Programs

Leopold Education Project- The Leopold Education Project (LEP) is a supplementary middle and high school curricula correlated with the essays in Aldo Leopold's, A Sand County Almanac. LEP provides educators with a variety of practical, hands-on, minds-on activities designed to increase student's awareness of nature and help them develop a land ethic. Through observation, discovery and problem solving students fine-tune the skills necessary to be an ecologically literate citizen.

Butterfly Larvae- Raising butterflies captivates students' attention while teaching them about the life cycle, and the necessary requirements living things must have in order to survive in nature. The NRD provides District second grade classrooms with their own classroom set of painted lady butterfly larvae, food and simple instruction on how to construct their own butterfly cage. For more photos, click here.
Arbor Day Tree Seedlings- To help youth learn about the importance of trees and the role they play in our lives, the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District sponsors an Arbor Day tree Program. This program provides free seedlings to third grade students in the District. In addition, a resource and activity guide for teachers and a classroom program "Terrific Trees" is also available. Information letters and tree order forms are sent to schools in March. Trees are delivered to participating schools in April.
Educator Scholarships- The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District offers scholarships to educators wishing to expand their knowledge of natural resources and environmental issues by participating in summer classes, workshops or conferences. Educators must teach or reside within the NRD's boundaries. Summer classes, conferences or workshops must be specifically related to natural resources and environmental education. Acceptable examples include Nebraska Environmental Education Association Conference, Project WET, Project Wild, Agriculture in the Classroom, etc. Upon application approval, the District will provide a scholarship for up to 50% of registration and program costs (excluding transportation). Scholarships will be awarded directly to the recipients upon completion of the approved program.
Educator Workshops- Project WET* (Water Education for Teachers) is a collection of innovative, water related activities that are hands-on, easy to use and fun! Providing a thorough water education program, the activity guide addresses water's chemical and physical properties, quantity and quality issues, aquatic wildlife, ecosystems and management strategies. Project WET activities promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills and help provide young people with the knowledge and experience they will need to make prudent decisions regarding water resource use.
Project Learning Tree* (PLT) uses the forest as a "window on the world" to increase student's in grades K-12 understanding of our complex environment. PLT teaches not only about trees, but also has informative lessons about land, air and water. These lessons help to instill in students the confidence and commitment to take responsible action on behalf of the environment.
Project WILD* is an interdisciplinary, conservation and environmental education program that emphasizes wildlife. This newly revised program consists of supplementary curriculum materials for educators of students in grades K-12. Project WILD capitalizes on the natural interest that children and adults have in wildlife by providing hands-on activities that enhance student learning in all subject and skill areas. The activities in Project WILD foster responsible actions toward wildlife and related natural resources.
Leopold Education Project- The Leopold Education Project (LEP) is a supplementary middle and high school curricula correlated with the essays in Aldo Leopold's, A Sand County Almanac. LEP provides educators with a variety of practical, hands-on, minds-on activities designed to increase student's awareness of nature and help them develop a land ethic. Through observation, discovery and problem solving students fine-tune the skills necessary to be an ecologically literate citizen.

Earth Wellness Festival- Lower Platte South NRD is proud to be a co-sponsor of this award winning, educational event. Held at Southeast Community College in Lincoln this annual festival held in March involves 5th grade students from Lancaster County in creative, educational, hands-on activities that will increase their awareness of the environment. In preparation for the festival, classroom kits are delivered to participating schools in the fall. Each kit includes a variety of activities and materials that help students learn about natural resources. Teachers can use these kits throughout the year to supplement their classroom units. Concepts covered in the kit activities are reinforced at the earth wellness festival. At the festival each class attends different sessions that explore the relationships and interdependency of land, air, water and living resources. A culmination activity presented by special "select guests" rounds out the student's Earth Wellness Festival. The success of this educational program is due in large part to the many volunteers and presenters that participate. *The 2008 Earth Wellness Festival will take place on Wednesday, March 19 & Thursday, March 20, 2008 at Southeast Community College in Lincoln!*
Stewardship- Each year, the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District offers Soil & Water Stewardship materials to the schools in our District at no cost! These materials include activity booklets for K-6 students, overview booklets for educators, activity sheets, and bookmarks.
Teacher Open House- A teacher open house is held at the Lower Platte South NRD office every other year. Come and get great activities and ideas to use in your classroom. Watch for details on the October workshop!