In 1950, the NH Big Tree Program began in an effort to find, record and recognize our magnificent individual trees. The list of recorded trees now includes over 1,000 county, state and national champions.The NH Big Tree Program has compiled a map of some of NH’s biggest trees that can be viewed by the public. This map, located at https://arcg.is/0D1X4K, contains information on tree locations, including latitude and longitude, as well as champion status (i.e. the largest of its kind in the county, in the state, or the nation).
Big Tree Road Trip???
From the Cornell Lab: Join families from around the world exploring nature through fun, hands on Quests! Choose between outdoor or indoor quests, or mix it up. See HERE
Four Winds Nature Institute is a non-profit organization advancing the understanding, appreciation, and protection of the environment through community-based natural science education and research.
Learn how to join the CREW team and become a community hub.
New Hampshire Fish and Game has an exciting and free Watershed Education Program (WEP) that will put your students where the action is in their own watershed. Students will become Citizen Scientists, studying and working with local community partners to improve and maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems for fish and wildlife. Contact Watershed Education Specialist Kayla Croteau at kayla.a.croteau@wildlife.nh.gov for a July training.
https://wildlife.state.nh.us/education/watershed.html
Woodland Park Zoo and Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) are excited to share “Nature Play in Early Learning,” a toolkit for early learners (ages 0–5) containing culturally responsive, nature-based prompts and activities. From exploring natural materials in the classroom to wilderness adventures, Nature Play is known to improve academic achievement, personal development, and stewardship. The purpose of this toolkit and the associated training is to creatively and thoughtfully integrate nature play into early learning spaces in ways that are culturally meaningful to children, families, and early childhood educators.
HERE for the free cards and training (you will have to make an account with the zoo.)
Recently the Maine State Library held meetings with LENE - Learning Ecosystems Northeast in New Hampshire and Vermont specifically for librarians. Here is more info on LENE and resources:
Learning Ecosystems Northeast - https://www.learningecosystemsnortheast.org/
LENE Resource Drive - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aMuVidDTwh_VVZyBH8UCDHDMfdEAz4q2?usp=drive_link
US Climate Resilience Toolkit - https://toolkit.climate.gov/
Exploratorium - https://www.exploratorium.edu/education
NASA Climate for educators - https://climate.nasa.gov/for-educators/
NASA Next Gen STEM - https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/for-educators/
NASA Space to learn - https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/
NASA resources for k-4 - https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/for-educators/for-educators-grades-k-4/
NOAA Teaching Climate - https://www.climate.gov/teaching
SEVERE WEATHER & CLIMATE ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT
NEW FEB 2025 Thanks to funding from NASA through the Learning Ecosystems Northeast project, the Maine State Library is proud to present the Severe Weather & Climate Engagement Toolkit.
As the frequency of severe weather events increases around our world and we're all trying to figure out how to prepare for and recover from these events, those of us who work with younger children have seen a lack of resources to help share this topic with them. With funding from a NASA grant through the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the Learning Ecosystems Northeast project, The Maine State Library has partnered with The Healing Library to create a brand new toolkit for younger children and their caregivers to talk about severe weather events. The toolkit includes before, during and after sections. While this kit cannot make all the worries and experiences of severe storms go away, it can help families down a path to healing by:
● Offering books to share and empathize with,
● Guiding discussions to ensure everyone feels heard and understood,
● Providing activities of emotional exploration for families,
● Suggesting acts of kindness to take away the powerless feelings,
● Sharing community helpers so families know where to start reaching out for continued help.
Together, all these pieces start families down a path of healing of their own design, a path that will be different for everyone.
The toolkit is available for FREE to download and the kits to circulate can be created at your library or purchased from The Healing Library.
Seed Swap Resources
The Seed Library Network has created free resources to help you organize a successful seed swap. Visit SeedLibraryNetwork.org/seed-
If you’re hosting a seed swap on Seed Swap Day (January 25), be sure to use #SeedSwapDay and tag us on Instagram and Facebook @seedlibraries.
Additionally, if your community has a seed library, don’t forget to add it to the Seed Library Map! It only takes 5 minutes at bit.ly/SeedLibraryMap. Stay current on new resources and get inspired by subscribing to Cool Beans!
Newsletter at SeedLibraryNetwork.Substack.
Homelands is an augmented reality application which brings Abenaki lifeways of the past, present, and future into the world around you.
DOWNLOAD THE APP
Homelands launched in March 2023 and is available for free on the App Store and Google Play.
This educational resource is brought to you by the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People, Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective, Film Unbound, and the UNH Center for the Humanities.
The project is funded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and generous donations from individuals.
Current partner sites are Odiorne Point State Park and Seacoast Science Center, Strawbery Banke Museum, and the Star Island Corporation.
The Natural Start Alliance teamed up with the Evanston Public Library to shine a spotlight on the Blueberry Awards, a new literary award that honors books about nature. Find out what makes a children’s book about nature stand out, how books written for young children are exploring nature connection, sustainability, and environmental stewardship, and why that matters, especially now. You’ll walk away with new ideas about the power of story and a list of books to add to your classroom library!
Climate Change and wildlife in NH: https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/climate/index.html
Looking Closely Outdoor Learning Class Kit
This kit was curated and created by teachers Megan Zeni, Sarah Regan and Lauren MacLean. Megan and Sarah are job share partners teaching entirely outdoors in a K-7 garden classroom. Megan shares these experiences of outdoor play and learning on Instagram and Twitter at @roomtoplay. Lauren is a K-7 mentoring support teacher who has a love for playing, learning, and teaching outdoors. She is the host of the Mentoring Nature Connections podcast and author of Me and My Sit Spot.
Each kit includes book specific lesson sparks, guiding questions, and curricular connections for looking closely outdoors. Spend less time planning and more time exploring outdoors with your learners!
This kit includes:
All of this comes in a backpack made from recycled pop bottles:
See map of NH Walks: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1ryPUTMwFiN5AbMTX1ZuMTkkSmoAj0krO&usp=sharing
To add your walk or books you have to share: https://forms.gle/wrCx9fwLKi73xxiX6
To see what books others have to borrow
They also have a logo and other print materials available for use at: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://bit.ly/LM_BES22__;!!Oai6dtTQULp8Sw!XsOuFHhThrIuqJbH48gjyNCFudTYWV3GphzW42Y6cBfR0QMfQPPCFRiKwQfy9_kYFpu5jiqYXhiqGWyhcPhOCFrIOJQ_waEw3aYyuTw6zglJ08M$
https://www.startwithabook.org/summer-science/bug-buddies-book-based-steam-adventure
From startwithabook.org a STEAM-focused summer and out-of-school-time program that is all about the amazing world of bugs — in your community and around the world. Download the toolkit that includes 5 topics for exploration through fiction and nonfiction books, hands-on activities, new vocabulary, and fun writing prompts. Each topic also includes recommendations for kid-friendly digital media — websites, podcasts, apps, and video. In the Appendix you'll find a list of bug words, and printable templates for Bug Buddies name tags, journal covers, and certificates.
Explore the website for more toolkits and program ideas with books on topics like birds and the weather.
While we may not be able to control the physical aspects of our outdoor play spaces, we have heavy influence over the social and emotional aspects. In 2018, the Seattle Children's PlayGarden and King County Public Health’s Best Start for Kids Initiative published their toolkit "Say "Yes!" to Kids with Disabilities: Stories and Strategies for Including ALL Kids". Built off joint research from the two organizations, this document contains real, actionable items for any adult working with children on how to make play more inclusive.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the New Hampshire State Library.
CURRICULUM KITS TO BORROW