K-12 Education

Environmental Education Activities

Connect students to the environment through outdoor education activities the make learning fun and healthy

We've handpicked the best toolkits, guides, and outdoor education activities from NEEF and beyond. For even more high-quality educator resources, visit out Environmental Education Resources page. 

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Activity Guides and Group Games

Discover fun and engaging ways to teach environmental concepts with our activity guides and group games for all ages.

Young child outdoors with paper bionoculars looking up
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Three trees
Outdoor Education

Environmental Education Group Games and Activities

A collection of fun, active, and engaging games to help children of all ages learn about the environment.

Watershed Sleuth Challenge

In this Watershed Sleuth Challenge, you will learn more about your watershed—what it is, why it’s important...

At-Home Upcycle Projects

Celebrate environmental education with these easy upcycle projects.

SunWise

NEEF's SunWise program is a free environmental and health education program that teaches K-8 children about...

Apps for Environmental Education and Outdoor Activity

Are you looking for more ways to incorporate technology into your classroom? How about apps that can help you...

Learn About the Environment

Endangered Species
Going, Going... Gone?
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a California Condor seated on the edge of a cliff with mountains in the background

Students learn about extinct and endangered species. They explore how climate change, habitat loss, pollution, and other facts contributed to these species' population loss. From our friends at the American Museum of Natural History.

Sounds of Nature
Earth.fm Soundscapes
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a gibbon calls from sitting on top of a tree branch

This site lets you listen to nature sounds from all over the world, gathered from contributors in places like Brazil, Spain, Thailand, New Zealand, and many more. Put a sound to the places you read about.

Bird Academy
What Makes Birds Unique?
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a blue bird resting on a branch

Find out what sets birds apart from all other living creatures with this interactive tutorial and unique activity from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Learn the science behind this amazing part of bird anatomy.

Nature Lab
Urban Trees Lesson
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a city park with a path surrounded by trees

In this Urban Trees lesson, presented by The Nature Conservancy, students in grades 6-8 can learn how trees renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, and how they clean our air by filtering out dust and greenhouse gases. 

 

 

Environmental Impact Activities

Energy Consumption
Learn About Energy in Your Home
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an electrical outlet power cord full with plugs

This guide offers some creative ways to help kids understand the concept of energy, including a fun home energy audit from NEEF and the National Hockey League.

Indoor Air Quality
Improve the Environmental Quality of Your Home
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a father works with his daughter to pot a plant in the living room

Use this questionnaire to help identify various factors that affect indoor air quality in your home and make fun, healthy, improvements like adding Spider plants.

Water Use
Personal Water Eco-Audit Activity
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a sink faucet running with water flowing from it

Students chart their water usage over time to understand how to apply scientific inquiry and math skills in a real-life, meaningful way while learning the principles of water conservation.

Energy Consumption
Saving Energy with the IMS HEROes
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comic cartoon characters of young man and two young women with earth behind them saying hello help us save energy

This incredibly creative activity challenges students to conduct a home energy audit incorporating worksheets, comic strips, and more. 

Activity Guides for Outdoor Education AT Home

Citizen Science Projects

Join the Project
Pondlife: Our Tiny Neighbors
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a pond with aquatic plants growing

Join microbiologist Sally Warring as she explores the giant world inside of a pond. From our friends at the American Museum of Natural History.

Environmental Education Online

Virtual Field Trips

 

 

Museum Virtual Visits

Virtual Park Tours

 

 

Digital Learning Collections

Infographics For Discussion

Biomonitoring with Benthic Macroinvertebrates

This infographic explains biomonitoring, which is using aquatic (benthic) organisms as biological indicators...

Understanding Different Water Quality Tests

This infographic highlights some of the common water quality indicators, why they are important, and how we...

Engineering & Our Planet Infographic

Explore the past, present, and future of environmental engineering through this infographic.

Rooted in Math Infographic

This infographic explores the many applications of mathematical principles and formulas within the fields of...

Surrounded by Science Infographic

NEEF created this infographic to help educators introduce students to some of the many ways they can discover...

Help Create a Healthier Environment Where you Live

NEEF and the NHL® partnered to promote activities that create a healthy environment and vibrant communities...