Did You Know?
Central Platte NRD provides FREE natural resources materials for classroom activities in our District. As you plan activities for the school year, please keep in mind that Central Platte NRD will order materials that you may need OR our staff will present the activity for you. Just let us know what you need!
We’re also excited to announce that we have a new Education Assistant to be your classroom guest with activities on any natural resource: trees, water quality, water quantity, water cycle, soil health, flood control, native prairie, wildlife, pollinators, prescribed fire, etc.
Contact Marcia Lee to help you bring natural resources activities to your classroom!
Virtual Classroom Resources
Need new ideas for your classroom? Check out the links and resources below for students & teachers below on water, soil, plants, trees, wildlife & habitat.
NRD Education Videos – Lower South Platte NRD
Nature Tours – Twin Platte NRD
Water
- 100 Fun Ways to Conserve Water here
- Aquatic WILD aquatic wildlife-focused conservation education program for K-12 educators and their students.
- Conservation Education Hub – NACD
- Environmental Education for Kids (EEK!)– Sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Fun and games about water, trees, wildlife, environment.
- Groundwater Foundation’s KID’s CORNER – Great groundwater lessons & activities.
- Learn About Groundwater at Home! – Groundwater Foundation
- National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Explore the ocean & atmosphere.
- Platte Watershed in Motion – Learn about the Platte Watershed
- Precipitation Education– Science resources and activities for all grade levels by GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) & NASA.
- Project WET or Water Education for Teachers water-focused conservation education program for K-12. Hands-on education program.
- Science for Kids – Air, Water & Aquatic Environments Science Program with the US Forest Service Research and Development
- Virtual Field Trips – UNL Extension
Soil
- Agriculture in The Classroom (AITC) programs seek to improve student achievement by applying authentic, agricultural-based content as the context to teach core curriculum concepts in science, social studies, language arts, and nutrition.
- Conservation Education Hub – NACD
- Dig It! The Secrets of Soil from the Smithsonian Museum
- Education Resources Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Help Stop Soil Erosion Game – University of Illinois Extension
- K-12 Soil Science Teacher Resources from Soil Science Society of America
- Soil Education K-Adult Education United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Soil Health Resources – NACD
- Soil to Spoon from NACD
- Underground Adventure – Field Museum sponsored by Monsanto
- Unlock the Secrets in the Soil resources about Soil Health USDA NRCS
Plants
- Agriculture in The Classroom (AITC) programs seek to improve student achievement by applying authentic, agricultural-based content as the context to teach core curriculum concepts in science, social studies, language arts, and nutrition.
- Conservation Education Hub – NACD
- Just for Kids Learn more about wildflowers on our National Forests and Grasslands, and about pollinators, gardening, invasive plant species, and ethnobotany. Enjoy our puzzles, coloring pages, and fun activities!
- Learning & Teaching about the Environment from EPA
- Nature Explore’s – goal is to help nature become an integral, joyful part of children’s daily learning.
- Platte Watershed in Motion – Learn about the Platte Watershed
- Project Learning Tree is a tree/forest centered conservation education program for K-12 This is an awareness to action material group; it is a hands-on education program
- Virtual Field Trips – UNL Extension
Trees
- Carly’s Kids Corner connecting kids with nature. From the Arbor Day Foundation.
- Celebrate Arbor Day – From the Arbor Day Foundation
- The Community Forest – UNL Extension
- Educational Resources about trees from the Arbor Day Foundation.
- Environmental Education for Kids (EEK!)– Sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Fun and games about water, trees, wildlife, environment.
- Project Learning Tree is a Tree and forest centered conservation education program for K-12 educators and their students. This is an awareness to action material group; it is a hands-on education program.
- Science for Kids – Air, Water & Aquatic Environments Science Program with the US Forest Service Research and Development
- Tree Husker – from UNL Forestry Dept.
- Tree Husker Videos – on YouTube from UNL Forestry Dept.
- Tree Identification – UNL Dept of Natural Resources
- TREES ARE GOOD – All kinds of tree education links
- USDA Forest Service Kids’ Page – A forest full of tree education
Wildlife
- Aquatic WILD aquatic wildlife-focused conservation education program for K-12.
- Environmental Education for Kids (EEK!)– Sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Fun and games about water, trees, wildlife, environment.
- Flying WILD fowl wildlife-focused conservation education program for K-12 educators and their students
- Growing up WILD early childhood ed curriculum that builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them.
- National Geographic Kids – Engaging with Nature
- Project WILD – wildlife-focused conservation education program for K-12, hands-on education program. Available in both English and Spanish.
- Science for Kids – Air, Water & Aquatic Environments Science Program with the US Forest Service Research and Development
Habitat
- Carly’s Kids Corner connecting kids with nature. From the Arbor Day Foundation.
- Environmental Education for Kids (EEK!)– Sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Fun and games about water, trees, wildlife, environment.
- Just for Kids Learn more about wildflowers on our National Forests and Grasslands, and about pollinators, gardening, invasive plant species, and ethnobotany. Enjoy our puzzles, coloring pages, and fun activities!
- National Geographic Kids – Learning about Nature
- Nature Explore – help nature become an integral, joyful part of children’s daily learning.
- Platte Watershed in Motion – Learn about the Platte Watershed
- Science for Kids – Air, Water & Aquatic Environments Science Program with the US Forest Service Research and Development
Contact Central Platte NRD at (308) 385-6282 or email Marcia Lee: lee@cpnrd.org