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Tools & Resources
LESSONS | AUDITS | ACTION PLANS | ACTIVITIES
Engage students with topic-specific resources and curriculum to support building climate resilient communities.
The National Wildlife Federation provides educators with easy-to-implement, trusted curriculum and activities that help inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
According to studies, children’s academic performance in science, math, English, and social sciences increase when they have hands-on experiences with nature and the outdoors. These experiences in nature also help foster a strong sense of ownership and responsibility over their surroundings.
Take a look at our list of tools and resources educators can use to help students learn about wildlife, wild places, and conservation.
Browse through lesson plans and webinars designed for educating students about wildlife biology, life sciences, conservation, and more. In addition to this collection, the National Wildlife Federation's Eco-Schools USA program offers educational pathways for educators in participating schools to utilize in the classroom.
Ranger Rick®
Our flagship children's publication is an award-winning, photo filled nature magazine designed for kids ages 7 to 12. Named for the National Wildlife Federation's raccoon mascot, Ranger Rick has connected kids to nature for decades through the magazine and, more recently, online activities and mobile and iPad apps. Ranger Rick® magazine is a great tool for building nonfiction reading skills and conceptual science understanding in children. Make the most of your Ranger Rick subscription with educator guides for each issue.
Ranger Rick Jr.™
Specially designed for 4- to 7-year-olds, Ranger Rick Jr. magazine is filled with fun activities, simple stories and wild animals that developing readers love. The magazine features the characters Ricky Raccoon and Sammy the Skunk, who help children explore 36 pages of advertising-free, age-appropriate animal content.
Ranger Rick Cub™
The newest addition to the Ranger Rick magazine family, Ranger Rick Cub is a bi-monthly publication designed for children ages 0 to 4. In addition to educating toddlers about wildlife, Ranger Rick Cub teaches young children numbers, letters, and colors, as well as physical properties such as soft or big.
National Wildlife®
The National Wildlife Federation's flagship publication is an award-winning blend of in-depth articles and spectacular photographs about wildlife, wild lands, and efforts to conserve both.
The National Wildlife Federation partners with major motion pictures to offer educational materials for use in the classroom and at home. Through our educator guides and family activities, teachers and parents have the tools they need to increase kids' awareness of wildlife conservation and help them be better connected with the natural world long after the end credits have rolled.
The National Wildlife Federation offers Ranger Rick books for kids age 4 to 7, as well as 7 and up. Each Ranger Rick book is an invitation for kids to explore the natural world around them with Ranger Rick and friends as their personal guides.
The National Wildlife Federation is constantly working to evolve how we deliver wildlife and nature connections to kids, including ventures into mobile and tablet applications, and partnerships to bring Ranger Rick® to digital subscription services like Nook or Google Play.
Check out a few of our nature apps for kids:
Today the amount of time kids spend outside is alarmingly low, while screen time is at an all-time high. So the National Wildlife Federation is working to get American children, teens, and young adults out of their indoor habitat and into the great outdoors. By working with the major influencers of children's time, including teachers and caregivers, the goal is to make the outdoors a bigger part of kids' everyday lives. Through education programs like Eco-Schools USA and Trees for Wildlife™, the National Wildlife Federation is making this goal a reality.
Along with program-focused work, the National Wildlife Federation produced a series of special reports about connecting kids and nature. From improving children's sleep to enhancing classroom performance, these reports detail research about various approaches and benefits to connecting kids with the great outdoors. In addition to these reports, the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology Resource Center, part of the EcoLeaders program, provides a collection of case studies and reports on the higher education landscape.
Ready to take the next step toward getting your students involved? Check out these unique opportunities and ideas for educators.
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A groundbreaking bipartisan bill aims to address the looming wildlife crisis before it's too late, while creating sorely needed jobs.
Read MoreMore than one-third of U.S. fish and wildlife species are at risk of extinction in the coming decades. We're on the ground in seven regions across the country, collaborating with 52 state and territory affiliates to reverse the crisis and ensure wildlife thrive.
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