Green Hands USA: America Volunteers

We may be in the depths of winter now, but spring is just around the corner, and many species of birds, butterflies, and other species are about to start their long migrations. Kids across the countries will be paying attention and learning about migration through the free Journey North program.

Journey North is a popular, free, Internet-based program that explores the interrelated aspects of seasonal change. Through interrelated investigations, 300,000 students in 6,000 schools will discover that sunlight drives all living systems. They will also learn about the dynamic ecosystem that surrounds and connects them.

The program is broken into three exciting components:

  * Sunlight and the Seasons: Children study seasonal change in sunlight in a global game of hide and seek called Mystery Class. (Mystery Class started January 30.)
  * Plants and the Seasons: Children explore tulip growth in their own gardens, running an experiment that tracks the arrival of spring.
  * Seasonal Migrations: Children follow animal migrations. They observe, research, and report findings and watch journeys progress on live maps.

The Journey North website has tons of free lesson plans and other guides for teachers and their classrooms, as well as material for students and an ongoing news section as migration season proceeds.

Don't delay: teachers can register for free here.