Science Alive

• Free multi layered K-6 education programs featuring hands on outdoor exploration and experiments
• Meets science, math & language arts curriculum
• Includes lessons, materials & evaluation tools
• Easy to use in classroom or at home
• Nature LIVE! field experiences & Science Journey videos Features FLIPGRID technology

This multi-disciplinary series of learning experiences can be completed at home or school. Science, math, and language arts core curriculum requirements are met in exciting ways through outdoor discovery and the creative arts. There are over a dozen SCIENCE ALIVE! adventures. Each adventure includes a combination of some or all of the following and can be used by teachers as part of their in-class, on-line or in-home instruction:

SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY VIDEOS

These interactive 20 minute videos featuring the Banana Slug String Band naturalists include: creative characters, captivating illustrations, and brilliantly composed songs that bring the subject matter to life. The videos also inspire kids to go outside for hands on experiential learning utilizing inquiry skills at school or home.

NATURE LIVE! FIELD EXPERIENCES

Schedule a live, 20-minute, interactive virtual field experience with one of our park naturalists.

HANDS ON OUTDOOR SCIENCE ACTIVITIES 

Hands-on outdoor science investigations, explorations, experiments (complete lesson plans and materials) correlating with Common Core State Standards that accompany Slug Science Journey videos are provided. 

STUDENT SCIENCE EXPLORATION KITS 

Student science exploration kits provided for each student so they can participate in the outdoor activities at school or as homework.

LANGUAGE ARTS & MATH ACTIVITIES

Pre-made activities correlating with outdoor science investigations are provided (complete lesson plans and materials): illustrations for interpretation and labeling, Venn diagrams, sentence structuring, vocabulary searches, chart labeling, quizzes, oral presentation opportunities, main idea and key detail identification, outside reading suggestions, glossaries, chart labeling, coloring pages, data and measurement, picture and bar graphs.

Science Journey & Nature Live Topics

FBI - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: 2nd & 3rd

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore! and Discover! the secrets of decay in ecosystems with none other than the FBI: Fungus, Bacteria and Invertebrates!

Food Chain - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: 3rd & 5th

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore! and Discover! the secret links to Mother Nature’s Food Chains!

Heat and Pressure - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: 3rd

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore! and Discover! ROCKS made of Fire! ROCKS that morph! And ROCKS that surprise you with what is in their layers! 

I'm a Tree - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: Kindergarten

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Discover! Explore! Compare! trees and animals and how they depend on each other!

No Bones - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: 2nd

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore! and Discover! those creatures who have no bones inside, insects!

Roots, Stems, Leaves  - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: 2nd and 3rd

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore! and Discover! six plant parts that the whole world needs!

Water Cycle Boogie - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: 2nd

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Discover! Explore! and become a part of the amazing water cycle!

Weathering, Erosion, Deposition - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: 4th

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore! and Discover! awesome landforms and how in the world these land masses are continually shapeshifting!

What Do Animals Need - SLUG SCIENCE JOURNEY & NATURE LIVE!

GRADES: 1st

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you will get to Explore! and Discover! animals, their habitats and what they need to survive.

Sign Up & Reserve Your Spot Now

Student Science Exploration Kits are distributed on a first come first serve basis follow this link to reserve yours now. 

There are several Nature Live! sessions for each Science Topic please feel free to sign up of as many as you would like. We have also included two bonus sessions. Remember these virtual outdoor experiences are offered on a first come first served basis. 

Videoconferencing sessions will default to Zoom but we are able to set up a Microsoft Teams meeting or meet you on any platform your school would like you to use. We strongly urge you to set up a test session before your first LIVE! session with the naturalists.

A complete description of each Nature Live! program is available here. Please click on the session you are interested in signing up for and you will be directed to the appropriate reservation site.

Dig Deep

 

This is a series of two sessions offered individually. Each session will focus on third grade standards of resources and characteristics of rocks.  The students will also interpret soil samples and notice that it is composed of many things. Follow this link for all Dig Deep session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in September & October

Session 2 - Offered in November & April

Food Chain

This is a series of three sessions offered individually.  Each session will introduce different animal species, how they interact with their environments and what special traits they have for survival. Focusing on these adaptations, we will find where to place these animals within a food chain. Follow this link for all Food Chain session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in March	Session 3 - Offered in May
Session 2 - Offered in April

FBI

In this series of three sessions offered individually, students will explore plant and animal life cycles and see how changes occur over time in physical environments caused by living things. (Fungus, Bacteria, and Invertebrates!)  Students will also learn their responsibility to Leave No Trace while they are exploring these environments.  Follow this link for all FBI session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in September, October & March	Session 3 - Offered in April & May
Session 2 - Offered in October, April & May

I'm A Tree

This program is a series of four sessions offered individually, designed for Kindergarteners to discover through the topic of trees and the animals that interact with them how the weather plays a part in their behaviors.  Also comparisons will be done so the kids will know that all trees have the same parts, but they are all different.  Not to mention the characteristics of them produce special gifts for us. Follow this link for all I’m a Tree session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in November & December	Session 3 - Offered in February & March
Session 2 - Offered in December	Session 4 - Offered in February & March

Landform Investigators

In this series of four sessions offered individually, fourth graders will be introduced to topography and map reading skills in relation to the landforms around in the first session.  The three following sessions will each focus on one or more landforms and how the earth’s surface is always changing.  The introduction session, number one, can also be offered during the first week of every month upon request. Follow this link for all Landform Investigators session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered September & October	Session 3 - Offered November & December
Session 2 - Offered November & December	Session 4 - Offered in January & February

Natural Resources

Each of these sessions, designed for first graders, will focus on either living or non-living resources. Students will come to realize that in their classrooms and homes everyday they use objects made from living resources such as trees, and non-living such as rocks. This series of two sessions will be offered individually. Follow this link for all Natural Resources  session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in October

Session 2 - Offered in October & November

Ohio Habitats

First graders will learn about the basic needs of all living things and how the seasonal changes affect the availability of some of those needs.  Eight sessions, each offered individually are built to stand alone; however, participating in more than one session will drive home the concept that these habitats change overtime and provide different things at different times of the year.  We will be visiting four separate habitats, and then visiting them again later in the year.  Follow this link for all Ohio Habitat session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in September & October	Session 5 - Offered in January
Session 2 - Offered in October & November	Session 6 - Offered in February-March
Session 3 - Offered in November	Session 7 - Offered in March
Session 4 - Offered in November & December	Session 8 - Offered in April & May

Pathfinders

This program is built for sixth graders and will take participants on a quick journey through time learning how early cultures found their bearings by using the sun and in the present day touch on latitude, longitude and why they are important for how a GPS unit works.  The naturalist will give a tutorial on how to use our GPS units, and send the class out with their teacher to use our borrowed units with pre-made GPS activities for your school yard. (Students must be at school to use the GPS units and do the activities)  This one Nature LIVE! session is 20 minutes, but you will want to have another 30-60 minutes available for you to facilitate the outdoor activities your class will participate in with our GPS units after the program.  GPS units will be dropped off at least one day before your program, and picked up after school the day of your program unless special arrangements are made.  Follow this link for all Pathfinder session descriptions, access to the review quiz, and GPS activities.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in January & February

Rock Hounds

Sixth graders will focus on each type of rock, it’s properties and how it was formed in this series of two sessions that will be offered individually.  Follow this link for all Rock Hounds session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in January & February	Session 3
Session 2 - Offered in January & February

Roots, Stems, Leaves

Third graders will make observations of plant life cycles through the seasons as they participate in these six sessions that are offered individually. Each session will focus on one of the six main plant parts and on topics such as how each part plays a role in the survival and reproduction of that individual, the functions of the plant parts themselves, and observations of plant life cycles over time.  Follow this link for all Roots, Stems, Leaves session descriptions and access to the review quizzes.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in September & October	Session 4 - Offered in February & March
Session 2 - Offered in December	Session 5 - Offered in March & April
Session 3 - Offered in October & November	Session 6 - Offered in April & May

Water Cycle

Second graders will learn about the water cycle and three forms of water. This series of three sessions will be offered individually.  Follow this link for all Water Cycle session descriptions.

Session Sign Up

Session 1 - Offered in March & May	Session 3 - Offered in March & May
Session 2 - Offered in March & May