In this lesson students will explore the physical characteristics of insects and how they camouflage themselves to avoid being eaten by predators.

In this lesson, students in this lesson will learn about, connect, and apply the use of the area to a real-world problem—creating a planting guide for the garden. Students will determine the square footage of the garden and use this information, along with a planting chart to create their own plan. Background for instructors:Math in the REAL world: Area and square feetSquare foot gardening is one way that ensures a vegetable garden bed can thrive. It is used to ensure not too many plants of a specific variety are planted in a single area. Using the square foot model keeps plants properly spaced, providing a perfect real-world context to teach area, apply multiplication strategies, and have students work collaboratively. Most garden beds are 8 x 4 resulting in 32 square feet to work with. It is possible however to have beds of different sizes. While 32 square feet to work with is what is used in this lesson, the methods and chart can be used for any rectangular planting area.

Square foot gardening is one way that ensures a vegetable garden bed can thrive. It is used to ensure not too many plants of a specific variety are planted in a single area. Using the square foot model keeps plants properly spaced, providing a perfect real-world context to teach area, apply multiplication strategies and have students work collaboratively. Most garden beds are 8 x 4 resulting in 32 square feet to work with. It is possible however to have beds of different sizes. While 32 square feet to work with is what is used in this lesson, the methods and chart can be used for any rectangular planting area.

Students will compare different plant traits and determine how each structure helps that species of plant grow and reproduce in the schoolyard habitat. After which, students can observe each plant for acquired traits.

Students will read the complex text on pest damage and use the outdoor space to verify or deny the content of the text in the real-world setting.

Students will read the complex text on pest damage and use the outdoor space to verify or deny the content of the text in the real-world setting.

Students will explore the garden/outdoor classroom for examples of different plant structures and determine how plants use these structures to meet their needs.

Students investigate how living and non- living elements interact with one another in an ecosystem by observing interactions in the garden.

In this lesson, students will choose a feature in the outdoor classroom to measure using a selected tool (tape, ruler, or yard/meter stick). They will sketch feature and label its dimensions.

Students will identify which unit of measure inch, foot or yard is best for measuring various items in the outdoor learning lab. They will then apply the use of the appropriate tool to measure a variety of objects to the nearest marker.

Students will develop measurement vocabulary and fluency by comparing the different heights of plants.

Students will use leaves to measure different plants in and around the garden.

In 4th grade, students will compare and contrast a variety of mixtures including solutions that they can make indoors. In 5th grade students will create mixtures and note the physical properties of each of the ingredients within.

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to use a variety of non-standard unit of measurements to measure the length of different objects around the outdoor classroom.Math in the REAL world: Nonstandard MeasurementIt is important to give first graders lots of opportunities to practice measuring with both standard and non-standard units of measurement.

In this lesson, students will observe, measure, sort, and examine (shapes and textures)of leaves individually, in groups, and in relationship to the entire plant.

In this lesson, students will explore and record data about different plants that they observe. Students will then create a bar graph to reflect the data that that they collected. For example, a student might find 7 tomato plants, 5 cabbages, and 4 squash plants; their graph would reflect these numbers.

In this lesson, students will explain their observations and understanding of various plant's external parts and how they help the plant survive in its environment.

Students will prepare the vegetable beds for planting exploring how simple and compound machines work.

Students will measure the dimensions of containers in the garden to determine the volume of soil and work out computations based off the volume.

Students in this lesson will learn about, connect and apply the use of area to a real-world problem—creating a planting guide for the garden. Students will determine the square footage of the garden and use this information, along with a planting chart to create their own plan.