online course
Backyard Explorer
Backyard Explorer K to 2
Free online outdoor science course · 12 weeks
- Grade
- K to Grade 2
- Ages
- Ages 5 to 8
- Price
- Free
- Format
- Self-paced online course at learn.lanternlearn.com
About this course
Backyard Explorer K to 2 is a free 12-week online outdoor science course for Kindergarten to Grade 2. Kids learn to sit still and notice, tell birds, bugs, plants and furry neighbors apart by their parts, spot nests, burrows and webs without touching, watch the weather and the seasons, and count and compare what they see in a nature notebook with Rocket, Raven and Nova. Each week's field guide shows what people record most in your region of the United States. Lessons are read aloud, every answer is a tap, and a daily Word Spot practices sight words. Saturday is Explorer Day with the family.
12-week list
Each week has short lessons Monday to Friday and an Explorer Day outing with the family on Saturday.
| Week | Topic | Focus | NGSS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explorer Eyes | Look, listen and notice | K-LS1-1 |
| 2 | Birds Next Door | Feathers, beaks and songs | 1-LS1-1 |
| 3 | Bug Hunt | Six legs, eight legs, look but do not touch | 1-LS1-1 |
| 4 | Plant Parts | Roots, stem, leaves and flower | 1-LS1-1 |
| 5 | Furry Neighbors | Mammals and the signs they leave | K-ESS3-1 |
| 6 | Scaly and Slippery | Reptiles and amphibians | K-ESS3-1 |
| 7 | Animal Homes | Nests, burrows, webs and hives | K-ESS3-1 |
| 8 | Weather Watch | Sun, clouds, wind and rain | K-ESS2-1 |
| 9 | Babies and Grown-ups | Like their parents, but not exactly | 1-LS3-1 |
| 10 | Seasons Change | The year goes round and round | 1-ESS1-2 |
| 11 | Count and Compare | Sunny spot, shady spot | 2-LS4-1 |
| 12 | Explorer Badge | Help your backyard neighbors | K-ESS3-3 |