Why do 3 million people in the WORLD die each year of water-related diseases? Discover the answers by watching the four parts of this science show and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Discussion Guide at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

It's all part of Knowing Your H₂O – like where it comes from and if it's safe to drink.

The whole thing begins with the water cycle that our water sources depend on. It's broken into three major stages. The first stage is evaporation. As the sun’s energy heats the surface of lakes, rivers, plants and soil, the water turns into "water vapor." After it rises up into the sky, winds push the water vapor through the atmosphere until... it forms into the next stage – condensation. That forms clouds. When air currents cool the clouds, water vapor particles combine to form water droplets or ice particles, and once they get too big, gravity takes over, and they fall as precipitation.

All that's cool, but how does precipitation get into the water wells that many people and cities depend on for water supplies?

The hydrologic cycle is the continuous movement of water on, above and actually below the surface of the Earth. So water falling from the sky collects on the Earth, and eventually it infiltrates the soil and the bedrock surface to become part of the aquifer. And to have an aquifer, you basically need three things: number one is you need porosity, in other words you need the interstitial spaces that the water can be stored in. Number two you need permeability, which is basically the connection of those pore spaces. Then number three is obviously you need water to saturate the pore spaces in the rock.

People in rural areas often have their own well that pumps the ground water to the surface. Cities also have wells and pumps – big ones and lots of them!

Now that you've got some solid (or liquid) background on H2O, you can either dive into more information on the "Lean More" link below, or kick back and watch the four parts of the video. Make a big splash in school by having your teacher download the free Discussion Guide below so the entire class can get "wet behind the ears" with their brainy knowledge of H2O.

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. So click on their logo to discover more!

How many glaciers advanced across the landscape and retreated back? Discover the answers by watching the four parts of this science show and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Discussion Guide at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

All this glacial activity started about 2.5 million years ago, and ended about 12,000 years ago. During that time, we had four major periods of glacial activity that shaped and reshaped our land surface. When the ice sheets finally retreated, they left behind some really interesting features. So in the end, the glaciers changed much of our surface geology. And it's the geology of the land that affects a great many things in our lives today - from the water we drink to what forests grow where. The coolest news of all is that some scientists think we may be living in an "interglacial period". Should we consider getting out our cross country skis?

The four parts of Trailing Ice Age Mysteries from Into the Outdoors and their companion Discussion Guide below, will help guide you and your classroom into unlocking many of the ice age mysteries the glaciers left behind. This is seriously COOL science, so just chill.

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. So click on their logo to discover more!

Rivers are like arteries, bringing life to the region surrounding them, washing away waste, purifying the environment with their biotic and abiotic processes.  Just like in the body, natural communities thrive when the flow is swift and pure and healthy.  But just like a body, rivers are there to be used.  The native tribes say; think like a river, and you will bring health to her and all she touches.  Others say that rivers are tools to be used for efficient support of modern civilization, and should be maximized in such use.  Whose perspective is right?  Is there a way to do both?

The Ottaway is a case study of the issues that people everywhere are facing in regards to river health and the environmental impact of human activity.  It is told though the voices of the people who care about the river, rely on its functions, and want to share their perspectives on what impending change means to them.  Through their stories your students will hear the facts and experience the emotional impacts that helped community leaders make decisions on natural resource use such as logging, hydroelectric dams, fishing and boating.  Through viewing scientific research methods used to gather data, your students will understand how data is collected and analyzed to determine the health of a fishery – which is the marker for overall river health.

The ultimate question is can humans take advantage of a natural resource without consequences?  And if a resource is impacted by human activity, is there a way back?  Experience The Ottaway to find your answers in two ways: 1) Watch all the classroom videos at the top of this page, or watch the full one-hour Emmy-winning film, 2) Have your teacher download the classroom Discussion Guide below for a healthy exchange of peer-driven, critical thinking and learning.

So what makes a forest ecosystem dynamic and sustainable? Discover the answers by watching the four parts of this science show and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

Well, it's because a forest is constantly changing.  Various processes take place in the forest that are crucial to life… such as getting clean air to breathe or clean water to drink. It starts when trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and then convert it into roots, shoots, wood, leaves, flowers, and fruits through the process of photosynthesis.  Photosynthesis is where plants use light energy, carbon dioxide, and water to make sugars and release oxygen, which is great for breathing. But as forests grow and regenerate, they also play crucial roles in the water cycle and carbon cycle. The four parts of this Into the Outdoors episode and the Serious Science video on Sustainable Forestry reveal the science behind our dynamic forests.

As bonus educational material for your classroom, below you'll find the high school activity from Project Learning Tree on Monitoring Forest Health. This activity is the first of nine found in PLT's Focus on Forests: Forest Ecology guide. Check it out on Focus on Forests from Project Learning Tree.

Share this forestry fun and education with your friends or classroom. Or, check out the "Sustainable Forestry" video on this site and its related classroom Lesson Guide. "Timber"

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. Educators are encouraged to evaluate and consider their science sources. Click on their logo to discover more.

Welcome to Wild About Walleyes as part of our Getting Families Fishing Series.

As you’ll discover in this TV show and related classroom videos, walleye fishing offers you pathways to learning about fish biology, the techniques to having a rewarding family adventure while catching a unique fish, and how to become sustainable anglers who conserve our fish for future generations.

Okay, so there's several great ways to enjoy and share the fishing fun and education in this show.

First, you can kick back with family or friends to watch this entire half-hour television episode to get the full content in one sitting. Kinda like enjoying a full course meal. Yum-yum.

Then there's the four shorter, custom segments on the noted links below. These are the custom "classroom" or learning videos with some bonus content designed to share with your entire classroom. On these links below you'll also find lots of other educational content, including custom lesson activities for your teacher to take your entire classroom on a three to four day journey of peer-driven learning blended with fun and hands-on pathways to try outdoor pursuits yourself.

Whichever way you decide to enjoy the fun and educational content, it's a win-win way for you to get engaged with pathways to discovering more about yourself and the great outdoors.

Until then, enjoy the journey of discovery in all of the content in our Getting Families Fishing Series.

For all kinds of helpful information and resources on how kids can learn where-to and how-to go fishing, explore our companion KidsFishing.US website. You'll also find lots of fun educational resources for classroom or lakeside learning. Plus, be sure to check out all the helpful resources on TakeMeFishing.org.

Official Boater Safety Courses and Boat Safety Education Materials

Hey, teachers and educators!! Don't forget to check out the advanced overview for some quick-start birding lessons in your classroom plus the lesson plans below. 

Did you know that more than 45 million people in the United States are birders? That means one out of seven people you meet enjoy searching for and identifying these important feathery animals.

Why are birds so important you may ask? Well first of all, they help grow and protect many crops that you eat during your mealtimes. Two thousand bird species and other animals help pollinate 90% of plants and 75% of crops around the world. Birds also eat 20 quadrillion plant-eating insects each year that destroy crops like corn, apples, strawberries, and lettuce. Not only do birds help us eat and grow, but their ability to fly at incredible heights, speeds, and distances inspired us to build airplanes. It is no wonder since the peregrine falcon can dive up to 200 miles per hour while the Ruppel’s griffon vulture can fly 37,000 feet off the ground. That is higher than the world’s tallest mountains, the Himalayan Mountains. Lastly, since birds are sensitive to changes in temperature, moisture, and oxygen in their environmental surroundings, birds can be indicators of climate change. Counting the number of species and individual birds in an area assists scientists in gauging the health of the environment. The higher the variety and amount of birds, the better. (of course not in all cases? Could be overpopulation, crowding effects)(scientists may record shifts in nesting or migration behaviors too)

Scientists are now predicting that almost half of our North American birds are at risk of extinction within the next 100 years. Currently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed 90 bird species as endangered, or in other words, near extinction. You may be wondering why so many birds are in trouble. There are multiple reasons accounting for this threat, such as the expansion of cities, pollution, or clearing of forests. However, one of the largest threats to bird survival is habitat loss. Habitats are like your house: they provide food, water, shelter, and space for the bird. And today, birds are losing their homes due to human impacts. For example, humans have converted 290 million acres of native grasslands into agricultural fields within North America. These rolling hills of grasses and flowers are one of the most rapidly disappearing habitats in the western hemisphere and are home to many bird species, such as a “ricebird” called the bobolink. With fewer and fewer grasslands to breed and live in within the last 40 years, our bobolink populations have decreased by 50 percent.

So what can we do to keep or regain habitat for birds? Organizations of people across the country aim to reduce the threat of habitat loss by building sanctuaries or conservancies. These sanctuaries and conservancies are refuges for birds because they protect, manage, and restore habitats that birds depend upon. Thinks of these places as hotels. When birds are in need of a new home, looking for places to find a partner and raise a family, or searching for a place to rest while traveling south for the winter, a bird will ‘check in’ to one of these hotels. Here, a bird may visit family and friends, eat lots of natural food, drink clean water, swim in the pool, and sleep in a safe space. Sounds fun, right?

Additionally, every bird species is unique and requires certain characteristics in their habitat. Therefore, a ‘hotel’ staff must work hard and long to create and maintain a sanctuary or conservancy that provides a vast array of habitats for as many bird and wildlife species as possible. For instance, you may find habitats ranging from tallgrass prairies and oak savannahs to mature hardwood forests and temperate rainforests to open wetlands and coastal beaches in a conservancy or sanctuary.

But sanctuaries and conservancies cannot build themselves. Watch these two videos and learn how avian stewards like you can help sanctuaries and conservancies reach to the skies and create quality habitat for birds.

Our educational partner, American Transmission Company (ATC), supported the video content above. To learn more about their pollinator program, check out the link below. Also, look out for ATC's new bird identification field guide! Book copies may be purchased at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Greenbay, Wisconsin.

Okay, we admit that harnessing the biochemical reaction of yeasts converting the carbohydrates in corn mash into ethanol is pretty slick (as ancients discovered eons ago, though they didn't use fancy enzymes in the process).

And we suppose the ancient cultures may have used the leftover fermented mash to feed animals. But unlike ages ago, today's ethanol production facilities produce something called DDG or "dried distiller's grain" that is shipped around the world.

Before we get into what we do with the co-products of ethanol production, let's first get that ethanol into your fuel tank. The process is pretty straightforward. Once it's extracted, it's stored then shipped to terminals where it's blended with conventional hydrocarbon based fuels such as gasoline. One very cool reason they blend it is that ethanol actually increases the "octane" or combustion performance of fuels plus reduces burnt fuel emissions. That's one "two-for" in dealing with ethanol. Watch the video here to get the full story.

The second "two-for" is the co-products they produce from the by-products of the process. The first biggie is DDG (dried distiller's grain). It's a high-protein dried corn meal that is used primarily for animal feed for both livestock and poultry. It's gained such widespread use that it's shipped on freighters around the world and ultimately helps feed populations in distant lands such as the far-east nations.

And just when you thought you were done with the co-products, some engineer holds up a bottle of oil... distiller's corn oil that's a prime feed-stock that's used in making biodiesel. But that's another story for later on. Be sure to check out those biodiesel science videos and lesson under the Energy category.

To further decode the technology of ethanol and co-product production, have your teacher download the lesson activities below for hours of peer-driven learning in your classroom with your peeps. You can also learn lots more by reading the advanced information in the Learn More section below by clicking on the icon.

To learn about the production of biodiesel, another important biofuel, explore our videos and lessons ethanol. You’ll find them in the Energy Category on the Home page.

For fun, also take a moment and check out the jazzed ethanol industry careers video on the right. Then, click the link of our educational partner here to dig even deeper into the science of ethanol production.