Themed around the state’s diverse flora and fauna, Wild Washington lessons and are designed to equip K-12 students with the knowledge, social, and emotional skills needed to think critically, and problem solve around natural resource issues. Activities encourage students to explore various points of view and collaborate with others to find ways to move forward on real-world challenges.
The Department is working with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to ensure lesson plans best meet state and national environmental and sustainability learning standards. Lessons are developed for educators to use in the classroom, and also have modifications embedded for distance learning.
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Elementary school (K-5th grade)
Kindergarten - 5th grade lessons introduce learners to relevant ecological and wildlife-based issues throughout the state. The interactive activities and lesson plans aim to increase problem-solving and critical thinking skills in a variety of disciplines. Lesson vocabulary words and some supplemental materials are available in Spanish.
Middle school (6th-8th grade)
Middle school lessons build on concepts from K-5 lessons and introduce students to careers involving natural sciences. Decision making and collaboration are key social themes as students prepare themselves for high school.
High school (9th-12th grade)
High school lessons focus on teaching students knowledge and skills that can be applied to careers in the natural sciences. Students will focus on sustainability in fish and wildlife, and apply skills in civics to solve problems facing the natural resource industry and balance community interests.
Search lessons
Photo by Tara Hosking Coastal Ecosystems of Washington
Elementary school students learn about what life looks like at the intersection of land and ocean in the Pacific Northwest. Students take a 3D tour of the Puget Sound shoreline and explore the plants and animals who call coastal ecosystems home. They take a visual tour to the beach and use their senses to describe this experience.
Photo by Douglas Edmiston Counting Birds for Science
Middle school students explore the world of birding and community science.
Photo by WDFW Endangered Species of Washington
Middle school students enter the world of conservation biology as they learn about what endangered status for a species means. Students watch videos to learn about what species in Washington are considered at risk of extinction and how diverse stakeholders work together to recover species.
Photo by Teal Waterstrat - USFWS Pacific Region Herps in Washington
Elementary schools students are introduced to the cold-blooded world of reptiles and amphibians, also known as herps. Students classify reptiles and amphibians using a graphic organizer and define what it means for a species to be a reptile or an amphibian.
Photo by Peter Pearsall - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Pacific Region Protecting Pollinators
Middle school students explore the exciting world of Washington's pollinators and learn why pollinators are important to our environments and economies.
Photo by WDFW Saving the Shrubsteppe
Elementary school students explore the increasingly at-risk shrubsteppe ecosystem and learn about the various wildlife and plants that call the shrubsteppe home.
Photo by Rebecca Petring Temperate Rainforest Ecosystems
Elementary students immerse themselves into the cool, wet rainforest environments of the Pacific Northwest. Students learn about plants and animals who call the rainforest home by exploring adaptations of temperate rainforest organisms, finding out how species interact with one another, and learning how species use different senses to survive in the wet environment.
Photo by Picasa Wildlife Life Cycles
Elementary students learn that baby wildlife can look very different from their parents and that babies have adaptations that help protect them as they grow up. This lesson also teaches students about the importance of not touching or relocating baby wildlife and how mother animals may leave their babies alone for parts of the day.