A — Atmosphere, Aquifer, Adaptation

Simple, kid-friendly definitions you can read aloud in class.

• Atmosphere — The blanket of air around Earth that we all breathe.
• Aquifer — Rock or sand underground that holds water like a sponge.
• Adaptation — A change that helps a living thing survive in its home.

B — Beaver, Biodiversity, Biodegradable

• Beaver — A water-loving animal that builds dams and creates wetlands.
• Biodiversity — All the different living things in a place.
• Biodegradable — Something that can break down and return to nature.

C — Carbon Cycle, Climate, Compost

• Carbon Cycle — How carbon moves between air, plants, animals, soil, and water.
• Climate — The usual weather in a place over many years.
• Compost — Rotting food scraps and leaves that turn into rich soil.

D — Drought, Decomposer, Drainage

• Drought — A long time with too little rain.
• Decomposer — Tiny workers (like fungi and bugs) that break dead stuff into soil.
• Drainage — How water moves off land or into the ground.

E — Ecosystem, Evaporation, Evapotranspiration

• Ecosystem — Living things and their home, all working together.
• Evaporation — Water turning into vapor and rising into the air.
• Evapotranspiration — Water leaving plants and soil into the air, which helps cool places.

F — Food Web, Floodplain, Forest

• Food Web — Many food chains linked together in nature.
• Floodplain — Land near a river that can flood and then help water soak in.
• Forest — An area filled with trees, animals, and other life.

G — Greenhouse Gas, Groundwater, Germination

• Greenhouse Gas — Gases (like CO₂) that trap heat and warm the planet.
• Groundwater — Water stored under our feet in soil and rock.
• Germination — When a seed starts to grow into a plant.

H — Habitat, Hydrology, Humus

• Habitat — The home where a plant or animal lives.
• Hydrology — The study of water and how it moves on Earth (how water travels).
• Humus — Dark, healthy part of soil made from broken-down plants and animals.

I — Infiltration, Invasive Species, Irrigation

• Infiltration — When rain soaks into the ground instead of running off.
• Invasive Species — A plant or animal that spreads and harms local nature.
• Irrigation — Bringing water to plants when it doesn’t rain.

J — Jet Stream, Juvenile, Junction (Stream)

• Jet Stream — A fast “river of wind” high in the sky that moves weather around.
• Juvenile — A young animal, not yet an adult.
• Junction (Stream) — Where two streams meet and join together.

K — Keystone Species, Kilogram, Kelp Forest

• Keystone Species — A species many others depend on; it keeps the ecosystem strong.
• Kilogram (kg) — A way to measure weight; about the weight of a big book.
• Kelp Forest — An underwater “forest” of tall seaweed that shelters ocean life.

L — Landscape Rehydration, Leaf Litter, Loam

• Landscape Rehydration — Keeping water on the land with wetlands, soil care, and trees.
• Leaf Litter — Fallen leaves on the ground that protect and feed soil.
• Loam — Soil that is just right—sand, silt, and clay mixed together.

M — Miyawaki Forest, Methane, Migration

• Miyawaki Forest — A tiny, dense native forest that grows fast and makes shade.
• Methane (CH₄) — A powerful greenhouse gas that warms the planet.
• Migration — When animals travel to find food, water, or warmer weather.

N — Native Plant, Nature Cools, Nutrient

• Native Plant — A plant that has lived in a place for a very long time.
• Nature Cools — Plants and water can help cool hot places.
• Nutrient — Food for plants and animals, like nitrogen or phosphorus.

O — Organic Matter, Oxidation, Oxbow (River)

• Organic Matter — Bits of once-living things in soil that help it hold water.
• Oxidation — A simple chemical change when things mix with oxygen.
• Oxbow (River) — A U-shaped bend or lake left from an old river path.

P — Pollinator, Photosynthesis, Permeable

• Pollinator — An animal like a bee or butterfly that helps plants make seeds.
• Photosynthesis — How plants use sunlight to make their own food and release oxygen.
• Permeable — A surface water can soak through, like soil or mulch.

Q — Quercus (Oak), Quarry, Quiet Zone

• Quercus (Oak) — The scientific name for oaks—trees that help many species.
• Quarry — A place where rocks are taken from the ground.
• Quiet Zone (Wildlife) — An area kept calm so animals can rest and raise young.

R — Riparian, Runoff, Resilience

• Riparian — Lands next to rivers and streams where plants and animals thrive.
• Runoff — Rain that flows over the ground instead of soaking in.
• Resilience — The ability of nature—or people—to bounce back after trouble.

S — Soil Carbon Sponge, Sustainability, Stomata

• Soil Carbon Sponge — Healthy soil that soaks and stores lots of water.
• Sustainability — Using resources so there is enough for the future.
• Stomata — Tiny openings on leaves that take in air and let water out.

T — Transpiration, Trophic Cascade, Tiny Forest

• Transpiration — Water leaving plant leaves and going into the air.
• Trophic Cascade — A big change that starts at the top of the food web and spreads.
• Tiny Forest — Another name for a small, dense forest planted in cities.

U — Urban Heat Island, Understory, Upstream

• Urban Heat Island — Cities are hotter because roads and roofs hold heat.
• Understory — Shorter plants and small trees growing under tall trees.
• Upstream — The direction water comes from in a river or stream.

V — Vegetation, Vernal Pool, Volatile

• Vegetation — All the plants in an area.
• Vernal Pool — A small, seasonal pond where frogs and salamanders grow up.
• Volatile — Something that easily turns into a gas (like some smells).

W — Watershed, Wetland, Windbreak

• Watershed — All the land where rain flows to the same river or lake.
• Wetland — A land-and-water mix that stores and cleans water and helps wildlife.
• Windbreak — A line of trees or shrubs that slows wind and protects soil.

X — Xeriscaping, Xylem, Xeric

• Xeriscaping — Gardening with little water and drought-tough plants.
• Xylem — Plant “pipes” that carry water from roots to leaves.
• Xeric — Very dry places where only tough plants survive.

Y — Young Forest, Yield (Garden), Yard Habitat

• Young Forest — A new forest with small trees and thick plants.
• Yield (Garden) — How much food or flowers a garden produces.
• Yard Habitat — Turning your yard into a mini home for wildlife.

Z — Zooplankton, Zone (Hardiness), Zonation

• Zooplankton — Tiny animals that drift in water and feed bigger creatures.
• Zone (Hardiness) — A map number that tells which plants like your local weather.
• Zonation — Different bands of plants along a shore or hillside.