During this lesson students explore dichotomous keys as a means for identifying and classifying living things. They begin by observing living things in the school yard. Following an introduction to dichotomous keys, students will create a key for living things found in the school yard. Finally, students will use an invertebrates key to identify invertebrates in the school yard and then create a poster/booklet about school mini-beasts. This lesson is designed to be taught outside. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.

In this activity students will explore the processes through which water is made safe for drinking. Students will observe teacher demonstrations around the various processes involved in treating water and will also work in groups to conduct an experiment around one of the stages of water treatment. This activity requires considerable preparation and resources but is simple and effective to run.

During this lesson students explore how to survey school ecosystems through quadrat and transect sampling. Students begin by walking around the school identifying biotic features of the school yard. They then work in groups to construct quadrats and transects, and survey organisms identified during the walk in these quadrats and transects. Students then use the data they have collected to create a food web of the school yard ecosystem, and to speculate about the health of school yard ecosystems and how they could improve the health and sustainability of these ecosystems. This lesson is designed to be taught outside. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.

During this lesson students collect data about the biodiversity of their schoolyard. Using this data they calculate the biodiversity index of the area of the schoolyard they personally analysed and compare this with other areas around the school to calculate a total average for the schoolyard. They reflect on their results to suggest options for increasing the biodiversity of their school. This lesson is designed to be taught outside. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.

Students tour the school grounds investigating how living things are classified based on similarities and differences in observable features. They learn how scientists use a hierarchical system of classification, and how living things can be classified into Kingdoms based on their features. Students use creative thinking to invent an organism and give it a scientific name. They then classify their organism based on its physical features. Finally, students are asked to speculate on the conservation status of their organism and to make recommendations about how this organism can be conserved and protected. This lesson is designed to be taught outside. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.

Students design their own model of a biosphere that is self-sustaining and demonstrates the interactions that occur naturally. Students will keep a scientific journal about their research project to record their planning, their background research, how their ideas develop, strategies and possible solutions to identified problems, resources accessed, and findings and evaluations from their investigation. This lesson is designed to be taught outside. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.

During this lesson students investigate, measure and use formulas outdoors in preparation for furthering their understanding in the topic of geometry. They apply their understanding of perimeter, area and volume to real world situations by looking for and recording a range of shapes around their school. Students will develop communication skills as they justify answers and reflect on the topic. This lesson is designed to be taught outside. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.

During this lesson students investigate, estimate, identify and classify angles in the outdoors in preparation for furthering their understanding of geometry. They apply their understanding of angles to the real world by identifying a range of angles in their local environment. Students will develop communication skills as they write instructions and provide feedback. This lesson is designed to be taught outside. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.

During this lesson students will design and carry out a survey, collecting data on the mini-beast populations of the schoolyard. Students are asked to collect and analyse data from a primary source and draw conclusions in the context of the situation. They will practise creating stem-and-leaf plots using authentic data that they have collected from their local environment. This lesson is designed to be taught outside. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.