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Conservation Education
Scout Programs
The District believes that conservation education extends to all ages; that children should develop an understanding of conservation at an early age to carry with them throughout their lives. We are happy to offer our completely free conservation programs to your troops, packs or camps to assist scouts in earning their merits. Click below to explore more!
Please contact Education Specialist Gwen Z. Roth or Education Assistant Niki Marengo for further information.
The District would love to take part in helping your scouts meet badge requirements. We offer conservation activities and presentations on a variety of topics and we are available to attend scout meetings, pack meetings or camps. Our education staff has been certified for Youth Protection.
Where? We are willing to meet with scouts at their usual gathering locations. If interested, we also offer the option for the scouts to come to the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District Office for programs. We are also flexible in that we can meet at a local Hamilton County park to discuss offered program topics such as wetlands, fossils and soils. Please contact our office to make arrangements. Below are the programs available for your troop! All Soils are Not Created Equal The properties of the various particle sizes of soil can be difficult to grasp - that’s why we get hands-on! Students will be given an introduction to sand, silt and clay before having an experience using senses of touch, sight and smell to explore the differences in each. We will also discuss properties such as porosity and permeability.
The Dirt on Soil Students will learn what six major components are needed to make soil and why it takes over 100 years to make an inch of topsoil. They will also learn how food is related to soil and some things they can do to help protect it. A soil horizon is brought into the classroom as a visual aid.
Edible Soil In this learning activity, participants will get an introduction into the composition, layers and life forms in our soil. They will then get to use pudding, sprinkles, cookies and chocolate chips to learn about what soil is made from and how important it is to our everyday life. **Please note: Food will be distributed that may cause allergic reactions in some participants.
Fabulous Frogs How do frogs grow from a tadpole to adult and what do they do along the way? Children will learn all about the fabulous world of frogs through an engaging story time. Afterwards they will create their own frog cycle craft, recall some things they learned and talk about how our actions might affect frogs and other amphibians in the water.
Global Market This interactive activity explores the economic decisions that countries and their citizens must make based on their resources. Students are individually given various amounts of money to shop in the Global Market, where they must make tough decisions in categories of food, water, health care, heat, education and luxury items. The class will examine the variety of decisions made and compare their monetary levels and choices to the countries they most closely represent while discussing societal and environmental impacts. Social Studies, Environmental Science, Reasoning, and Math skills are utilized.
The Magical World of Water Students will explore various stations and discover some of amazing talents of water! From cohesion and adhesion to the transformation of one form to another - water has many abilities that can amaze all. Pollution and watersheds will be lightly discussed also.
Ohio Fossils Rock! Participants will talk about the creation of fossils and get to know the unique history of Cincinnati during the Ordovician Period. Using fossils gathered locally, the group will identify some dominant fossils of Ohio, discussing some that are similar to present-day organisms. Everyone will get the opportunity to make their own fossil cast using playdoh and plaster-of-Paris and be able to take home their own fossils.
Rock ID with A Dichotomous Key This activity explores the rock cycle and the properties of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Formation, grain/crystal size and foliation are shown and explained before students use their knowledge to visit stations and use a dichotomous key to help them identify an assortment of rocks.
Water Wanders Using a 3-dimensional watershed model, students can easily see the relationships between human activity and the environment and what we can do to help protect local water quality. They will understand the concept of a watershed and learn the difference between point and non-point sources of pollution.
Wiggly Worms Students will discover the world of worms with the story “Tunneling Earthworms”; they will learn what they eat, how they survive, and what environment they live in. A worm bin will be brought into the classroom for kids to have a hands-on experience with worms and soil and investigate why the underground world is so important to us.
If you have any program topics that you would like to see added or have any questions, please contact Education Assistant Niki Marengo (
; 513-772-7645 x25) for further information * We supply the materials needed for programs. * We are available for up to two Scout meetings per month, so reserve your date soon!
Journey Programs Options
Below are the various programs that the district offers for the Girl Scout Journey sessions. The page numbers in parentheses refer to ideas presented for leaders in the "How To Guide".
Between Earth and Sky - Journey for Daises
Session One: (pg. 53)
The Dirt on Soils: The girls will be shown a soil horizon profile. They will learn why dirt is more than something they need to wash off their hands and clothes - there is a whole world going on under our feet! They will also have a chance to see and feel different soil types and textures. Session Two: (pg. 58)
Thirsty Plants: The group will talk about the soil, water and sun that plants need to grow and be healthy and compare those needs to those that people have. The group will do an activity illustrating the relationship between soil and plants, and will discuss the plant's role in wetlands. Session Three: (pg. 66)
Bob and Otto: We will read the story of a friendship between Bob the Butterfly and Otto the Earthworm and how both rely on each other and have an important role in their ecosystem. Afterwards the girls will have the opportunity to create their own butterfly and cocoon! Wonders of Water - Journey for Brownies
Session One: (pg. 45)
Water Wanders: Using a 3-D model of a community, we will discuss what types of pollution affect our waters. We will also discuss ways that the girls can make a difference in the water quality and how important it is to save water and keep it clean. Session Two: (pg. 55)
Round and Round the Water Goes: In this activity the girls will become a "magical" water drop and take a journey through the water cycle. They will visit different water cycle stations based on the roll of a dice, map their journey on paper, and create their own unique water cycle bead bracelet along the way! Session Three: (pg. 65)
* We supply the materials needed for programs.Be Water Wise: In this program we will discuss how much water is in the world and how much is freshwater, available for use. We will discuss water scarcity in parts of the world (and even our own country) and how important conservation is. An option for the girls to create their own water filter and learn how water is naturally filtered is also available. * We are available for up to two Scout meetings per month, so reserve your date soon!
Patch offerings for Juniors (4th and 5th grade)
Click below to link to program.
Water Fun - Precious Water
Be Water Wise Sum of the Parts Water Wonders - It’s in a Cycle
Round and Round the Water Goes Rocks Rock - Soil Sense
The Dirt on Soil Ohio Fossils Rock! Traveling Soil |
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HAMILTON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT :: 2009 |
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