The North Carolina Museum of Natural Science created this resource as part of an online workshop series, but you are welcome to use or modify it for your classroom. It includes a video and written directions for creating nature journals and tips for incorporating them into your classroom. For information on taking any the Nature Neighborhood online workshops for CEUs or EE credit, visit: https://naturalsciences.org/learn/educators/online-workshops.

There are endless methods for decorating pottery, from the forming stage through final glazing and beyond. The students will explore decorations on various pottery pieces from different cultures. They will look at carved and painted designs as well as printed symbols and pictures that adorn the outer surfaces of pottery forms. We will also discuss how the designs relate to the individual cultures; expressing feelings, telling stories and following traditions. The students will also make a personal connection to their own pottery form and explain their individual connections and meanings through designs for their pottery (scratch art design). This lesson was developed by Belinda Coston as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.

Students will explore pottery through specific characteristics to form a vessel and discuss its meaning and its function. They will develop an understanding for the value and meaning of their objects based on the form and how it determines the pottery function (use). Their personal connections to what they know will determine their choices for the pottery form and its function. This lesson was developed by Belinda Coston as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.

The NC Kids' Exploration Journals are a fun educational tool to help youth explore their communities and natural surroundings! Each journal contains: 18 multidisciplinary activities with guided prompts, 6 lined journal pages for recording observations and reflections, and 4 blank pages for individual creativity.

The digital versions of the journal are designed to be printed out for students either as individual activities or in its entirety so that they can explore their school yard, local park, or own backyard. Though designed for 1st - 5th-graders, older audiences may enjoy them too! They are also available in both English and Spanish languages.

While supplies last, hard copies of the journals are currently available for free to teachers by contacting karen.ipock@ncdcr.gov.

Toony Tool is a free web tool that works on any device with a web browser. It allows students to be creative as they create their own cartoon/realistic scenes, comic scenes, posters or memes. It does not require a login. Pictures can be uploaded as well. Students can download or share their creations.