Education
Marion SWCD can bring many hands-on activities to your classroom, homeschool, 4-H, Scouts, or other youth organizations. Programs are available on a wide range of topics and are designed to meet proficiency and content standards.
Each program is approximately 30-45 minutes in length. The District provides this service FREE OF CHARGE to groups located within Marion County. Most programs can be adjusted to any age or skill level. For more information or to schedule a program, contact our Public Outreach Coordinator Diane Awbrey at diane.awbrey@oh.nacdnet.net
Soil:
Grades: 1st
- Soil Sort – This lesson encourages students to think about the differences in soil. We will begin the lesson with discussion on why soil is important, and then we will head outside to collect some soil samples. The class will be broken into small groups and each group will examine a soil sample to determine where the soil came from, and what its makeup is.
Grades: 2nd-3rd
- Soil Salad – This is a reinforcement of the science standard living and non-living. This is a fun interactive program to teach 2nd-3rd about the “ingredients” of soil.
Grades: 3rd-6th
- Soil Erosion – This program is a hands-on approach to learning about soil erosion! Single class booking is required for this program, as students will be grouped into smaller groups of 3-4 students to work with soil, water, and organic materials to create soil erosion with wind and water!
Agriculture:
Grades: PreK-6th
- Celebrating the Corn Harvest – Informing students on Ohio agriculture allows the students a better understanding of how today’s food is produced. It also allows our youth to explore one of the most important sectors of our economy; by educating students on the importance of corn and the role it plays in our everyday lives, it will help them appreciate local agriculture. We will accomplish this by focusing on how corn is grown, the different types, growth needs, harvest and products made.
Grades: 1st-3rd
- From Farm to Lunch Box – Students will work in small groups to learn what a healthy lunch choice would be and then we will dig deeper and learn the farm – production – transportation – store – lunch box chain for these favorite lunch choices!
Conservation-Natural Resources:
Grades: PreK-1st:
- We All Need Trees – This will cover the various tree parts, structure, uses for humans and animals, and products that are made from this great natural resource.
Water:
Grades: PreK-1st
- Pond Life – We will read a book about pond life, look at real animals from the pond. The goal is to help the students learn about a local habitat and compare it to an ocean habitat.
Grades:3rd-6th
- Water Pollution “CSI” – This is for 3rd – 6th grade students based in the 1800’s (great for history class as well). A killer has swept through the streets of London; hundreds are dead! Through a series of clues, students solve a mystery to discover that water can also produce negative effects for people. We will analyze data to solve water pollution mysteries.
Grades: PreK-2nd
- Fred The Fish – Fred the Fish will visit the classroom to help students have a better understanding of water pollution.
Wildlife:
Grades: PreK-2nd
- Butterfly Lifecycle – We will begin the lesson by reading a story about the butterfly lifecycle, then we will talk about local butterflies and finish with making a butterfly lifecycle out of pasta.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Wild Turkey – This is a wonderful program for around the Thanksgiving holiday. Real turkey props will be brought for the class to view. The history, characteristics, habitat, and other interest areas all about the wild turkey will be covered.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Pelts – Marion County native animal pelts are brought in and can be used for hibernation, mammal studies, nocturnal, habitats, carnivore, herbivore, omnivore and specific characteristics to fit your age content standard. Pelts available are: raccoon, mink, coyote, red fox, white-tailed deer, beaver, opossum, muskrat, and skunk.
Grades: 3rd-5th:
- Habitats– This hands-on activity can be completed outside if your school yard offers natural materials, if not, we will complete it indoors, with provided materials! Each group of students will be given a life like Ohio animal, fact card, and materials to build a suitable habitat. Each group will then report on what they built, why and give facts on their animal.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Bats – This program will take a closer look at the only true flying mammal. We will cover echolocation, diet, species, and much more! This is a perfect program for around Halloween or any time.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Frogs and Toads – What is a frog? What is a toad? Are they the same? We will discover the differences in habitats, appearances, where their young are laid, and the life cycle changes. As well as many more interesting facts!
Grades: 3rd-6th
- Insect Escape – What is an insect? This escape room type program will begin by grouping the class into groups of 4-5 students. The program will cover many areas, such as pest-benefit, characteristics, defense mechanisms, and more! All while students learn to use teamwork, solve puzzles using cyphers, and apply knowledge and use critical thinking and problem solving, all while learning!
Grades: 3rd-4th
- Lifecycles – Students will sort out various stage cards to complete a lifecycle. We will determine is it complete metamorphosis, an incomplete, or just a lifecycle. Traits will be compared for the young to adult to find similarities and differences, we might even play charades and act them out for the group!
Grades: PreK-6th
- Ohio Owls – Take a closer look at Ohio owls and learn all about these interesting nocturnal raptors. Topics covered will be species differences, feathers, vision, hearing, habitat, and many other great facts.
Grades: 2nd-6th
- Owl Pellets – Owl pellet dissection can be scheduled for extended study of owls and their food chain.
Grades: PreK-6th
- Bald Eagles – This program is all about our National symbol the bald eagle. Once an endangered species, learn about the exciting comeback of this majestic bird. I have some interesting props to share with your class; a taxidermied bald eagle replica on generous loan from Bloomfield’s Taxidermy, replica talons, egg, nest and wingspan.
Grades: 3rd-6th
- Wildlife CSI – Oh No! There has been a murder!! Who killed the Eastern Cotton tailed Rabbit? Students will look over the crime scene, hear clues from an eye witness, interview the suspects, and try to solve this mystery!
Grades: 3rd-6th
- Feather CSI – Students will look over the crime scene to find the suspect and animal killed! This program students will incorporate mapping, measuring, language arts and analytical and some creative thinking to solve this crime!
Grades: 3rd-6th
- Animal Escape Room – Students will work together incorporating mapping, language arts and analytical and some creative thinking to solve this hands-on program! The program will cover ecosystems, habitat needs, animal classifications, and more!
Other School Opportunities:
Grades: 9th-12th
- Envirothon – The Envirothon is a multi-disciplinary, environmental problem-solving culminating in a series of annual competitions. Teams of five high school students (grades 9-12) train and compete in the areas of soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatics and current environmental issues at regional, state, and national levels.
2026 Current Environment Issues Topic: Non-Point Source Pollution: It begins at home!
2026 Envirothon Dates:
Area 1:
State:
National: Starkville, Mississippi – July 19-25, 2026
View past tests and results.