How do Gray seals, California sea lions, and other animals stay comfortable in different weather and habitats? Join the National Zoo and the National Air and Space Museum to learn about adaptations that animals... and humans use to survive in different climates.
Weather and Space
National Air and Space Museum, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center
Supports Head Start ELOF Goals P-SCI-1; P-SCI-2; P-SCI-3
Classroom Resources: Weather and Space Unit
Nature Stamp Painting ›
Look outside your window and get inspired by the colors and patterns of nature! Use this lesson by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden to explore seasonal changes, such as flowers blooming in springtime or autumn leaves falling.
Resource Description:
- Type: Interactive Lesson and Art Activity
- Time: 30+ Minutes
- Best for Ages: 3+
Music Playlist ›
Put on your dancing shoes! Find all the songs you loved from the program, plus more songs from Nick the Music Man about weather and space inspired by Do Sea Lions Wear Sunglasses.
5371.png?itok=TCxgA5Bu "A Gray Seal and Astronaut Spacesuit")
Explore Weather with Astronaut Suits and Seals ›
Launch into space fully protected and ready to explore your new surroundings with a custom-made astronaut helmet from the National Air and Space Museum and the National Zoo!
Resource Description:
- Type: Interactive Lesson and Activities
- Time: 30+ Minutes
- Best for Ages: 3+
Explore the Sun ›
Discover the sun and what sunny weather looks like and feels like! This resource is created and provided by the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center.
Resource Description:
- Type: Activity Suggestions
- Time: 10+ Minutes
- Best for Ages: 2+
Explore Rain and Clouds ›
Discover what rain and clouds look like and feel like! How do these two things go together? This resource is created and provided by the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center.
Resource Description:
- Type: Activity Suggestions
- Time: 10+ Minutes
- Best for Ages: 2+
ddb1.png?itok=pYuGOiYl "Two Gray Seals Touch Noses")
Make Your Own Seal Mask ›
Pretend to be a seal swimming in the water by making and wearing your own seal mask brought to you by the National Zoo!
Resource Description:
- Type: Arts and Crafts
- Project Time: 15+ Minutes
- Adult Supervision: Required
- Best for Ages: 4+
6a46.png?itok=7zuc58T- "Smiling Woman Wearing a Paper Astronaut Helmet")
Make Your Own Astronaut Helmet ›
Launch into space fully protected and ready to explore your new surroundings with a custom-made astronaut helmet brought to you by the National Air and Space Museum!
Resource Description:
- Type: Arts and Crafts
- Project Time: 15+ Minutes
- Adult Supervision: Required
- Best for Ages: 4+
Letter to Caregiver
Learn about what your Head Start cuties experienced at the NHSA and Zoo in the Classroom program!
Carta para el tutor
¡Descubra lo que sus estudiantes de Head Start aprendieron en el programa NHSA y Zoo in the Classroom!
Explore More Programs
Explore the Rainforest ›
Fly, leap and swim along on an adventure through the Amazon Rainforest to explore the sights and sounds of plants and animals living in this unique ecosystem.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS1-1, 3-LS2-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4, 4-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1
Amazon, rainforest, biodiversity, rainforest layers, animals
Patterns, cause and effect, scale proportion and quantity, and systems and system models
Free
Saving Endangered Species ›
What does it mean when an animal is endangered and what can we do to help? Meet one of the National Zoo’s most endangered species and learn how staff care for these special animals.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 5-ESS3-1
endangered species, conservation
Free
Big, Small, Let's Measure Them All ›
In this field trip, children will practice identifying what is big, medium, and small. In addition, kids will become familiar with other measurement terms such as longer, shorter, taller, bigger, and smaller.
Size and Measurement
Asian elephant, Black and rufous elephant shrew
Discovering Amphibians ›
Join us as we celebrate Amphibian Week. Learn about amphibians, get an up-close look of some of them and chat with an amphibian expert.
K-5
Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1
amphibians, adaptations, habitats, life cycles
Free
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Happy Birthday! ›
Join us as we celebrate Head Start's birthday and America's 250th birthday!
Birthday
Bald eagle, California sea lion, Eastern screech owl