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Pre- and Post-Visit Activities
Explore pre- and post-visit activities designed for every grade level. Use the links below to find lessons, videos, and book ideas that help prepare your students for their outdoor experience—and extend learning back in the classroom.
Books
The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer
The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer is a classic children's picture book about a boy named Brian who finds a salamander and imagines transforming his room into a perfect woodland habitat for it, complete with crickets, leaves, and even birds, ultimately realizing the salamander belongs in the wild as his room transforms into a forest. Illustrated by Steve Johnson, the book is praised for its imaginative story and beautiful artwork, teaching a gentle lesson about nature and the "circle of life".
Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett
Animals should definitely not wear clothing….because a snake would lose it, a billy goat would eat it for lunch, and it would always be wet on a walrus! This popular book by Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett shows the very youngest why animals’ natural clothing is perfect just as it is.
Human Impact
Activities/Videos
Books
One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul
One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul is a children's book that tells the true story of Isatou Ceesay, a woman from The Gambia who started a recycling movement to combat plastic pollution in her community. The book follows Ceesay as she transforms discarded plastic bags into crocheted purses, creating an income source for women and cleaning up the environment, and is praised for its inspiring message about individual action and global environmental issues.
The Earth Book by Todd Parr
The Earth Book by Todd Parr is a children's picture book that uses his signature vibrant colors and simple, heartfelt messages to teach kids about environmental protection and conservation, encouraging small, everyday actions to make a big difference for the planet. Published in 2010, it covers topics like recycling, saving water, and taking care of animals, inspiring young readers to help keep the Earth happy and healthy.
My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan
My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan is a children's picture book that celebrates the planet with interactive elements like cut-outs and flaps, using poetic text and vibrant illustrations to teach about nature, seasons, and the interconnectedness of life, encouraging kids to be good stewards of the Earth. It's designed for young readers (toddler to grade school) and serves as both a beautiful story and a call to action for environmentalism, making it ideal for Earth Day.