Programs and events to help kids connect with the world. Serving Hancock County, Indiana and Indianapolis.

EcoLessons

Dani’s Dreams EcoLessons are hands-on lessons that come to you. A trained instructor will come to your classroom or group with everything that is needed for a 1-2 hour interactive science experience!

How to Start

Choose Lesson

Choose one or more lessons from the list below:

Farm to Table Sustainability
Here Comes the Sun
Bugs and Butterflies Up Close

Request Lesson

Complete this form to ​request your lesson(s).

We will contact you to finalize the schedule and provide you with some lesson ideas that you can use to prepare for our visit.

Request Lesson →

Enjoy!

We’ll come to your classroom/location at the scheduled time. You and your class will have a great time learning from our teacher! You’ll also receive lesson ideas that you can use after our teacher presents to your group

Dani’s Dreams team of high school mentors create lessons on STEAM topics such as solar energy, animal habitats, and photosynthesis. They come to your classroom to lead hands-on activities for elementary students.

Your school, preschool, homeschool co-op, Scout troop, or other group can be next!

Dani’s Dreams Education Activities meet state and national standards for Environmental Education Learning Opportunities.

Trails 12

 

EcoLesson Options

Schedule Lesson →

Farm to Table Sustainability

Where does our food come from? How do seeds become our food?

  • Learn where most of our food comes from and why it is important to care for the land
  • Follow common foods from where they originate to your table
  • Read a story about where our PB & J comes from
  • Create mini greenhouses to grow your own plant

Possible Activities:

  • Make a mini greenhouse or start seeds

Example Follow-Up Activities:

  • Make predictions
  • Watch seeds grow
  • Collect data
  • Analyze results

Animal Habitats/Endangered Species

What are native species and where do they live? What animals are endangered?

  • Discuss habitat and why it is important to care for animal habitats
  • Show examples of local wildlife with live animals

Possible Activities:

  • Help establish/maintain the school yard habitat
  • Make bird feeders

Example Follow-Up Activities

  • Predict what will happen to food on feeders
  • Collect data
  • Analyze results

Here Comes the Sun

How do we get energy from the sun? How do solar panels work?

  • Compare non-renewable vs. renewable energy
  • Focus on solar panels and how they create electricity
  • Create “solar” key chains that change color when in the sun

Possible Activity:

  • Make a solar bead bracelet

Example Follow-Up Activities:

  • Design a solar-powered toy
  • Create a solar oven
  • Create art using solar power

Bugs Up Close

Why are bugs and insects important to our environment? What is special about bugs?

  • Discuss the importance of bugs
  • Define the parts of an insect by learning a song
  • Observe live bugs and insects in the classroom

Possible Activities

  • Go on a nature walk to try and find various bugs and insects

Example Follow-Up Activities

  • Create an insect out of egg cartons
  • Research and write about a particular bug species

Or suggest a lesson! Do you have a lesson that you would like to have us share with your classroom or group? Contact us with your idea!

Sponsor an EcoLesson

Businesses and individuals can support these innovative programs for our students by sponsoring EcoLesson in local schools. A small sponsorship can go a long way in benefiting local students!

Sponsor →

Why Add an EcoLesson to Your Classroom?

  • Bring hands-on environmental education into your classroom to support your current science curriculum
  • Provide a program that is run by high school students. Teaching EcoLessons gives the student instructors experience outside their classrooms and helps them become better citizens. Kids get to learn from students who are positive role models!
  • Present lessons that also go along with the Learning Centers at the Dani’s Dreams Trails. EcoLessons are a perfect introduction or follow-up to a field trip.
  • Promote SUSTAINABILITY: Living on the Earth in a way that allows us to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources.

Empowering our students to enjoy STEM education in the classroom.

Notes from Teachers & Principals

The girls did a great job! Ana did an amazing job teaching the lesson at a kindergarten level. All of the ladies were kind and helpful. One of my students said, ‘This is the best day ever!’ Thanks for including us in your lesson!” — Brandywine Elementary teacher Kelli Whitaker

What a great idea, especially for our little school at Brandywine. We are exploring several options of how we might become more STEM-focused, so your ideas are a wonderful fit for us.”​ —Principal Mark Kem, Brandywine Elementary

What a great opportunity! Thank you for offering this to our students.” —​Teacher Jessica Walker