Resources for Parents & Teachers

SCD educational programs include hands-on, interactive demonstrations and activities about natural resources and local issues concerning these resources. The lessons are designed by a certified teacher to be grade level appropriate and in line with all state standards. Most lessons will also connect with the science education that students are receiving in their schools. Lessons are provided free of charge to K-12 classrooms; as well as, home-school groups and other organizations that serve the youth (i.e. YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club).

Browse the options for educational presentations and programs or contact Stacey to get scheduled: Stacey Selcho, 509-535-7274 ext 217 or Stacey-selcho@sccd.org.

For Teachers and Classrooms

SCD and our partners host continuing education workshops for teachers. Keep an eye out for these opportunities:

Vermiculture in the Classroom

Adaptable for K-12 education, this workshop will provide information on composting with red wigglers, why it is important to reduce food waste, and ways to use them in your teaching. The worm bins are easy to keep in a classroom and provide numerous hands-on learning opportunities that can emphasize science, math, literature, and more!

Workshop Includes:

5 free STEM Clock Hours
Worms Eat Our Garbage
Worm Bin
NGSS aligned activities

Presenters:

Kris Major – Waste Reduction Education Coordinator for the City of Spokane

Stacey Selcho – Education Coordinator for Spokane Conservation District

K-12 Lessons & Programs
Browse our SCD classroom lessons and programs. Click on a subheading below to view the opportunities; grade level suggestion is listed at the end of each description. If you are interested in a presentation that is not listed, contact our Education Coordinator Stacey Selcho to discuss options.

Trout in the Classroom

SCD Education Coordinator Stacey Selcho will help teachers set up their trout tanks, deliver trout, provide technical and curricular support, and help coordinate trout release days. Multiple classrooms can benefit from one trout tank. Wheat Week Lessons Five days of wheat lessons examine wheat from the ground up. 4-5th grade.

EnviroKids Club

EnviroKids Club: Do you care about the Earth and our natural resources? Would you like to learn more information about our natural resources around Spokane County and ways to take care of them? If you are between the grades K-6 you can become an EnviroKids member. Receive quarterly newsletters, become informed about local events we might be attending, and join us for EnviroKids Clubhouse events at the local libraries. If you are in girl scouts or some other youth organization, contact us to come visit with our information. Spokane Conservation District as well as the agencies listed below are all participants of this local environmental club. The agencies actively supporting the EnviroKids program are:

Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency
National Weather Service
Spokane Aquifer Joint Board
Spokane County Environmental Services
Spokane County Solid Waste & City of Spokane Solid Waste (one representative for both)
City of Spokane Water Department
Spokane Conservation District

Project Tree Environmental Program Edition – 2022 School Year Edition

Learn more by visiting their website!

Here are some quick links to fun and educational activities you can do at home!

Aquifer Art Lesson

Make Your Own Bird Feeder

Earth Day Worm Activity

Earth Day Soil Activity

Why I Care About Clean Air

Classroom Lessons

That’s TREE-mendous!
Students will learn why trees are some of the most amazing forms of life on the planet. They will use tree cookies to identify the structure of a tree inside out and adaptations trees use to sustain their lives. Using dichotomous keys, students will experience how scientists identify trees and learn the major differences between trees. Grades 3-6

Watersheds and Wetlands
Using a three dimensional model called Enviroscape, students will learn what a watershed it, what watershed they live in, and how we affect our watershed. By making observations with the model students can see how pollution affects our watersheds, the difference between non-point and point source pollution, and why wetlands are so important. Watersheds are complex ecosystems that can be difficult to grasp, but this model brings watersheds to life. Grades 3-8

Water – From the Ground Up
Students will learn about where their water comes from and where it fits into the water cycle. We will explore water on our planet and how we can conserve the water that we use. We also will cover any local issues that we may be facing with our water. Students will make models of their aquifer and the water cycle.

Incredible Journey
Students will review the water cycle and participate in an adapted Project WET activity that takes them around the world as a water droplet. Students diagram and reflect on how they moved from place to place. Grades 2-6

In Deep Water
While the Earth is covered with water there is a very small amount that we are able to use. Students explore how much fresh water and salt water is on the planet and how much we use in the United States as compared with other countries. Students will explore water scarcity across the planet and construct their own water filters. Water is a universal solvent and in this capacity it can be very difficult to separate water from the substance (or solute) that is polluting it. Students can experiment with homogeneous and heterogeneous polluted water mixtures. This is a two part class. Grades 5-8

How Does our Water Flow?
Students will learn about their aquifer and how groundwater is part of the water cycle. We will discuss the importance of soil as a filter and why it plays such large role in cleaning our drinking water. Students will be able to observe how ground water moves through a large ground water flow model and how pollution can affect our groundwater. Grades 5-8

Have Seeds Will Travel
Students will learn about the importance of biodiversity and adaptations. We will explore the different adaptations that plants have for seed dispersal and students will engineer their own seed dispersal adaptations. Grades 5-8

It’s a Soilabration!
Students will learn more about soil formation, soil biology, and the important role that soil has in our watersheds. We will explore weathering and erosion and the part they play in soil formation. They will also see how soil interacts with water and some of the physical properties of soil. Grades K-8

A Rock Can Be…
Students will explore different rocks, minerals, and fossils and how we use them in everyday life. We will discuss being a geologist and other careers that use rocks. Students will get some hands-on experience with rock investigations and get a take home rock activity. Grades K-2

Outdoor Education

*These lessons are fairly flexible – SCD staff can adjust them to suit your needs. Listed are the lessons and materials that are already designed; however, if there is something else that you are interested in doing on your field trip contact Stacey Selcho stacey-selcho@sccd.org to see what we might be able to develop.

Macro-Invertebrate Investigation
Students will collect their own macros (if the area allows for this), identify macros using a dichotomous key, and then classify this macros using a bio-assessment sheet. Students will conduct their own bio-assessment of the water quality otherwise known as using biological organisms to help determine water quality. Grades 4-12

Soils Investigation
Students will use a number of different soil tools and learn all about “Shovelomics” to determine soil properties and quality. Grades 3-12

Trees
Students will use dichotomous keys to identify different trees and determine the characteristics that make them different. Students will undergo a fun exploration of trees through an activity called “Meet a Tree”. The activities I have for trees are various and will depend on the time of year and age of students. Grades K-8

School Yard Lessons

This section of lessons is still in development. As we start to move into using the Next Generation Science Standards, the inclusion of field investigation within our science program becomes more important. SCD Educator Stacey Selcho is in the process of designing lessons that can be used in any school yard habitat. So, we can take your students outside for an hour and do hands-on field investigations right at your own school.

STEM Activities

It’s always a challenge to keep students engaged over the summer in learning. Here you will find 25 activities to keep students engaged. From using a cricket to determine the temperature, making a hot air balloon, and creating art. These activities will engage any learner in a simple hands-on approach. Included is a journal page to have students reflect on their learning.

Summer of Steam Activities Bingo Card – by MrSTEMurray

Check out these great websites for teaching youth about natural resources.

Environmental Learning From Home – Virtual tours, backyard activities, conservation education and more!

Nature Rocks: Let’s Go Explore – A website for parents or their kids to find inspiration for playing outside in their backyard, park, forest or in the water.

The Green Squad – A website for kids created by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

EPA Teaching About the Environment – Air, Climate Change, Ecosystems, Energy, Health, Waste, and Water lessons for K-12.

Mass Audubon – Explore the Outdoors with Nature Bingo!

Outdoor School – Soil Activities