The UW-Madison Arboretum’s Earth Partnership for Schools (EPS) enhances teacher and student learning through the process of restoring native habitat. EPS applies best practices in K-12 education by connecting students to the natural environment while they participate in ecological restoration-based activities in all subject areas, thus encouraging them to develop attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to become environmentally literate citizens. The schoolyard habitats they create become focal points for science education, increased environmental knowledge, and student-led inquiry. Teachers trained through the Earth Partnership program will present ecological research projects conducted by students in school natural areas. Students, teachers, and community members can participate in the restoration process while learning ecological concepts, as well as the natural and cultural history of a site. This program has helped learners of all ages create schoolyard habitat in urban, rural, and suburban settings. Students can conduct fairly impressive research projects using the school grounds. Research can address state science standards, bring together varied topics, encourage problem-solving, and teach about how science works. However, one of the greatest needs in the classroom is for workable methods and direction for doing ecological research. Part of this session will involve participants in a discussion of what studies and methods are well suited for the classroom and the schoolyard. We will focus on what techniques - in the field and in the lab - will work and what types of projects would be within the abilities of pre-college students.