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From Campus to Coast

Activity

Following Trash Flow

Think about your school grounds. Where do you notice trash piling up? Imagine if this trash was not picked up—how might it eventually end up in the ocean? To understand this, trace the waterways near your school all the way to the ocean on a map. This will help you see how trash can travel from your campus to the sea!

a group of people in blue shirts with grey caps picking up trash in a flat wooded area

carious trash items, like plastic and debris caught in the retention barrier of a waterway

Science Seed

Marine trash and pollution are big problems for our oceans. Trash like plastic bottles, bags, and cans can end up in the sea, where it hurts sea animals and birds. Animals might mistake trash for food or get tangled in it, which can be dangerous for them. Pollution can also make the water dirty and unsafe. By recycling, picking up litter, and keeping trash out of creeks, rivers and streams, we can help keep our oceans clean and protect the animals that live there.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: TSBVI edition is a collaboration between Families in Nature and the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired as an effort to help our community learn more about the TSBVI campus, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 80 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn, and volunteer on campus!

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.