Join Chesapeake Bay Foundation educators Maya, Rick, and Norah as they lead you on a journey through the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Investigate how we are all part of a watershed as you twist and turn from the Appalachian Mountains, through the rivers and streams of Piedmont, all the way down to the Chesapeake Bay. Along your journey, you’ll meet the unique critters that call the watershed home. You’ll also explore what you can do in your own neighborhood to protect the environment and become a Backyard Bay Saver! 

Learn about migration, the seasonal movement of animals from one location to another. Join the Center staff and migratory bird experts as they explain why birds migrate, and the dangers that they may face along their journeys. Learn how to help migrating birds and why we should be concerned about more than just our own backyards.

Learn about one of the biggest impacts that humans have on their environment—Litter. It isn’t just an aesthetic problem; it has serious impacts on habitats, wildlife health, as well as human health and safety. The consequences of even small acts of littering can be far-reaching and long-lasting. Join the Wildlife Center staff and watershed conservation authorities to learn more about the problems litter can pose, as well as a variety of ways that you can help reduce litter.

 Today, you want to discuss how artists can help bring awareness of environmental changes through art. Introduce a few artists that use environmental change as their theme. It is a good idea to have several artists that use different kinds of mediums. Examples: Nils-Udo, Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Shilling, Agnes Denes, Chris Jordan, Benjamin Von Wong, Olafur Eliasson, Amanda Schachter, Rachel Sussman, and Mathilde Roussel. These are some environmental artists of different backgrounds and diversity that work in different medians.  Discuss how posters have been used to educate others on environmental changes. Show your teacher’s example of an educational and artistic environmental poster. Talk about your poster and the environmental concept that you chose as an example of not only the artwork but on a presentation as well.

Learn about lead toxicity and its effect on wildlife. Lead toxicity is a significant problem for Bald Eagles, vultures, and other birds of prey; more than two-thirds of eagles admitted to the Wildlife Center of Virginia have measurable levels of lead in their blood. Join the Wildlife Center staff and other experts to learn why lead poisoning occurs in wildlife, how it’s treated, and how we can work together to solve this preventable problem.

Minimize Pollution in the Environment is a lesson designed by a Health and Physical Eucation Teacher to support Health instruction. Created By: Libby Acampora Powhatan County Public Schools

 Learn the meaning of "One Health." One Health is a concept that connects the health of animals, people, and the environment. Each aspect is equal, important, and delicately intertwined. In this episode, Wildlife Center veterinary and rehabilitation staff, along with public health officials, explain One Health concepts and challenges and highlight how we can work together for the optimal health of all. 

Learn about a variety of ways that recreationists can minimize their effects on wildlife and the environment. That privilege of being outdoors comes with a great responsibility: learning and abiding by a proper set of “outdoor ethics.”

In this unit, students explore how plastic pollution is choking the world's oceans. Students learn about the history of plastic, how plastic ends up in the ocean, how plastic in the ocean impacts the ecosystem, and why it's so hard to remove plastic from the ocean once it's there. In the second half of the unit, students explore a variety of solutions for reducing plastic waste and reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean. Students will learn about large policy-based changes that can be made and also explore smaller voluntary actions they can take that will make a difference. Finally, students end the unit doing a research project aimed at educating others about the dangers of plastic and its impact on the environment.

In reading, this unit serves as the foundational informational unit of the year. Students will be challenged to explain the relationship between two or more scientific ideas, determine the meaning of domain-specific words, and understand the reasons and evidence the author uses to support a particular point. Since this is the first informational unit, routines and procedures for active annotation, discussion, and writing about reading should be introduced so that students are able to show understanding of the text and standards in multiple modes.

Learn about the importance of getting outside and cultivating a relationship with nature. While there is an increasing divide between people and the outdoors, we know that deep connections with nature are important to a human’s well-being. Why do we need this connection? What do nature and wildlife do for us? Join us to hear from a variety of nature enthusiasts on how and why they relate to nature, and how we can help others continue to grow and develop their relationships with the outdoor world.

Learn about wildlife research conducted at the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Rehabilitators and veterinarians treat tens of thousands of wild animals each year and are often the first to notice trends that contribute valuable insights to overall wildlife health. During the past 37 years, Center veterinarians have led a variety of research studies on wildlife health, using data from the patients admitted to the hospital. Join the Center staff and other wildlife professionals to learn about the critical role wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians play in caring for wildlife population health.