This episode unravels some of the foundational chemistry that affects everything on planet earth.

It begins with the primary conversion of simple chemicals into complex compounds that form the building blocks of all life.

Using the further conversions that occur in a dairy cow, the ITO team decodes how plant material is converted to a variety of dairy-related foods that impact our lives.

They also explore both the history and hands-on science that viewers can take into their kitchens to learn more for themselves with simple experiments… about the chemistry of life.

We are all aware of global warming, but did you know there are many solutions which currently exist or are being developed that can slow or stop climate change? There are many ways you and your family can make a difference. Follow Into the Outdoor Adventure Team members as they explore different climate solutions.

Veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitators both offer medical care for animals. How are these jobs similar and how are they different? Though veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitators both provide medical care for animals, such as assessing and treating illnesses and disease, there are several differences. Most veterinarians treat pets or farm animals that belong to owners who know the animal's history, diet and daily routines. Wildlife rehabilitators treat hundreds of different species, and they have no background information regarding the animal's illness or injury. Wildlife rehabilitators care for the animals 24-7, which might include hand-feeding and regular cleaning, until the animals are ready to be released back into the wild.

Humans share this planet with wildlife. What are some ways that we can protect and care for wild animals? And why is that important? There are many simple things we can do to protect wildlife, such as: disposing garbage properly, keeping house cats indoors, preserving wild habitats, using window decals, and avoiding use of traps or poison. Valuing the life of wild animals teaches us to be compassionate to others.

In this Into the Outdoors episode, we learn about fishing with a spincaster, boater safety, and how to catch a fish like a pro. Watch as Into the Outdoors Adventure Team members Solomon and Gracie work through everything you need to know to get started as they spend a day on the water. Come along for the fishing adventure and the fun! Are you ready?

Find links to the Into the Outdoors @Home topic videos below. These custom learning videos are designed to share with your entire classroom. You’ll also find other educational content, including custom lesson activities that blend peer-driven learning and hands-on activities.

The information in our video and on this page was made possible by our educational partners.

Join us in this Into the Outdoors episode as we welcome the elk back to Wisconsin! But wait...maybe you didn’t even know they left? 

Elk were completely eliminated in Wisconsin for over 130 years due to unregulated hunting and loss of habitat, but in recent years, restoration programs, conservation groups and Native tribes have worked together to successfully reintroduce elk to wilderness areas where they once roamed. 

Watch as Adventure Team members Zach and Aubrey investigate what makes these animals important to the Ojibwe tribes, and how conservation, treaty rights and public lands played a role in their return.

In this Into the Outdoors episode and related Into the Outdoors @Home topic videos, we learn how and why the Ojibwe tribes worked so hard to bring the elk back to Wisconsin. We also learn about Native American Treaty Rights and their impact on the elk reintroduction.

Find links to the Into the Outdoors @Home topic videos below. These custom learning videos are designed to share with your entire classroom. You’ll also find other educational content, including custom lesson activities that blend peer-driven learning and hands-on activities.

The information in our video and on this page was made possible by our educational partners.

If you found an injured wild animal, what would you do? There are many myths and misinformation about how to rescue animals, and doing the wrong thing can add stress or make the situation worse. The best thing to do is to contact a professional wildlife rehabilitator.

 

In this episode, Into the Outdoors Adventure Team members, Zach and Sophie come across an injured young bird. Professional rehabilitators from Fellow Mortals Wildlife Hospital in Lake Geneva, WI, help them sort through the “dos and don’ts” of wildlife rescue: when to leave it alone, how to contain it, keep it warm and seek additional care.

 

Students will also learn about career and volunteer pathways in wildlife rehabilitation through interviews with Fellow Mortals staff. Wildlife rehabilitators offer medical care to animals, like veterinarians do, but they see hundreds of different species! They care for the animals 24-7, which might include hand-feeding and regular cleaning, until the animals are ready to be released back into the wild.

 

Zach and Sophie celebrate how compassion prompted them to act as "Wildlife First Responders" and seek care, which ultimately saves the bird’s life. They share additional information on how we all can help prevent injuries or orphaning of wild animals.

 

 

Why had few people in the United States before 1900, ever heard of the pea-sized yellow beans called "soybeans", much less eaten them? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video 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.

But this amazing little legume from East Asia has been creatively processed into edible staples – think tofu and soymilk – and ate by the Chinese for thousands of years. Soy foods from China have slowly grown in popularity in the United States in the past several decades.  Today, soy foods have joined the ranks of spaghetti and tacos as popular ethnic cuisines in mainstream America. The reach of soy goes far beyond adding soy sauce to our stir fry’s and stocking edamame on our supermarket shelves.

More than any other plant, soybeans have shaped our lives by revolutionizing the way we eat, travel, grow food, and build cars and homes. But how can one little bean have this big of an impact?

Well let's find out by watching this video. Or better yet, let's share the video with the whole classroom then take it to another level with the companion Lesson Guide.

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson guide 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. So click on their logo to discover more!

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!