Backyard Bark Beetles
This citizen science project provides a rare opportunity for the public to participate in real-world scientific research. Participants help to advance our understanding of bark and ambrosia beetles, which will help us to protect forests and the species that depend on them. This project has been designed as an easy and fun activity to teach kids and adults about these amazing and important creatures.
Biodiversity PEEK STEAM Curriculum
Biodiversity PEEK students spend time outside observing and wondering about the wild plants and animals we often overlook. Biodiversity PEEK kids do real, meaningful citizen-science using digital photography and an international database. Through a guided nature journal students develop their own questions, investigate/research some of these questions, share their findings and develop a feasible biodiversity project.
Building a Bat House
Building a bat house is a great way to help these threatened animals. Once you’ve built your bat house, identified suitable habitat to install it, and it is successfully inhabited, join WDNR’s roost monitoring project. Through this project you can let bat researchers know about what kinds of bats inhabit your bat house, and how many bats you get each year.
*Supports Wisconsin Bat Program
A major goal of the Caterpillars Count! project is to provide a structured way for students and other interested individuals to learn more about the caterpillars and other insects that play a crucial role in our ecosystem.
Clean Boats, Clean Waters Story Hour
This lesson teaches the next generation of anglers and lake lovers how to keep Wisconsin’s waters clean and free of pesky invaders like the dreaded zebra mussel.
*Supports Clean Boats, Clean Waters
International Crane Foundation Activity Packets
Activity packets for ages preschool through high school, along with select activities in Spanish, for use in your classroom. Packets include information about cranes and a variety of activities.
*Supports Annual Midwest Crane Count
Ladybug biology, biodiversity, conservation, and sampling are addressed. Younger students contruct replicas of ladybug life stages out of recycled materials and learn about ladybug diversity playing “ladybug bingo”. Older children play food web and ladybug sampling games. The core of the Lost Ladybug Project, where we actually go outside to search, is the same for both age groups. The toolkits allow for two collecting trips to two habitats for comparison, and then submission of data on the Lost Ladybug website.
Project Noah was created to provide people of all ages with a simple, easy-to-use way to share their experiences with wildlife. By encouraging your students to share their observations and contribute to Project Noah missions, you not only help students to reconnect with nature, you provide them with real opportunities to make a difference.