Ecology/Conservation
Protecting the Earth for future generations takes first learning about our planet, the environment, and how the ecosystem works. Get ecology teaching tips, project ideas, and more.
Things to See & Do in Ohio
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, founded in 1892, is the seventh oldest zoo in the United States. Occupying 165 wooded acres, the recent acquisition of an adjacent 141 acres makes it one of the largest urban zoos. More than 3300 animals may be seen in modern, spacious settings and state-of-the-art exhibits.
Toledo Zoo
The Toledo Zoo is home to over 3,000 animals representing 525 different species. Ten climate-controlled buildings, some of which were constructed during the Works Progress Administration and Federal Emergency Relief Administration eras, make The Toledo Zoo a unique, educational and fun place to visit anytime of the year.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,180-mile footpath along the ridgecrests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in northern Georgia. It traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, it was built by private citizens and completed in 1937. The trail traverses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.
Akron Zoological Park
The Akron Zoo features Monkey Island, Tiger Valley, the Asian Trail, Gator Gorge, Wild Prairie, and Penguin Point. Also offers educational programs and special exhibits.
The Wilds
Located in Cumberland, The Wilds spans nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed, surface-mined land. Thousands of acres have been developed and divided into large sections where African, Asian, and North American species are managed. Take a guided Wilds' Safari through the park, a Wilds at Work tour, or explore the Johnson Visitor Center.
North Country National Scenic Trail
The North Country National Scenic Trail links scenic, natural, historic, and cultural areas in seven northern states. The approximately four thousand mile long trail incudes a variety of hikes from easy walking to challenging treks. When completed, through the efforts of many people, the trail will become the longest continuous hiking trail in the United States. From the Missouri River in North Dakota to the shores of Lake Champlain in New York, the trail allows hikers to experience a variety of features, from clear-flowing streams, to thick Northern woods, from vast prairies to clean lakes.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has 75 acres housing more than 500 animal species and 3000 plant varieties and has over 1.2 million visitors annually.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
The Columbus Zoo grounds cover 588 acres along the banks of the Scioto River. Ninety acres are used for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, which houses more than 700 species and more than 6,000 specimens. The Zoo is one of a handful of U.S. zoos to permanently house koalas. Other Australian exhibits include kangaroos and tree kangaroos. Other animals include reptiles, turtles, West Indian manatees, bald eagles, black rhinos, elephants, and much, much more.
John Ball Zoological Garden
The John Ball Zoo is located on the hillside of a beautiful 140 acre park on the west side of Grand Rapids. Currently the animal collection at the Zoo includes 237 species and 1,183 individuals.
African Safari Wildlife Park
Tour the 100 plus acre preserve and visit hundreds of rare, exotic and some endangered animals from around the world. Many roam free in a simulated setting. Don't miss the Educational Animal Shows & Pig Races. Located in Port Clinton, 17 miles West of Cedar Point.
Activities & Experiments
Handbook of Nature Study
Based on Charlotte Mason's method of education, this website offers ideas and resources for incorporation nature study into your homeschool.
How I Teach a Large Family in a Relaxed, Classical Way: Science
Family style learning is a great way to tackle lots of different subjects, including science.
Arbor Day National Poster Contest
Join over 74,000 fifth grade classrooms and home schools across America in the Arbor Day National Poster Contest. The theme chosen will increase your students’ knowledge of how trees produce and conserve energy. The free Activity Guide includes activities to use with fifth grade students to teach the importance of trees in producing and conserving energy. These activities correlate with National Science and Social Study Standards. The Guide also includes all of the information you need for poster contest participation.
ExploraVision
ExploraVision is a competition for all students in grades K-12 attending a school in the U.S., Canada, U.S. Territory or a Department of Defense school. Homeschooled students are eligible to enter. It is designed to encourage students to combine their imagination with their knowledge of science and technology to explore visions of the future. Teams of students select a technology, research how it works and why it was invented, and then project how that technology may change in the future. They must then identify what breakthroughs are required for their vision to become a reality and describe the positive and negative consequences of their technology on society. Winning ideas have focused on things as simple as ballpoint pens and as complex as satellite communications. The student teams write a paper and draw a series of Web page graphics to describe their idea. Regional winners make a Web site and a prototype of their future vision.
Featured Resources
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The Exhausted School: Bending the Bars of Traditional Education
These 13 essays, presented at the 1993 National Grassroots Speakout on the Right to School Choice, illustrate how education reform actually works. Written by award-winning teachers and their students, these essays present successful teaching methods that work in both traditional and nontraditional classroom settings. Gattos voice is strong and unique. Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul
Homeschooling: The Teen Years : Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- to 18- Year-Old (Prima Home Learning Library)
The teen years are when many homeschooling parents start to question or abandon their efforts. It's a precarious time, with challenging academics, pressing social issues, and the prospect of college looming. Parents can now breathe easy: this guide calms the teen-time jitters and even offers hope to those just turning to homeschooling now that their child is about to enter high school. With brief "how we did it" testimonies from other parents sprinkled throughout the book, author Cafi Cohen offe...
Spell to Write & Read
This teacher's manual, written by a homeschool educator with experience as a professional school teacher and private tutor, shows how to teach reading the "write" way. By phonetically teaching spelling from the start as the backbone for reading, all children can be taught, regardless of learning styles, to read and spell. If your student knows how to read already, this program can improve his or her spelling. Find out more about this product here.
I Learn Better by Teaching Myself/Still Teaching Ourselves
Take a look at how a homeschooling mother learned to trust her children-and herself-to learn in new ways. Tag along on the journey from the elementary years through high school as this book explore the success and freedom of unstructured learning. These books are especially good for anyone wrestling with the question of "how much structure should there be in a homeschool?"
Perrine's Sound & Sense: An Introduction to Poetry
Perrine's Sound and Sense is a fantastic book for studying poetry with your children. It is a great resource for high school students. It includes clear and thorough explanations of devices, forms, how to analyze poetry, and more, as well as a huge variety of poems, both classic and contemporary.