We’ve selected some of our favorite resources for middle and high school students — adults, too! Be sure to check out the elementary school resource page, too. Have specific requests for resources? Contact Tim at tim.miller@mountaincastles.org.

Go Outside!

Don’t get too bogged down with “virtual” learning in front of a screen. Encourage kids and adults to go outside and explore backyards and nearby “wild” spaces.

Easy and fun activities from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Easy backyard activity ideas from Virginia Project Learning Tree
Start a garden
Start composting
Take a nature photo for our photo contest
Create a sound map
Read a book (outside if weather permits)
Go for a hike — through the field, down the street, on a trail (optional: play some short forest games)

Virtual Field Trips

Great Virtual Visits from Virginia State Parks
These 5 National Parks around the US have amazing virtual tours
Yellowstone National Park
Virtual field trips from Discovery Education
Skype a Scientist — live events that are free to join; archived talks, too.
Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants — more free, live events; archived talks, too.
Smithsonian virtual tours

Virginia Tech Science Festival

The 2020 festival was virtual, but there’s lots of great on-line content!

National Geographic Collections

National Geographic has put together some amazing “learn at home” collections that feature articles, videos, maps, and more!

Grades K-2; Grades 3-5; Grades 6-12
More great ecology collections, including energy flow, limiting factors, biotic factors, carrying capacity, cell biology, climate change, and more
Earth science collections
Conservation collections

Banff Mountain Film Festival

With their “world tour” cancelled, the folks at Banff are giving away all their films for free. This is an AMAZING opportunity to watch some awe-inspiring mountain sports and learn about different cultures.

National Science Teaching Association

Awesome index of units, lessons, and activities from the National Science Teaching Association

North American Association for Environmental Education

Another great index of teaching & learning resources from the North American Association for Environmental Education.

Podcasts

We love Alie Ward’s “Ologies” podcast, which features an in-depth interview with a different “ologist” each week. Beware of adult language, although several episodes have a “bleeped” version.
“This Podcast Will Kill You” is a humorous, but informative take on lots of horrible diseases

Plants, Trees, and Pollinators

Research & make a poster for our “Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators?” poster contest
Common Native Trees of Virginia (pdf) — from VDOF
What Tree Is That? — online dichotomous key from the Arbor Day Foundation
Basics of photosynthesis
Advanced photosynthesis animation (HS) — Inquiring minds want to know the REAL story!
Nature’s Notebook — track seasonal changes
“Beyond the Hive: The Wonderful World of Native Bees” — article (with audio and great pics) from Science Friday

Wildlife & Fish

Check out the wildlife videos on our elementary page. Many are good for secondary, too.
Conservation Connect from USFWS features short videos on wildlife, conservation careers, and cool technology; lesson plans, too.
Looking for a great wildlife on-line field guide for across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed? Try this great one from the Chesapeake Bay Program. It includes cool facts and videos, too.
eMammal has great links to community science data and photos form camera traps
All About Birds — online bird guide from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; cool bird games and videos too!
Love birds? Check out Jason Ward’s excellent “Birds of North America” series.
Richmond Falcon cam and observation log
What is killing our bats? — resources for white nose syndrome
Wildlife articles, photos, and videos from National Geographic
Yellowstone wolves — maps, articles, videos from the National Park Service; National Geographic has great wolf resources, too.
Doug Peacock and the story of how grizzlies “saved” him and his efforts to conserve their habitat (see “Grizzly Country” below)

Water

What’s in Our Water(shed)? investigation (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)
Water Science Basics: What is the Water Cycle? (USGS)
Explore the James River watershed in this series of videos called “Watershed Wonder Wednesday” (a new video is added every Wednesday, so check back often)
Rivers and Watersheds (Virginia Places)
Chesapeake Bay pollution facts and figures from Virginia Places
How is the health of the Bay? Read the latest “State of the Bay” report from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the “Bay Barometer” from the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Short, engaging “Bay 101” videos from the Chesapeake Bay Program
“Tangier, the Sinking Island in the Chesapeake” (article from the New Yorker)
“Should the United States Save Tangier Island from Oblivion?” (article from the New York Times Magazine)
“Peak Water: Mount Everest and Global Water Supply” unit
Looking to go deeper into life in coastal Virginia? Check out these wonderful documentaries from the Barrier Islands Center.

Atmosphere & Weather

Learn more about pressure and storms
JetStream — on online weather school from the National Weather Service
Explore high altitude extremes on Mount Everest from National Geographic and PBS

Soil, Weathering, and Erosion

Soils have names and every state has a state soil, including VA
All your questions about soil are answered in this 30 minute podcast called “Pour Some Soil On Me,” featuring our very own Bill Keith (we sure do miss him)
“Earth as Apple” animation shows just how little of Earth’s surface is suitable for growing
Soils 4 Teachers — lesson plans & activities
12 great videos and animations about soil from the International Year of Soil
“Dig It! The Secrets of Soil” page from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — great interactive activities
Check out theses resources that accompany the PBS Dust Bowl film.
Great weathering & erosion resources (including video) from Generation Genius.
Lots of cool resources on caves (including video from Luray Caverns) from CavesLIVE.
Here’s a link to the National Geographic short film, “Explore the Hidden and Fragile World Inside Caves”