This lesson introduces the importance of bees to humans, our food supply, and how children can create a healthy habitat for bees. 

Step 1 - Inquire: Students generate ideas in response to the question "Why are bees important to us?" Then students watch a video of the book Bee and Me by author Alison Jay.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students create captions for the book Bee and Me to demonstrate the importance of bees. 

Step 3 - Inspire: Students develop a plan for how they will help bees in New Jersey.

This lesson introduces students to the benefits of an aquaponics system, especially in areas where clean soil and water are scarce. 

Step 1 - Inquire: Students answer questions about what plants need to grow and make predictions about what an aquaponics system is.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn about aquaponics systems by watching videos and having a discussion.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students set up their aquaponics system in the classroom and create journals for recording predictions and observations.

This lesson introduces the effects of climate change on the life cycle of the monarch butterfly in North America.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students learn the Butterfly Rhyme and act it out with visuals.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students play a card game to learn about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly and the effects of climate change on this insect.

In this lesson, students learn how climate change affects the habitat of monarch butterflies.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students view and discuss artwork that depicts habitats.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students learn about the elements of a habitat and how climate change affects the monarch butterfly’s habitat.

• ClimateScience's Earthly Books (virtual books)
• Earth's Energy Resources Series (virtual books)
• What's Up in the Atmosphere, Exploring Colors in the Sky (PDF)