Recently, I was able to sit down and talk with educators at different grade levels. Usually, I just get to talk to middle and high school teachers, which is awesome, but we have different struggles than elementary teachers.
One of the problems I heard from them was they felt uncomfortable teaching lessons on science and math. They also told me coming up with guided activities was hard when they already have to plan for all the other subjects. I told them about the resources I already knew about: Project WILD Resources from the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Project WET Official Site, Project Learning Tree Official Site; but their reactions told me it wasn’t enough.
This stuck with me, even after the conference ended and although I get occasional emails from them asking for help, I knew they needed more help. While I was searching for educational tools for my grade levels, I stumbled into the perfect resource for elementary and the young side of middle school.
Project Noah
I started playing with Project Noah with the eye to use it with my Environmental Science class. Although it won’t work for my grade level, here are some of the cool features it has that would be perfect for younger students.
- It is free. Budgets are tight and free is a big deal!
- There are prebuilt lessons on popular animals, like turtles. These lessons include anatomy, lifecycle, and just fun facts.
- There are videos included showcasing the animals being investigated. They are under the nature class tab.
- There are projects that tie into those lessons. It is under the challenge tab, but the one I looked at had students building a turtle tunnel so that the turtles don’t get hurt crossing the road. These challenges include steps and guiding questions to guide the activity.
- They have a lot of information on animal tracks. If you printed the lesson, you would have the footprints of 17 different animals with the pictures of that animal.
Overall, the pictures and formatting of this website is very student friendly and teacher friendly! It offers structure, creativity, and science that feels accessible—not intimidating. If you’re an elementary educator looking for ways to make science come alive without adding more stress to your plate, I hope you’ll give Project Noah a look.
Talking with elementary teachers reminded me that even the most passionate educators can feel overwhelmed when faced with subjects they don’t feel confident teaching. It’s not about lacking dedication—it’s about lacking support. Project Noah might not fit my high school curriculum, but it’s a gem for younger learners and the teachers guiding them. Afterall isn’t it always about finding the best tool, website, or learning resource that works best for your unique group of students!
We’re all in this together—and sometimes the best answers come from simply listening.
Kate Metz, Independent School District 1 Science Teacher
10 years in Education, BS Biology MSU Denver