Online Environmental Learning Activities & hereinhouston.org

With school districts closed, those of us with school-age children are taking up the mantle of teachers, looking for resources to keep them engaged educationally during this very trying time. Thankfully, many of our member organizations, and others, are stepping up to the challenge. In addition to the following resources, visit CEC’s hereinhouston.org website to learn about other environmental education resources.

• Houston Audubon’s new digital library of resources is available at houstonaudubon.org where you will find games, interactive activities, and learning tools for you and your family. Webcams are set up at Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary and Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary for a virtual birding experience. The Cornell Lab has some wonderful bird cams from around the nation too. Note: Houston Audubon has closed its offices and sanctuaries through April 3.
• Houston Zoo is offering daily updates through its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, as well as Facebook Live events each weekday at 11 a.m.
• Children’s Museum of Houston is offering both Learn at Home activities and Facebook Live videos daily. For more information, visit cmhouston.org.
• ECOGIG Ocean Ecosystem Research offers “School’s Out Science,” which can be accessed through their YouTube channel.
• EcoRise offers its At-Home Learning Resources page, feauring STEM and sustainability lessons to engage PreK–12th grade students at home, on- and off-screen. 
• The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary has many educational materials for people of all ages available at flowergarden.noaa.gov.
• Galveston Bay Foundation is offering “At Home With The Bay,” a weekly series of educational videos featuring a virtual lab, conservation craft, talk with a Bay biologist and an activity of the week.
• The National Environmental Education Foundation is offering activity guides and citizen science projects for children of all ages to learn about environmental education. Learn more at neefusa.org.
• The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is offering a wealth of science-based learning activities. Learn about them at noaa.gov.
• The North American Marine Environment Protection Association is offering a “Parent Survival Series,” featuring lesson plans for K-12 students. Learn more at namepa.net
• Texas State Aquarium is offering daily Aquavision educational videos on the Facebook page.
• Texas Wildlife Association offers on-demand webinars that are interactive and include a follow-along worksheet. Also, there are digital copies of the Critter Connection magazine, which include local wildlife information, vocabulary builders, crafts and easy activities to do at home.  
• The World Ocean Observatory is sharing a compilation of home-study tools and resources for teaching and learning about the ocean.