By Scout Nelson
In 2022, a Nebraska educator launched a creative plan to bring grassland education into K12 classrooms. After presenting an early lesson plan at a statewide science teacher conference, she discovered that many teachers lacked a basic understanding of grasslands and their importance.
“Teachers didn’t even know how to teach their students how to care about grasslands,” she said. “There was no foundational understanding of why grasslands are important, or how to engage students with the topic, so that’s when we realized we really needed to start from the ground up.”
To address this gap, she partnered with colleagues and a high school teacher to develop a series of detailed lesson plans. Over several years, five complete lessons were created to help educators explain the value of grassland ecosystems, native plants, soils, carbon cycles, and threats to these vital areas.
The team presented the curriculum at the Teaching Ecology and Applied Sciences Using the Grassland Biome workshop, where middle and high school teachers explored each lesson through activities and discussions. “I think there is value in going into K-12 classrooms,” she said. “There's value in making those connections… we’re also hopefully creating a spark in somebody that wants to do something in the department or in the sciences.”
This effort aligns with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists designated by the United Nations for 2026. Another workshop is planned for summer 2026, with updates based on teacher feedback. Participants receive a stipend and hands-on experience with the curriculum.
Resource trunks containing teaching materials will soon be available across the state, modeled after existing Nebraska Game and Parks Commission programs. These trunks allow educators to borrow equipment and ready-made lessons for classroom use.
“Of course I want to have more students to teach about grasslands at the college level and I would love that, 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.”
The program continues to grow through collaboration with university departments, graduate students, and state agencies, ensuring that future generations learn to value and protect Nebraska’s native grasslands.
Photo Credit:pexels-jeffrey-czum
Categories: Nebraska, Education