PEI SOLS Kindergarten Fire: Humans and Wildfire (Spanish)

Los incendios forestales están ocurriendo a un ritmo creciente en el estado de Washington. Los estudiantes a menudo tienen preguntas sobre los hábitats forestales, la seguridad y la prevención de incendios forestales. En este caso, los estudiantes aprenderán sobre las formas nativas de conocer a través de la narración oral, los árboles como parte de los hábitats locales para ellos y la prevención de incendios forestales. Los estudiantes participarán en lecciones integradas de ciencia y literatura para desarrollar su comprensión de cómo los incendios forestales están conectados al clima, y para comunicar soluciones para prevenir incendios forestales iniciados por humanos.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Author: Pacific Education Institute

PEI SOLS 2nd Grade Urban Forestry: The Needs of Trees

Trees grow all around us. Sometimes they are in large forests and sometimes they are single trees along the road or in our schoolyards. In this storyline, students explore cultural connections with trees, learn about the characteristics of trees, and discover what trees need to grow through handson activities, art, and literacy integration.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Author: Pacific Education Institute

First Grade Elementary Science and Integrates Subjects-Sky Explorers

The First Grade Elementary Framework for Science and Integrated Subjects, Sky Explorers uses observation of the sun and moon in the sky as a phenomena for exploring patterns of objects in the sky.  It is part of Elementary Framework for Science and Integrated Subjects project, a statewide Clime Time collaboration among ESD 123, ESD 105, North Central ESD, and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Development of the resources is in response to a need for research- based science lessons for elementary teachers that are integrated with English language arts, mathematics and other subjects such as social studies. The template for Elementary Science and Integrated Subjects  can serve as an organized, coherent and research-based roadmap for teachers in the development of their own NGSS aligned science lessons.  Lessons can also be useful for classrooms that have no adopted curriculum as well as to serve as enhancements for  current science curriculum. The EFSIS project brings together grade level teams of teachers to develop lessons or suites of lessons that are 1) pnenomena based, focused on grade level Performance Expectations, and 2) leverage ELA and Mathematics Washington State Learning Standards.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Module, Reading

Author: Georgia Boatman

Memorable Weather (K-2)

This sequence of instruction was developed in the Growing Elementary Science Prjoject to help elementary teachers who were working remotely.  We developed a short storyline that ties together a few sessions to help explore a specific concept.  We tried to include some activities that honored and included the student’s family and experience, and some that included the potential for ELA learning goals.
The book “Storm is Coming!” introduces students to the idea of severe weather. Students observe a time-lapse video of a hail storm.  Students interview a family member about a memorable weather event and what that person did to prepare and stay safe.  Students explore the implications of all of their interviews.  Students make plans for how they can prepare for future weather events, including an Engineering Design exercise. 
It is part of ClimeTime - a collaboration among all nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs) in Washington and many Community Partners to provide programs for science teacher training around Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and climate science, thanks to grant money made available to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) by Governor Inslee. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Clancy Wolf, Jeff Ryan

Awesome Animal Actions (K-2)

This sequence of instruction was developed in the Growing Elementary Science Project to help elementary teachers who were working remotely.  We developed a short storyline that ties together a few sessions to help explore a specific concept.  We tried to include some activities that honored and included the student’s family and experience, and some that included the potential for ELA learning goals.
In this Unit of Instruction, students observe and act out animal behaviors, then observe animal behaviors for animals in their lives. They use these observations to determine what some animals' needs may be.
It is part of ClimeTime - a collaboration among all nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs) in Washington and many Community Partners to provide programs for science teacher training around Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and climate science, thanks to grant money made available to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) by Governor Inslee. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Clancy Wolf, Jeff Ryan

Changing Seasons (K-2)

This sequence of instruction was developed in the Growing Elementary Science Project to help elementary teachers who were working remotely.  We developed a short storyline that ties together a few sessions to help explore a specific concept.  We tried to include some activities that honored and included the student’s family and experience, and some that included the potential for ELA learning goals.
Students view a couple of videos and record what they notice and wonder about how plants change as seasons change. Students take a walk with family members to search for evidence of changes due to weather in their neighborhoods.
It is part of ClimeTime - a collaboration among all nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs) in Washington and many Community Partners to provide programs for science teacher training around Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and climate science, thanks to grant money made available to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) by Governor Inslee. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Clancy Wolf, Jeff Ryan

Early Learning Climate Science activities - Spanish Translation

This is a Spanish language translation of the activities from the Resource by Jodi Crimmins called Early Learning Climate Science. https://www.oercommons.org/courses/early-learning-climate-science-pre-k-k-canvas-commons.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Grade 2 and 3: What's the Big Deal with Wind from Gonzaga Climate Center

In partnership with the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the legislature-funded ClimeTime program, the Gonzaga Climate Center has created the Climate Literacy Fellows program.  This lesson was developed in collaboration with the Gonzaga Science in Action! program.  The Science in Action! Program helped test the kits included in these lessons and helped guide Gonzaga undergraduates in developing the accompanying lessons. We thank Gonzaga SIA! for their collaboration and support!

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Homework/Assignment, Interactive, Lesson, Lesson Plan

Author: Gonzaga Climate Institute

K-1 Where does food come from?

Overview: In partnership with the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the legislature-funded ClimeTime program, the Gonzaga Climate Center has created the Climate Literacy Fellows program. Students will learn about where different types of food comes from, why nutrition is important, and how to grow their own food. Students will also learn the basic conditions required for plants to grow, and the importance of human action in maintaining the availability of these conditions.  Authors: Jordan Kremer Gonzaga University, Class of 2025

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Interactive, Lesson, Lesson Plan

Author: Gonzaga Climate Institute

Native American Stories Science Connections

The original Native American story component lesson was developed as part of an Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) project funded through an EPA Region 10 grant. The stories were told by Roger Fernandes of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe. Mr. Fernandes has been given permission by the tribes to tell these stories.As these lessons and stories were shared prior to the adoption of the Washington State Science Learning Standards in 2013, there was a need to align these stories with the current science standards. This resource provides a current alignment and possible lesson suggestions on how these stories can be incorporated into the classroom. This alignment work has been funded by the NGSS & Climate Science Proviso of the Washington State Legislature as a part of North Central Educational Service District's award.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson, Lesson Plan, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Authors: MECHELLE LALANNE, Barbara Soots, Ellen Ebert, Carissa Haug, Johanna Brown, Lori Henrickson, Kimberley Astle

Schoolyard Stormwater Walk Activity

This is a mapping activity that uses the student’s schoolyard to investigate how rain/stormwater interacts with different surfaces and where stormwater problems may occur. Students use Next Generation Science Standards’ Science and Engineering Practices in a near-by, relevant place.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Authors: Emma Pesis, Brad Street

Spat, What's That? - Garden of the Salish Sea

Spat, What's That? is a lesson on intertidal organism life cycles which explores how different life cycle stages are vulnerable to stressors like predation, ocean acidification, and habitat loss.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Lindsey Parker

Soil Erosion Challenge

This lesson from Common Thread Farms is geared for elementary ages, grades 1-4. It introduces students to erosion and then challenges them to implement a design that will mitigate erosion on a model dirt mountain.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Barbara Soots, Jenna Deane

Where Have All the Glaciers Gone?

Hands-on outdoor lesson plan for students to understand the meaning and components of climate change, and engineer and model how greenhouse gasses cause heat trapping.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Authors: Barbara Soots, Abigail Sussman

Oh, Salmon!

Through this lesson, students in 3rd-5th grade will understand how the human history of a local creek (Whatcom Creek in this example) affects the health of salmon populations. This lesson is an active way to engage students in graphing through the use of models and uses critical thinking to understand implications of human actions in the past and in the future.

Material Type: Game, Interactive, Lesson, Lesson Plan, Reading

Authors: Barbara Soots, Hannah Newell

PEI SOLS 5th grade Forests: Forest Ecosystem Benefits

The goal of the fifth grade Forests: Forest Ecosystem Benefits storyline is to build on students’ previous knowledge of plant/animal needs, ecosystems, and protection of Earth’s resources. In this storyline students develop an understanding of forest ecosystems, tree benefits including carbon sequestration, and what trees need to grow/gain mass. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Author: Pacific Education Institute

PEI SOLS 5th grade Food Waste

While food waste is not typically seen as contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, it is a major contributor. Reducing food waste is the 3rd most beneficial drawdown solution. Wasted food, and the resources to produce that food, are responsible for approximately 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When individuals and groups reduce food waste, it has a huge impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste awareness is applicable to every person and community. In this storyline, students conduct a “food waste audit”. Each participating class of students collects, sorts and measures their food waste for one day at lunch. Students discuss the local and global causes and effects of food waste in the environment. Students will also learn the cultural connections around food waste from experts or elders from the local Indian tribe and inquire how different agencies in the community deal with food waste (e.g, grocery store, food bank, city). Suggestion for how students can present their findings and create an action plan are also included. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Author: Pacific Education Institute

PEI SOLS 5th grade: Regenerative Agriculture (Eastern Washington)

Soil quality is an important aspect of growing food. In this storyline, students will discover what soil is made of and how carbon is an important part of soil quality as well as how carbon moves between plants, soil, and air. Students will learn how Indigenous people used practices such as composting. Finally, students will explore what regenerative agriculture practices are and how they can be a solution to how the climate is changing over time.  

Material Type: Unit of Study

Author: Pacific Education Institute