By Scout Nelson
In 2022, University of Nebraska-Lincoln lecturer and curator Cheryl Dunn recognized the need for stronger grassland education in schools. At a science teacher conference, she discovered many teachers lacked foundational knowledge about grasslands. “Teachers didn’t even know how to teach their students how to care about grasslands,” Dunn said.
Determined to fill this gap, Dunn partnered with colleagues and began developing lesson plans for K-12 classrooms. With contributions from educators and specialists, five lesson plans were created covering grassland ecosystems, soils, native plants, carbon, and threats to prairies. These lessons aim to spark awareness and appreciation for grasslands among young learners.
In July 2025, the team hosted the Teaching Ecology and Applied Sciences Using the Grassland Biome workshop at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Over five hours, middle and high school educators tested the lesson plans and provided feedback.
“I think there is value in going into K-12 classrooms… we’re also hopefully creating a spark in somebody that wants to do something in the department or in the sciences,” Dunn said.
The workshop was Nebraska’s contribution to the upcoming International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, declared by the United Nations for 2026. Another workshop is already scheduled for summer 2026, offering stipends and improved activities based on this year’s feedback.
To extend the project’s reach, Dunn and her colleagues are preparing educational trunks filled with lesson materials for teachers to borrow across the state. These trunks are modeled after those used by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for educational programs on wildlife and prairies.
The initiative is a collaboration of many educators and organizations. Graduate students, faculty, and partners across Nebraska contributed to lesson reviews, equipment, and outreach. “I don’t know what I envisioned, but it went way better than I imagined because it was just such a great collaboration,” Dunn said.
Ultimately, Dunn hopes the workshops and trunks will inspire students to value and protect grasslands. “Of course, I want to have more students to teach about grasslands at the college level… but I think more than anything, I want students to understand that they’re important,” she said. “We have to leave some space for untouched grasslands.”
Photo Credit:pexels-jeffrey-czum
Categories: Nebraska, Education, Equipment & Machinery