The Lawrence Hall of Science
The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.
Open Daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Animal Discovery Zone 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
We’ll bring our science programs to you.
We partner with school districts to support science learning. We offer district-wide elementary, middle, and high school programs, either virtually or in-person.
We collaborate with a range of partners to innovate in science education. Together, we go further.
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A guide to how student and nature-centered teaching approaches offer opportunities for the development of Social Emotional Learning competencies.
How Jill and Becca of YMCA Camp Seymour took their time and to effectively work towards student and nature-centered teaching and curriculum design.
A summary of how changing pre-program classroom visits to emphasize observation instead of memorizing facts led students to be excited to engage with nature.
Two examples of organization leaders changing policies to support learner-centered instruction.
The Ocean Institute reflects on how BEETLES approaches apply across disciplines, describing how student and nature-centered teaching strengthened their history programming.
Luana Rivera Palacio shares how she implemented BEETLES in a day program and their approach to hiring instructors that reflect the communities they serve.
Tara Fuad shares how BEETLES materials and approaches transformed teaching and learning at her site– and how changing program policies helped make it happen.
Seth Weinberg of Westminster Woods describes how changing daily “tone-sets” led students to be more excited and prepared to proactively engage in their education.
Gregory Bahr of San Joaquin Outdoor Education shared how he used BEETLES approaches and resources to shift organizational practices to support student-centered and nature-centered teaching.
Jenny McGuigan of Tremont shares how BEETLES professional learning sessions helped reveal where their organization wanted to be, and how student activities offered ways to get there.
Sometimes program policies or structure unintentionally hinder high quality student experiences. Learn how San Mateo Outdoor Education changed policies to better support high-quality teaching/learning.
In 2019, Waskowitz Outdoor Education Center hired BEETLES to develop a curriculum for their 4-day residential outdoor school program focused on ecosystems, science practices, sense of place, and connection to nature.
An educator describes using I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds Me of to support stress relief and Social Emotional Learning with classroom students.
Meredith von Trapp of Waskowitz Outdoor Education Center describes a 4-day residential outdoor school curriculum focused on ecosystems, sense of place, and connection to nature.
Brooke Teller of Portland Public Schools shares how she leveraged CARES funding and support from local businesses to implement district-wide outdoor teaching during the pandemic.
McCall Outdoor Science School describes how their existing partnerships K-12 school district led to the creation of an in-person outdoor learning program during the pandemic.
Korena David of Foothill Horizons Outdoor School shares tips and techniques for engaging groups of 30+ students in student and nature-centered learning.
The AEES shares how convening statewide and regional summits strengthened relationships and the quality of teaching among organizations in Alabama.
Student journals should require original student thought and direct engagement with the environment. We recommend these pages be the bulk of a program’s journal.
Field guides are a useful, student-centered strategy for introducing content to students. Below is a list of field guides we’ve used, created, or had recommended from partners.
Learners should engage directly with nature as often as possible during outdoor science experiences. Here’s things we recommend instructors carry that help learners do that.
This Guide is a planning tool to support leaders to successfully implement change in their organizations and programs.
Check out this article in Clearing by Kevin and Craig, introducing environmental educators to the BEETLES Project.
This brief shares impact results from the BEETLES project’s 2011-2015 Field Testing process.
An approach to create school site maps that highlight walkable destinations and routines organized for K–5 from Green Schoolyards America!
This session explores how any activity that provides evidence of student thinking can be used to inform instruction and promote further learning.
Field journaling is a powerful practice that supports observation, thinking, and learning. This session explores how field journaling can be used to support learner engagement and science learning.
Chaperones are integral parts of outdoor science programs. This short guide includes three versions of what an instructor or program leader could do with chaperones to prepare them specifically to support outdoor science learning and the group’s nature exploration.
This short summary offers context about the Next Generation Science Standards and opportunities for supporting NGSS-aligned instruction in outdoor science schools.
This resource can help programs create effective new outdoor science activities for use by multiple instructors across a program and adapt and revise existing activities.
A set of tools to support organization leaders in creating a reflective learning culture on staff, and in coaching instructors to improve their practice.
What can effective virtual outdoor science experiences look like? This blog post offers examples and ideas.
A guide on how to engage students positively from the beginning by creating an environment in which they can be the best versions of themselves.