Grades 3–5 · Community science
Our Creek, Our Community
How can our class help take care of a shared outdoor space?
Students act as community scientists, using one shared soil or water sample to learn about a local shared space (schoolyard, park, or creek), then share their findings with families and neighbors to help protect it.
Grade band
Grades 3–5
Time required
5 class periods
Class size
20–30 students, one kit
Sample type
Soil, one vial
Standards and outcomes
- 3-LS4-4 — Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes.
- 4-LS1-1 — Internal and external structures support survival, growth and reproduction.
- 5-ESS3-1 — Obtain and combine information about ways individuals and communities protect Earth's resources.
- 5-LS2-1 — Describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, and the environment.
How one kit serves a whole class
The Starter Kit gives the whole class one soil sample tube and up to five target species, for $200, so every student contributes to one shared community investigation, no matter where the school is located.
Choose one
Research tracks
Track A — Meet Our Space
Community connection to nature
Driving question. What animals share this outdoor space with our school community?
Species to pick. Five animals that commonly use shared community spaces: a backyard bird, a small mammal, an insect-eating animal, a soil invertebrate, and a pollinator-friendly visitor.
What students take away. Students build pride and connection to a shared local space.
Track B — Helping Hands
Community stewardship
Driving question. What can our community do to help protect the animals living here?
Species to pick. Any five species selected by the class, used to spark a discussion of stewardship actions.
What students take away. Students design and share a real community action plan.
Track C — Before and After Cleanup
Measuring impact of care
Driving question. Does a class cleanup or planting day change what animals are detected later?
Species to pick. The same five species tested before and after a class stewardship event, such as a litter cleanup or native planting day.
What students take away. Students see a direct link between community action and habitat health.
The lesson sequence
Step by step, with teacher notes
- 01
Our Shared Space
45 minutesStudents discuss what a 'community' is and identify a shared outdoor space near school. They brainstorm which animals might already share that space with them.
Teacher notes
- Say: 'A community isn't just people — it includes all the plants and animals sharing this space with us.'
- Take a short walk (or view photos) of the chosen shared space before brainstorming.
- Vote as a class on five target species using picture cards.
- Remind students this project works for any shared space: a schoolyard, park, garden, or creek.
Materials
- Photos of the shared space
- Animal picture cards
- Community brainstorm chart
Student prompts
- What animals do you think already share this space with us?
- Why is it called a 'community' when it includes plants and animals too?
- What would make this a better home for animals?
- 02
Community Sample Collection Day
50–60 minutesFour crews collect soil (or water) from four different spots and combine it into one shared container. Family volunteers or school staff can be invited to help supervise, with the adult helper handling final sealing.
Teacher notes
- Only the teacher or adult helper fills and seals the official sample container.
- Say: 'Today our whole community — students, teachers, and helpers — works together to gather one sample.'
- Invite a family volunteer or staff member to help supervise crews, modeling real community teamwork.
- Have students wear gloves and follow the same careful collection steps used in other rounds.
- Label the sample together and take a class photo to share with families.
Materials
- Small trowels or sample cups
- Gloves
- Mixing container
- One official sample vial/tube
- Camera or tablet
Student prompts
- Crew 1 — collect from near plants.
- Crew 2 — collect from open ground or water.
- Crew 3 — collect from a shaded spot.
- Crew 4 — record weather, helpers present, and any animals seen.
- 03
Sharing the Science
40 minutes, during the 7–10 day waitWhile waiting for results, students design a simple flyer or announcement explaining the project to families and community members, and predict what the results might show.
Teacher notes
- Say: 'Good science is even better when we share it with our whole community.'
- Provide a simple flyer template with space for a drawing and three sentences.
- Ask: 'Who else in our community might want to know what we find?'
- Remind students that lab results take about 7 to 10 days.
Materials
- Flyer template
- Crayons or markers
- Community brainstorm chart from Phase 1
Student prompts
- Who in our community should hear about this project?
- What do you predict our results will show?
- Why is it important to share science with others?
- 04
Community Results Celebration
45 minutesThe class reviews the Field Journal results together, perhaps with invited family members present, and completes an 'I think / I saw / Because' sentence connecting findings to community stewardship.
Teacher notes
- Say: 'Let's celebrate what our whole community sample found together!'
- Model the sentence: 'I think our space is a good home for wildlife. I saw three of our five animals on the list. Because our community has kept it clean and full of plants.'
- Invite family members or school staff to the reveal if possible.
- Discuss kindly any species not found and what that might mean for future stewardship.
Materials
- Class Field Journal printout
- Sentence frame worksheet
- Celebration certificates
Student prompts
- I think our shared space is/isn't a healthy home for animals.
- I saw... (name an animal found on our results list).
- Because... (connect to community care or habitat conditions).
- 05
Our Community Action Plan
40 minutesUsing the results, students design one simple, real action their class or school can take to help protect the shared space, and present it to school leadership or families.
Teacher notes
- Say: 'Now that we know who lives here, what is one thing we can do to help them?'
- Offer simple action ideas: a cleanup day, a small native plant garden, a 'no litter' pledge, a wildlife-friendly sign.
- Have groups vote on one class action plan to actually carry out.
- Help the class present their plan to the principal, a family event, or a school newsletter.
Materials
- Action plan worksheet
- Poster paper
- Markers
Student prompts
- What is one simple action our class can take to help this space?
- Who do we need to ask permission from to carry out our plan?
- How will we know if our action plan is working?
Student handout
For every student
Thinking prompts
- Draw our shared community space and one animal living there.
- List the five species our class chose to test.
- Describe one job you did during sample collection.
- Write your prediction for what the results will show.
- Design one flyer sentence to share with families.
- Write one action idea for our community action plan.
Data sheet
- Date and time of sample collection:
- Weather that day:
- Sample type (soil or water) and collection spot notes:
- Helpers or family volunteers present:
- Any animals or animal signs seen during collection:
- Class prediction for each of the five species (found / not found):
Discussion questions
- Why is it helpful to include families and staff in a science project?
- How does taking care of a shared space help the animals living there?
- What responsibility does our whole school community share for this space?
- How could one small action, like planting native flowers, change future results?
- What did our class learn about teamwork during this project?
Field checklist
- Gloves on before touching sampling equipment.
- Each crew collects from its own assigned spot.
- Helpers and volunteers follow the same safety steps as students.
- Only the teacher or adult helper fills and seals the official sample container.
- Container labeled with class name and date right after sealing.
- Datasheet completed noting helpers, weather, and site conditions.
Analysis
Picture-based results analysis
- 1.Look at the class Field Journal chart together on the board.
- 2.Circle each of the five species that shows a 'found' picture.
- 3.Compare the results to the class's original predictions from Phase 1.
- 4.Fill in an 'I think / I saw / Because' sentence connecting results to community stewardship.
- 5.Color a simple bar chart showing how many species were found.
Assessment
20-point rubric
Community connection
5 ptsStudent explains why the shared space matters to the whole school community.
Following the collection job
5 ptsStudent follows their crew role safely and carefully during sample collection.
Reading the results
5 ptsStudent correctly identifies which species were found or not found on the Field Journal.
Community action plan
5 ptsStudent contributes a clear, reasonable idea to the class action plan.
Go further
Extensions
- Host a family science night to share the class's findings and action plan.
- Partner with a local conservation group or park staff member.
- Write thank-you notes to volunteers and helpers who supported the project.
- Repeat the sample after the class carries out its action plan to measure change.
For the teacher
Answer key and misconceptions
- A community includes the people, plants, and animals that share a space together.
- DNA evidence can show which animals are using a shared space even without seeing them directly.
- Community stewardship actions, like cleanups or native planting, can help protect habitat for animals.
- Results usually come back in 7 to 10 days.
- Sharing science with families and community members helps everyone care for a shared space together.