Bio meaning life and diversity mean variety; biodiversity is the variety of life at every trophic level from microorganisms to the largest species of plants and animals. Biodiversity is a critical factor in a healthy environment, a part of the biosphere system. When parts of the system are not functioning well, the system starts to struggle, working inefficiently, or having the potential to break down completely.

An assessment of the best-known groups of U.S. plants and animals indicates that as many as one-third of America’s species are vulnerable, one in five is in danger and at high risk of extinction. It is critically important we provide children numerous opportunities to appreciate the natural world and teach them the skills required to be stewards of the land and its inhabitants.

More than 85 percent of flowering plants require an insect for pollination, which allows for fruit and seed production. These fruits and seeds are a part of the diet of about 25 percent of birds and many mammals. Each year pollinators affect $577 billion in global crops, including $235 billion in the United States. Native bees pollinate an estimated 15 percent of U.S fruit, nut, vegetable, and field crops.

Planting a pollinator garden doesn’t have to be a big undertaking. Any size is excellent. From window and patio planters to home gardens, to pathways and roadsides, to acres of prairies and meadows - all can support pollinator populations. Besides the usual habitat elements, food, water, shelter, and a place to raise young, pollinator habitats have some specific qualities.

● Use plants that provide nectar and pollen sources;

● Be situated in sunny areas with windbreaks;

● Create “pollinator targets” of native and non-invasive plants;

● Establish continuous bloom throughout the growing season; and

● Eliminate or minimize the impact of pesticides.

Just like humans, wildlife also requires a healthy diet to survive. As humans, we’ve become accustomed to having the foods we like at any time of the year, but there was a time when we relied more on the wild game, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains available in a particular season. So when you hear someone say a food item is “in season,” they’re referring to the times of year when the harvest or the flavor of a given type of food is at its peak. It also appeals to people who prefer a low carbon diet that reduces greenhouse gas emissions (food miles) resulting from food consumption.

We could learn a little something from wildlife who always eat a low carbon diet and rely on what’s in season to meet their food needs. Eating a healthy diet gives both wildlife and humans the energy needed to keep all their body systems functioning in proper order. In the activity below, you will help children understand the term “in season” and how it’s vital to the planet and to keep our body healthy and full of the energy it needs. Also, you’ll be looking at five different birds and their healthy, in-season eating habits that get them through the cold winter months.

Like all insects, a bee’s body is divided into three parts: a head with two antennae, a thorax with six legs, and an abdomen. All bees have branched hairs somewhere on their bodies and two pairs of wings. Only female bees have stingers. Many bee species have black and yellow coloration, but many do not—they come in various colors, including green, blue, red, or black. Some are striped, and some even have a metallic sheen. They range in size from large carpenter bees and bumblebees to the tiny Perdita minima bee, which is less than two millimeters long.

There are over 20,000 bee species worldwide, including the honey bee, which originated in Eurasia and has been imported worldwide as a domesticated species. Wild bee species live on every continent except Antarctica. In North America, there are approximately 4,000 native bee species occupying ecosystems from forests to deserts to grasslands. Bees feed exclusively on sugary nectar and protein-rich pollen from flowering plants, unlike the predatory wasps from which they evolved. As they forage, bees perform the critical act of pollination. Bees pollinate a staggering 80 percent of all flowering plants, including approximately 75% percent of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables grown in the United States. Though all female bees can sting, they only do so when threatened.

Unlike the hive-forming domesticated honey bee or wild bumble bee species, most bees are solitary nesters. They don’t form hives, create honey, or live a communal lifestyle. Instead, they lay their eggs in a series of tiny chambers in tunnels in the ground, hollow plant stems, or decaying wood.

Clouds are a familiar part of our human environment. Clouds affect our daily plans, and even children pay attention to them from a young age because of the many shapes they can take. Clouds are a key factor influencing local weather as well as the Earth’s climate system. They affect the temperature and energy balance of the Earth and play a significant role in controlling the planet’s long-term climate.

By observing clouds, we can get information about temperature, moisture, and wind conditions at different heights in the atmosphere. This information helps in predicting the weather. Observations of clouds also help us know how much sunlight reaches the ground and how easily heat from the ground and lower atmosphere can escape to space. Clouds play a central role in controlling the exchange of heat in the atmosphere, and changes in clouds over time can have significant climate impacts.

Raccoons live throughout the continental United States in woods, wetlands, suburbs, parks, cities, and anywhere there is cover, food, and water. Predators of raccoons include the coyote, fisher, bobcat, red fox, and great horned owl.

Raccoons are omnivores, meaning they will eat both meat and vegetables. They like grasshoppers, nuts, berries, mice, squirrels, and bird eggs. They are nocturnal and search for food at night. Raccoons are opportunistic feeders and are well known by people for their skillful attempts at stealing food from garbage cans in parks and neighborhoods.

Raccoons can get food that other animals cannot because they have nimble, almost hand-like paws that can grasp tree branches, nuts, fruits, and even the lids of garbage cans.

Raccoons are solitary, except during the breeding season, which occurs from January to June. Females usually have one litter a year, with three to seven offspring per litter.

This activity allows children to take action for the planet and express their ideas for change.

The first Earth Day, founded by Gaylord Nelson, was celebrated in 1970 to mobilize citizens around growing environmental concerns such as toxic waterways, the polluted atmosphere, litter, and dangerous chemicals. On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans — at the time, 10% of the total population of the U.S. — took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate a healthy, sustainable environment. By the end of 1970, the first Earth Day led to creating the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Today, Earth Day is celebrated worldwide and is marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behavior and advocate for policy changes.

Plants and animals in your neighborhood or community are essential to its health and resilience. There are numerous benefits from beautification to critical habitat for migratory birds. Taking time to observe and work with nature gives an appreciation for the role they play in a healthy ecosystem - an ecosystem we impact with our actions. As a part of a community, it’s important to know what wildlife and plant life need for survival and learn from local agencies and non-profit organizations how to protect wildlife and become a better nature steward. Remember each action we take has an impact on the environment. Our small actions add up and have a ripple effect on the delicate web of life.

In this activity, children will be assessing the green space or garden area(s) to see if they meet the criteria for certification from the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife™ program.

Wildlife habitat gardens are a haven for local birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Still, as the urban, suburban, and rural landscapes change, it is increasingly important citizens provide wildlife habitats of any size. By gardening for wildlife, not only are you creating a beautiful space and getting to play in the soil, but you are providing critical places for wildlife to thrive. The network of gardens around the country (over 230,000 gardens and over 7 million people), certified habitats, has committed to wildlife. They represent schools, backyards and patios, parks, churches, businesses, and entire communities.