+)
- Weather Song for kids | "Sun, Rain, Wind, and Snow" [animated song] (Ages 2-5)
Fantastic Fishes
Identification/Biology
- Iowa State DNR (Ages 9 - Adult) Identify Iowa fish species
- Iowa Association of Naturalists: Iowa Fish (Ages 9 - Adult) Types of Iowa fish, living environments, etc.
- US Fish and Wildlife Service Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Environmental Education Resources (All Grades)
- US Fish and Wildlife Service Junior Ranger Let's Go Fishing! (Grades 3-7)
- Iowa State DNR (Ages 9+) Fishing tips and how to, buy a fishing license, and more!
Insect Investigations
Identification/Biology
- Life Cycle of a Butterfly (Grades PreK-2) [Animated video]
- All About Insects (Grades 3+) [Video]
- Caterpillar Turns Into a Puss Moth (All ages) [Video]
- Insects of Iowa (Grades 4+) Identification, local collections, and more.
- The Hungry Caterpillar (Ages 2+) [Animated video and narration]
- Life-Size Insect Sculptures Made Completely Out of Bamboo
- 9 Bugs to Eat in a Survival Situation (And 4 You Want to Avoid) (Grades 6+)
Clean Water
Water Basics
- Water Cycle (Grade K-5) [Video]
- Recycled Water (Grade K-5) [Video]
- Hydrologic Cycle (Grades 1-4) [Info sheet]
- What is a Watershed Activity (Grades 2-8)
- Types of Clouds (PreK-3rd) [Video]
- Pesticide Movement through Groundwater (Grades 4+) [Video]
- Plastics & Bioaccumulation Activity (Grades 6+)
- Global Climate Change (Grades 3+) [Video}
- Flooding (Grades 1-4) [Video]
- Types of Pollution (Grades 1-4) [Video]
- Plastic Pollution (Grade 1-4) [Video]
- How you can prevent polluted runoff coloring sheet (Grades 2-8)
- Make your own Rain Barrel (Grades 5+)
- Take a Stormwater Walk (Grades 2+)
- How I use water in my daily life Activity (Grades 3+)
- Save our Soils (Grades 6+)
- Down the Drain Interactive Game (Grade 2+)
- Rock your Watershed Interactive Game (Grade 2+)
- Clean Water Iowa
- Black Hawk County Soil & Water District
- Green Iowa AmeriCorps
- Iowa Stormwater Education Partnership
- Iowa Flood Center
- We all live in a watershed coloring sheet (Grades PreK-3rd)
- Water Rocks! Music Videos (PreK+)
- Edible Aquifer Activity (Grades 1+)
Reptiles
Identification/Biology
- Bill Nye the Science Guy: Reptiles (All ages) [Video]
- DK: Reptiles (Ages 6+) [Interactive page]
- How to tell an alligator from a crocodile (Ages 8+) [Video]
- Cool Facts About Snakes, Lizards & Dragon (Ages 5+) [Video]
- Cool Facts About Alligators and Crocodiles (Ages 5+) [Video]
- Reptile Facts for Kids (Grades 3+)
- Snakes (Grades 2+) [Lessons and games]
- Lizards (Grades 1+) [Lessons and games]
- Turtles and Tortoises (Grades 1+) [Lessons and games]
- Crocodiles (Grades 1+) [Lessons and games]
- Reptiles (Grades 1-5) Facts and activities.
- Facebook: Reptiles and Amphibians of Iowa
- National Geographic: Snakes have friends too (All ages) [Videos]
