The Ocean County Soil Conservation District has compiled a list of resources for teachers, including lesson plans and project ideas focused on soil, water, native plants and other natural resources, as well as schoolyard gardening and healthy community landscapes.
Scroll down the page to explore a variety of lessons and resources pertaining to our five main topics below. To see a list of outreach programs offered by OCSCD’s Education & Outreach Specialist, visit our Classroom Programs page.
Curriculum Guides for Educators
Soil Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans about other Natural Resources: Water, Forests, Pollinators, Birds, Wildlife and more
Student Projects and Research Ideas
Schoolyard Gardening and Outdoor Classroom Resources
Curriculum Guides for Educators
Discovering Barnegat Bay is an interdisciplinary guide for the historical, cultural and natural resources of the Barnegat Bay watershed
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Dig It! The Secrets of Soil exhibition and online suite of lessons, resources and information.
The Nature Conservancy explains How Dirt Works (Grades 3-8). Students learn about the value of soil as a natural resource.
NRCS Celebrates the International Year of Soils. The 68th General Assembly of the United Nations declared 2015 the International Year of Soils as a way to increase understanding of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions. Follow the links on the website for soil lesson plans and activities for Educators.
Project Budburst is a National Science Foundation citizen science phrenology program for students. Project Budburst participants make careful observations of the timing of leafing, flowering, and fruiting phases of plants throughout the year and submit their data, which is used by scientists to learn more about how plant species respond to changes in climate locally, regionally and nationally.
Monarch Watch Research Projects for students (scroll down their page).
National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Pollinator Field Day Curriculum Guide
more links coming soon!
Schoolyard Gardening and Outdoor Classroom Resources
Jersey-Friendly Yards School Certification Program. Take positive steps towards a healthy Schoolyard! Plan, design, and plant a Jersey-Friendly garden project with your students and the entire school community.
Wild Ones is a non-profit organization that promotes native plants and natural landscaping. They provide information about how to create a natural area in your school yard.