Lessons learned in the Living Classroom Learning Lab help children connect with nature and understand why that connection is important. Children experience nature firsthand, getting real-world lessons on plants, animals, soil, ecosystems, biodiversity, and sustainability.
A significant portion of the Disciplinary Core Ideas listed in the Next Generation Science Standards is ecology based. Teachers can plant the seeds of learning, exploration, and discovery with the Living Classroom Learning Lab curriculum designed to connect children with nature.
Each lesson in the curriculum uses an inquiry-based learning approach in asking children a question, which they explore throughout that lesson. As children investigate, their wonderings can lead to further topics to explore in that lesson or in future lessons.
Four major themes run through the scope and sequence of the LCLL curriculum: Nature Detective, Ecosystem Study, Private Eye, Seed to Seedling.
Nature Detective (preK–grade 5)
In the Nature Detective series, children use their senses of sight, sound, smell, and touch to understand the plants and animals that make their home in the natural world. They learn to deepen their observation skills by concentrating on their sense of touch while interacting with the variety of plants in the Living Classroom and in the world around them.
Ecosystem Study (preK–grade 4)
As children progress through the activities in the Ecosystem Study series, they begin to understand the vital role every animal and plant plays in creating a harmonious planet.
Private Eye (preK–grade 5)
The Private Eye series helps children sharpen their observation skills, express their thoughts, look closely and wonder, begin to think metaphorically, and start to theorize on their own.
Seed to Seedling (preK–grade 2)
In the Seed to Seedling series, children learn what a seed is and what it needs for growth. They also learn about the lifecycle of a plant.
The lessons within each theme are connected in an ascending, spiraling dependence upon one another. The concepts taught throughout the curriculum are Ecosystems & Life Cycles, Adaptation & Pollution, Biodiversity & Food Chains, Patterns & Shapes, and Balance of Nature & Sustainability.
The website hosts a video that walks teachers through a sample lesson, “Making a Seed Tape.” Expandable rows below the video include additional teacher resources and information about the lesson, as well as the activities that make up the lesson. Educators can also take a video walk through a Living Classroom Learning Lab.
The cost of each Learning Lab lesson is $50. Teachers are invited to sign up for one month of free, unlimited access to the Living Classroom Learning Lab curriculum.