Family Resources
Science learning and fun is not just for school! These are some activities you can do as a family to learn and laugh together.Thank you to our partners for supporting instructional continuity for students and their families!
Water Education Family Activities
These activities are provided in partnership with the Municipal Water District of Orange County.
A Day Without the Tap
Home Water Map
Neighborhood Water Walk
When to Water
Native Plants
Home Water Audit
NSI Backyard Missions
These missions are easy to do at home and engage students in the natural world just outside their door.
Printable Missions:
Birds
Bugs
Clouds
Nightlife
Plants
Pollinators
Rocks
Shadows
Soil
Water
Investigando la Naturaleza Cerca de Casa Misiones
Nhiệm vụ sân sau của NSI
!NSIماموریت های حیاط خلوتی
Southern California Bird Guide
National Weather Service Cloud Spotter - resource to help identify clouds
Water Saver
Is your home water efficient? In what ways can you save water at home?
Home Water Survey
Rethink Your Water Usage
Exploring Properties of Water
Water Education Family Activities - Provided by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Water Calculator - Where do you use water in your house and tips on how to reduce water usage.
Install a Rain Barrel - You might be eligible for a rebate from the state!
Residential Water Rebates
Project Zero Waste at Home
Inside the Outdoors is working with schools to help reduce waste on school campuses. You can also reduce your waste at home. Here are some ideas of ways to reduce what ends up in the landfill.
EcoChallege - Hazardous Waste Disposal
Column Composter - Build a mini composter that allows you to see decomposition in action!
Small Footprint Family - Ways to reduce waste at Home
Using Repurposed Materials for Crafts
Waste Reduction Resources - Includes information about local trash haulers.
EcoChallenge Curriculum
The EcoChallenge curriculum was created to increase countywide consciousness and awareness of landfill processes, organic waste diversion, and resource recovery through academic standards-aligned classroom lessons, student activities, and family engagement materials.
Science Notebooks/Book Making
Science Notebooking
Scientific Drawing
Flower and Leaf Pressing
Nature Journal
Book Making Resources
Single Sheet Book
Lift the Flap Book
Four Panel Book
Flexagon Book
Go Outside at Home!
Take your family outside and explore your neighborhood. These are some activities that can be done as a family.
Project Learning Tree Family Activities
Homemade Spectroscope - Seeing Rainbows in the world
Get to Know - Activities to help your family get to know the outdoors
Kitchen Science Lab
Turn your kitchen into a science lab! These are some fun experiments that use common kitchen items.
Kitchen Science for Kids - Over 30 different experiments
Science Kiddo Experiment Ideas
Engineering Challenges at Home
Challenge your family to use repurposed items in these activities.
Free/Low-Cost Field Guide Apps
This is a short list of apps that our staff use to help with identification in the field. These are free or low-cost apps that are available on most platforms. Search for these apps in App Store or a similar store on your device.
Bird Identification
Merlin - (free) bird identification by Cornell University
Audubon Bird Guide: California
EyeLoveBirds
Plant Identification
iNaturalist-(free) plant identification app
PictureThis
PlantNet (Pl@ntNet)
Night Sky
Skyview
Star Walk
General
Seek by iNaturalist
National Geographic – Many different apps for different audiences
Citizen Science Projects
Citizen Science is when science research and data are collected by non-professional scientists. Some of these projects happen during a specific time of year and others are ongoing. Below are some links to help you and your school to become involved in these science projects.Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS)
Cornell Labs - Bird Projects
Christmas Bird Count - Audubon
Lost Ladybug Project
National Wildlife Federation - Climate Focused
National Geographic
Natural History Museum
NASA
Project Budburst
Scientific American
Scistarter
Zooniverse
The links below will open in a new window. These are external websites and are not maintained by Inside the Outdoors.
Orange County Stormwater Program - This interactive watershed website teaches kids about water pollution prevention and watersheds. There are many resources for teachers and the community.
Clean Water Challenge Curriculum - Sponsored by the Wyland Foundation
Get to Know your Wild Neighbors - Various environmental activities with the target audience of 4th - 6th grade
National Park Service
- Teacher Resources
- Every Kid in the Park - 4th Grade Free Park Program and Teacher Resources
- Fire Ecology Lessons - National Park Service lessons with background information
Smithsonian's National Zoo Educator Resources
NASA
National Wildlife Federation - Eco-Schools Program
Resources from the Institute of Engineering and Technology
National Environmental Education Foundation Resources - Also includes information about Environmental Education Week (which is in April)
OpenSciEd - Free Curriculum, Middle School will be completed by 2022 with the goal for other grade levels to be added.
Teacher Created - Various free resources along with books available for purchase.
Resources For Conducting Energy Audits
- www.greeningschools.org/resources/view_cat_teacher.cfm?id=192
- www.midamericanenergy.com/eew/inspection/index.html
- www.energystar.gov
- www.energysavers.gov
OCDE STEM - Resources, trainings, and events
STEM Resources
California Department of Education
OC STEM
National Science Foundation Classroom Resources
NASA Education Programs
STEM Activities - Elementary Science Focus
kitchenpantryscientist.com - Simple recipes for real science, some video clips
Nat Geo Kids - Many ideas, activities, lessons, images and video clips
Reeko's Mad Science Labs - Great science experiments, reference information, and fun stuff
PBS Kids - Science projects sent in by kids with comments and reviews
NASA - Great resource for information, images, and lesson ideas
Mystery Science – K-5 lessons that help support NGSS, many districts have a subscription to this site!
Science Bob - Science projects, experiments, and information
Science Buddies - Science projects and lessons
Science Kids - Lessons, experiments, projects, facts, videos and images
Science is Fun - Some experiments and projects, a lot of information and resources
Steve Spangler Science - Many great science projects and demonstrations with video clips. Also has a store for supplies.
STEM Activities - Other
Babble Dabble Do - Creative art and science project ideas focused on families
Teach Preschool - projects and lessons from a preschool classroom
Crafty Child - Easy crafts, games and activities for toddlers and preschoolers
Sophie's World - Blog with art projects, games, songs and other fun things
Learn Play Imagine - Many creative recipes, crafts, science projects, etc.
Funology - Games, magic tricks, jokes, science, recipes, arts and crafts designed for parents
Sesame Street - lesson plans, art, games, video links
Teachers Pay Teachers
Natural Wonders: A Guide to Early Childhood for Environmental Educators
Other Curricula and Trainings
These curriculum books are usually supplied in conjunction with a training. Information is listed on their websites about trainings and curriculum.
Project WILD
Project WET
Project Learning Tree
Wonders of Wetlands (WOW)