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Nature Lab is home to educational resources, including lessons, articles, activities, field guides, and more.
Featured educator resources
Conversation Starters
Suitable for grades 3+
Conversation Starters feature short videos and accompanying discussion questions on ecological concepts or important environmental issues. Get talking with your kids or students today!
Mongabay Kids lesson series: parts 1–4
Grades 3–5
3rd–5th grade (upper elementary/primary) Note: This is lesson 1 in a 4-part series on the water cycle, photosynthesis, exploring ecosystems, and scientific inquiry in local ecosystems. Find lessons 2, 3 and 4 here (click relevant link). Overview Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is two-fold: (a) for…
3rd–5th Grade (upper elementary/primary) Note: This is lesson 2 in a 4-part series on the water cycle, photosynthesis, exploring ecosystems, and scientific inquiry in local ecosystems. Find lessons 1, 3 and 4 here (click relevant link). Overview (a) What is photosynthesis and why is it important?…
3rd-5th Grade (upper elementary/primary) Note: This is lesson 3 in a 4-part series on the water cycle, photosynthesis, exploring ecosystems, and scientific inquiry in local ecosystems. Find lessons 1, 2 and 4 here (click relevant link). Lesson 3: Exploring ecosystems (a) Root words can help…
3rd-5th Grade (upper elementary/primary) Note: This is lesson 4 in a 4-part series on the water cycle, photosynthesis, exploring ecosystems, and scientific inquiry in local ecosystems. Find lessons 1, 2 and 3 here (click relevant link). This scientific inquiry is geared at students that live…
*With thanks to Lisa Algee for curriculum development.
Biodiversity articles: parts 1–4
Grade 2 reading level
This article is part of a four-part series on biodiversity consisting of the following articles: Biodiversity (this article) Deforestation Palm Oil Conservation Each has been taken from the Mongabay main site and adapted to meet 3rd grade science standards and 2nd grade reading standards. Ideally,…
This article is part of a four-part series on biodiversity consisting of the following articles: Biodiversity Deforestation (this article) Palm Oil Conservation Each has been taken from the Mongabay main site and adapted to meet 3rd grade science standards and 2nd grade reading standards. Ideally,…
This article is part of a four-part series on biodiversity consisting of the following articles: Biodiversity Deforestation Palm Oil (this article) Conservation Each has been taken from the Mongabay main site and adapted to meet 3rd grade science standards and 2nd grade reading standards. Ideally,…
This article is part of a four-part series on biodiversity consisting of the following articles: Biodiversity Deforestation Palm Oil Conservation (this article) Each has been taken from the Mongabay main site and adapted to meet 3rd grade science standards and 2nd grade reading standards. Ideally,…
Grade 3 reading level
What Is Biodiversity? Why Is It Important? Take a walk outside your home or open your window. Sit and listen. How many different animal sounds do you hear? If you live in a city you may hear cats, dogs, squirrels, bees, flies, mosquitoes and several…
This is a rainforest on the island of Borneo in the country of Malaysia. It is home to more than 4,500 species of plants and animals. Here are just three: 1) This is a baby Sumatran Rhino. It lives in the rainforest. A male rhino’s…
As you walk through a grocery store with your family, do you ever wonder what all the delicious snacks are made of? Next time you ask mom to buy you a KitKat bar, take a look at the back of the package. See what it’s…
Conservation aims to protect nature for the benefit of all people. How can we save nature and use it at the same time?
Oceans and coral reef articles: parts 1–3
Grade 5 reading level
Coral reef solutions The world’s coral reefs are in trouble due to a variety of factors including: Ocean acidification Warming temperatures from climate change Overfishing Pollution This has caused some marine biologists, like Charlie Veron, Former Chief Scientist of the Australian Institute of Marine Science,…
Rainforests and coral reefs The makers and movers of rain Groundbreaking research shows that rainforests and coral reefs create rainfall. Coral reefs and rainforests seem to have little in common. One is found in the ocean. The other is found on land. But, they are…
Ocean prognosis: what is happening to our coral reefs? The makers and movers of rain What do you know about the oceans? Oceans cover about 70% of our planet. We separate the oceans into five oceans: Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Arctic and Southern (the water around…
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