To combat environmental apathy, the authors seek to help students develop environmental knowledge, ethics, and "critical-thinking skills that will prepare them to evaluate issues and make informed decisions regarding stewardship of the planet". This article describes scientific, place-based investigations of local species and their ability to survive well, moderately well, or not at all (3-LS4-3) (NGSS Lead States 2013) while promoting components of environmental literacy. To encourage students' recognition of nature's proximity and expand their environmental dispositions, explicit, open-ended questions are asked regarding the concept of wilderness/nature, possible uses of nature, and the extent to which humans should sustainably conserve nature (Roberts and Kruse 2019). Although these lessons were given to third-grade students, the activities provided are easily adaptable for all elementary, middle, and even high school students.