Naturally Teaching

An elementary teacher science blog

Podcast

The Naturally Teaching Elementary podcast is designed to help elementary teachers and homeschool parents while they are teaching science, integrating science with literacy, and using the outdoors to get place-based, real-world experiences for teaching elementary school.

Naturally Teaching Elementary is a podcast designed for elementary teachers and homeschool educators who are passionate about teaching elementary aged children with authentic and place-based learning opportunities, nurturing the whole child and providing well-rounded education.

Join me each week as we explore practical strategies for teaching science in elementary school, discover the power of integrating science with literacy through captivating picture books, and uncover the magic of outdoor education and its link in teaching elementary aged children.

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Check out the latest episode

60. Elementary Study About Weather: Kindergarten and 3rd Grade NGSS Activities – Naturally Teaching Elementary: A Podcast for Teachers and Homeschool Families

Weather is an inherently interesting concept to elementary-aged learners and March is one of the best times to experience a variety of weather conditions in a short time. Fog, rain, snow, frost, dew, sun, clouds…March has it all. So let's take advantage of this weather-rich month and get your learners some quality experiences.Press play to hear descriptions for a weather movement cube for kindergarteners and the citizen science project CoCoRaHS for 3rd graders, both aligned with Next Generation Science Standards. During the episode I share the standard that inspired the activity, how the activity relates to weather, and a description of how to implement the activity with your learners. And make sure to listen all the way through the episode; you may find yourself inspired to adapt one of these activities or use an activity for a different grade level.Next Generation Science Standards addressed in this episode:K-ESS2-1: Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.3-ESS2-1: Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.Resources mentioned 💚Episode 59: 7 Books About Weather for Elementary-Aged StudentsEpisode 6: 5 Outdoor Education Safety Tips for Teaching OutsideWeather Movement Cube for Kindergarten (Ambulatory Cubes)CoCoRaHS Schools: Getting StartedNeed a rain gauge? Here’s the contact email for help from CoCoRaHSCoCoRaHS Basic training PDFCoCoRaHS Training slide showsCoCoRaHS Training VideosCoCoRaHS FAQ’sCoCoRaHS Gauge installation tipsCoCoRaHS How to Read Your Gauge guideCoCoRaHS Data entry tipsCoCoRaHS Station identification signCoCoRaHS Apple App storeCoCoRaHS Google Play storeWeather Scavenger Hunt PDFFREE Printable Weather WheelShow Notes: https://naturallyteaching.com/episode60🗂 Find activities easily with the Naturally Teaching Activity Index🛒 TpT Shop: Naturally Teaching💚 Get more tips and tricks on the website: NaturallyTeaching.com📸 Follow along on Instagram: @naturally.teaching💻 Check us out on Facebook: @naturally.teaching
  1. 60. Elementary Study About Weather: Kindergarten and 3rd Grade NGSS Activities
  2. 59. 7 Books About Weather for Elementary-Aged Students
  3. 58. Winter Animals and Water: 2nd and 5th Grade NGSS Activities
  4. 57. Winter Animals and Hibernation: 1st and 4th Grade NGSS Activities
  5. 56. Signs of Animals in Winter: Kindergarten and 3rd Grade NGSS Activities

Check out the recent episodes

Ep. 60: Elementary Study About Weather: Kindergarten and 3rd Grade NGSS Activities
Ep. 59: 7 Books About Weather for Elementary-Aged Students
Ep. 58: Winter Animals and Water: 2nd and 5th Grade NGSS Activities
Ep. 57: Winter Animals and Hibernation: 1st and 4th Grade Activities
Ep. 56: Signs of Animals in Winter: Kindergarten and 3rd Grade NGSS Activities
Ep. 55: 6 Books About Animals in Winter for Elementary-Aged Students
Ep. 54: Urban Schools: 3 Nature Spots to Take Your Students for Learning
Ep. 53: 5 Strategies for Classroom Management: Embracing Nature Moments
Ep. 52: 5 No Snow Books About Winter for Preschool and Elementary Classrooms
Ep. 51: Adapting - Naturally Teaching Elementary Updates and Goals
Ep. 50: 50. Picture Books for 4th Graders and Beyond: Using Picture Books to Enhance Your Science Teaching with Dan Kriesberg
9 Fine Arts Examples of Vernal Pool and Frog Projects for Elementary-Aged Learners [Ep. 49]
Ep. 48: 9 Vernal Pool and Frog Books for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents
Ep. 47: 6 Vernal Pools and Frog Activities Aligned with K-5 Next Generation Science Standards
Ep. 46: Vernal Pool Patrol: A Citizen Science Project for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents with Lindsey Harrell
Ep. 45: 6 Earth Day Projects for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents
Ep. 44: 6 Elementary Math Activities for Spring Aligned with K-5 Common Core State Standards
Ep. 43: 9 Spring Picture Books to Help You Introduce Seasonal Signs, Plants, and Animals in Spring
Ep. 42: 6 Fun Spring Activities Aligned with K-5 Next Generation Science Standards
Ep. 41: Teaching Elementary Math Outside with Lauren MacLean
Ep. 40: 10 Ice and Snow Art Ideas for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents
Ep. 39: 11 Children's Water Cycle Books for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Parents
Ep. 38: 6 Activities for Learning About Water in Winter for Teachers and Homeschool Parents
Ep. 37: 6 Valentine's Day Class Party Ideas Enhanced with Science
Ep. 36: Gamifying Learning for Elementary-Aged Children with Allie Elliott
Ep. 35: 6 Groundhog's Day Activities for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Groups
Ep. 34: 9 Winter Picture Books to Help You Introduce Seasonal Signs, Snow, and Animals in Winter
Ep. 33: Ch-Ch-Changes: New Year Newness
Ep. 32: 6 Fun Winter Activities Aligned with K-5 Next Generation Science Standards
Ep. 31: Next Generation Science Standards Explained with Beth Christiansen
Ep. 30: Books on Hibernation and Other Forms of Dormancy for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Groups
Ep. 29: Hibernation in Animals: 6 Dormancy Activities for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Groups
Ep. 28: Outdoor Learning Equipment for Schools and Homeschool Groups
Ep. 27: The Great Backyard Bird Count: How to Put Together a Bird Feeding Station with Martha Holzheuer
Ep. 26: Celebrating the Winter Solstice with an Outdoor Party for Your Elementary Students
Ep. 25: 4 Turkey Day Activities and Books for Energetic Elementary Students
Ep. 24: 6 Moon Phase Activities for the Elementary Classroom
Ep. 23: Planning a Field Trip Made Easier with Education Director James Dake
Ep. 22: Different Kinds of Children's Outdoor Activities and Games for Teaching Science
Ep. 21: 10 Nocturnal Animal Books: Introducing Animal Adaptations That Help Animals Survive the Night
Ep. 20: 6 Animal Migration Activities for the Elementary Classroom
Ep. 19: Classroom Halloween Activities for An Outdoor Celebration
Ep. 18: Nature Based Preschools and Elementary Classrooms: Talking Teacher Roles with Dr. Rachel Larimore
Ep. 17: 6 Fun Fall Activities Aligned with K-5 Next Generation Science Standards
Ep. 16: 10 Fall Picture Books to Help You Introduce Seasonal Signs, Falling Leaves, and Animals in Autumn
Ep. 15: 6 Citizen Science Projects for Elementary Students and Teachers
Ep. 14: Outdoor Classroom Routines and Procedures: 5 Easy Activities for Your First Week Outside
Ep. 13: Integrating STEM Into Your Classroom: How to Get Started with Naomi Meredith
Ep 12: 8 Different Seasons Books: Introducing the Four Seasons with Picture Books
Ep. 11: Teaching with Phenology: How to Plan Your Science Standards Around the Seasons
Ep. 10: 10 Best Nature Apps to Use in the Elementary Classroom
Episode 9: Exploring Invertebrates: 10 Picture Books to Introduce Animal Characteristics
Ep. 8: Learning Gardens: Creating Dynamic Outdoor Classrooms with Victoria Hackett
Episode 7: Animal Characteristic Breakdown: Reaching Your Curricular Goals by Teaching with Animals
Episode 6: 5 Outdoor Education Safety Tips for Teaching in Nature
Episode 5: Science Skills for Students: 10 Picture Books for Encouraging Kid Scientists
Episode 4: 6 Invasive Species Activities to Use in the Elementary Classroom
Episode 3 Teaching with Books: Thinking Outside the Box with Steve Frisbee
Episode 2 Outdoor Learning Environment: 3 Things to Plan for Back to School
Episode 1 10 Science Activities for Elementary Students That Aren't Experiments

You can find me branching out on…

Ep. 113: Roots of Learning: Nature in Elementary Science Education with Victoria Zablocki from Naturally Teaching
Nature in the Classroom for middle school educators on the Teaching Toolbox podcast.

Meet your guide

Teaching science can be impactful for your students if you gain confidence in methods to help you teach it.

My name is Victoria Zablocki and I’m a former elementary educator turned outdoor educator with 10 years of experience integrating outdoor education into science learning. During my decade in the field, I coached teachers in public schools on how to accomplish their curricular goals in science with authentic and place-based experiences.

I’m continuing my coaching journey through this podcast by giving you confidence for teaching elementary-aged children in fun, engaging, and authentic ways. Each Monday I release a new episode that introduces effective science teaching methods, ways to integrate science and ELA, tips and tricks to leverage outdoor education, and ideas for math, art, and more. 

Want to learn more? Check out my philosophy and see if we’re a good fit.

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