K-12 Rangeland Resources
Numerous agencies, organizations, and other groups have developed full curriculum around range science. The following links provide lesson plans, along with resources including project ideas, powerpoint, and more.
Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission – Scientifically-based educational materials are created for a target audience of K-12 teachers and students in traditional and non-traditional settings. These lessons and activities were written and approved by Idaho teachers.
- At Home on the Range, Grades 3 -5, Students investigate rangelands by growing their own grass to represent a beef or sheep ranch.
- At Home on the Range, Grades 6 – 8
- Homes on the Range, Grades 3 – 5, Students design a board game that reinforces how rangelands provide habitat for livestock and wildlife while benefiting humans, animals, and plants and explore the responsibilities of a range manager.
Federal Lands: Ranching & Recreating on Common Grounds, Grades 9-12, Using various forms of maps, students will analyze public lands in the western United States, describe how ranchers raise food and fiber on federally owned land, and discuss different points of view concerning public lands use and public lands grazing.
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Project WILD K – 12 Guide – The goal of Project WILD is to develop awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment resulting in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment.
Soil Science Society of America’s Soils 4 Teachers – We’ve curated a collection of lessons, hands-on activities, labs, readings, and more – all about soils and topics related to soils – and in a searchable database.
International Year of Soils – Activity Guides and Educational Material Kits curated by Soil Science Society of America.
Nevada Department of Agriculture Science & Social Studies in the Sagebrush Steppe, Grades 6-9 – An extensive list of resources for teachers on subjects such as sagebrush ecosystem, soil health, fire ecology, livestock grazing, sage grouse habitat, and encroachments and invasives.
Several free curriculum have been developed to educate students about wildland fires and their role in the ecosystem.
Multiple State Extension programs provide free eduacational resources and sample curriculum to teach range science in the classroom. The links below show just a few samples:
University of California Cooperative Extension – A fourth through sixth grade curriculum introducing rangelands, their functions, why they are important, and how to protect them.
Colorado State University Extension – Source Unit for Colorado Teachers, Range and Pasture Management, 3rd Edition
Idaho – Blacks Creek Bird Reserve: Outdoor Classroom and Service Learning Proposal – A service learning course for BSU students and an outdoor classroom for local high school biology students using the Blacks Creek Bird Reserve. The classes would teach high school students about wildlife, vegetation, geology/soils, and predator/prey relationships.
Texas – Welder Wildlife Foundation – Our programs utilize hands-on, field-based activities focused on South Texas ecology, management and natural history of native plants and animals . contemporary conservation issues.
FFA and 4-H students have multiple opportunities to test their rangeland skills at range judging competitions. Below are several examples of range projects and CDE’s within the youth organizations.
Washington State FFA Rangeland CDE – Click here for an example of a large Western Rangeland CDE competition and resources to prepare to compete in such an event.
Montana 4- H Project, Range Science Management, Level 1 – In this project you will learn the importance of rangeland, how rangeland is managed and how to identify common rangeland plants.