Pre K - 4 Education Programs

The programs below have been designed for young children at pre-schools, libraries, and camps.  All programs include a story, craft, song, activity, wonder walk, and in some cases, a special LIVE animal visitor.  Programs can be adapted to fit your specific time, space, and age requirements.  

Click on the following link to download a brochure of the programs listed below.

Nature Programs for the Young

Caterpillar Spring Butterfly Summer

Join caterpillar’s journey as he munches his way through spring to develop his summertime wings.  Children discover the fascinating world of metamorphous.  Discover other animals that also change as they grow.

Salamander Room

While exploring in the forest a young boy finds a salamander.  He takes the salamander home transforming his room into a forest full of life.  Discover the secret lives of salamanders, and why the best home for them is in their natural habitat.

 Signs Left Behind

Join Cammy and William as they journey into the woods for berries.  They discover clues that someone or something has traveled there before them.  See if you can tell who left those tracks in the mud. Investigate the wonderful world of life in and around the pond.

The Tiny Seed

Follow the journey of a tiny seed as it travels across the land.  Find out what the tiny seed is as it grows into a big beautiful…you will have to hear the story to find out.

On the Trail

Munch, Munch, Munch!  Ants, caterpillars, ladybugs, bees and crickets favorite food has been munched.  Join the adventure as they follow the silvery trail.  Discover who munched their lunch.  Can you guess whom?

 On the Trail, Too!

Find out more about our friend that carries his house with him!  Are snails slippery and slimy?  Why do they only have one foot?  Why do they leave a trail behind them?  Discover these and other fascinating facts about the slimy world of snails.

Why Should I?

What happens when no one cares for the Earth anymore.  What if everyone littered?  What if we all picked the wildflowers? Or, what if we dumped our garbage into the streams?  Who would it hurt?  All of us!  Find out how you can help the environment one step at a time.

Making the World

Shhh, let’s find out a secret.  A secret we have to share!  It’s an amazing secret about our world.  It isn’t done growing, and it is constantly changing.  Find out how and what you can do to help.

Oh Say Can You Seed

Where do seeds come from? What makes a seed grow?  Do we eat seeds?  Do animals eat seeds?  Discover the answers to these and many more mysteries of the plant world.  

 

 

Many of our Kindergarten - 12th Grade programs can be  suitable for  young learners.  The brochure for the programs listed below is on the K-12 Education page.

Freddie the Fish

This presentation uses Freddie the Fish to give your students a fishes-eye-view of what life is like in a polluted river. Freddie the Fish Teacher Guide

Participants will follow Freddie the Fish downstream to gain an understanding of the importance of clean water, ways in which we pollute the water, and the impacts pollution has on wildlife. This activity provides a very tangible demonstration of what happens when we don’t take care of our environment.

Riparian Rescue

What is the riparian zone?  And, why is it so important in water resource management?  How does nonpoint source pollution and habitat destruction affect wildlife that depend on this ecosystem for survival?  Riparian Rescue Teacher Guide

  Students will discover through hands-on activities and live indicator species the concerns this fragile environment faces. 

Enviroscape

This presentation utilizes the Enviroscape, a hands-on watershed model.  Enviroscape Teacher Guide

Students will use the Enviroscape model to learn how point source and nonpoint source pollution negatively impact streams, rivers, and lakes. Students will also discuss ways they can help prevent pollution and conserve our water resources.

Stream Team Detectives

This presentation utilizes the Streamulator, a hands-on stream model. Students will be detectives and try to determine outcomes of different scenarios. Special arrangements may be made for a presentation for younger students.  Stream Team Detectives Teacher Guide

Students will learn the concept of stream systems, and the effects that humans can have on stream quality. Watersheds, erosion, flow, and land use issues will also be discussed.

Incredible Journey

Water is a valuable resource and a limited one. Students will engage in a hands on activity to learn concepts associated with the water cycle.  Incredible Journey Teacher Guide

In this program, students learn about the water cycle by becoming a water molecule. They also learn ways to conserve and protect the freshwater resources that we depend on.

Web of Life

Students will discover the interdependency of plants, animals, and humans by exploring  food chains, food webs, and the energy cycle through a hands on program.  Web of Life Teacher Guide

This presentation allows the students to become familiar with the concept of the web of life as well as the four components of habitat and the basic needs of plants and animals.

Soil Sleuths

Students will discover the properties of soils through demonstrations, experiments, and games. This program offers a hands on learning experience for all.  Soil Sleuths Teacher Guide

This presentation allows the students to play a game to gain an understanding of the concept of permeability while learning about the different parts of the soil- sand, silt, and clay.

What's Under Your Feet?  Groundwater

This program utilizes the Ground Water Flow Model and offers a realistic visual interpretation of the various types of ground water aquifers that exist throughout Ohio's subsurface environment.  Groundwater Teacher Guide

Participants will use the Ground Water Flow Model to explore the hydrologic cycle, the water table, soil structure and how nonpoint source pollution can affect our underground water resources.

Oil, Toil, and Trouble!

How much oil is spilled when a tanked leaks?  Or a local factory has a spill?  Does this effect aquatic animals, wildlife, and humans?  Oil, Toil, and Trouble Teacher Guide

Students will discover that water and oil don't mix and how oil pollution effects the health of water, animals and us.

Stream Quality Monitoring

Stream quality monitoring is an excellent way for youth and adults to learn about the macroinvertebrates that live in streams. It is and interactive learning experience which allows participants to study water quality and the importance of keeping our water resources clean.

GSWCD will provide monitoring equipment and organize a visit to a local stream to test water quality with your students. An in-class presentation on macroinvertebrates is also available to help prep students for this adventure.

Students will use a kick seine to collect and identify macroinvertebrates to determine the water quality.

Click here to get information about our summer Stream Quality Monitoring Program

Conservation Days

The Geauga SWCD can help plan, organize, and implement activities covering many conservation related topics. Any previously mentioned programs can be incorporated into Conservation Days. These activities can be done as a school or by grade level.

Illustrated concepts are (but are not limited to) the food web, predator/prey relationships, habitat, recycling, conservation, and water quality.