Interaction with environment Teacher Resources

Fourth graders are introduced to Australian animals through a PowerPoint presentation. They choose an animal of interest and conduct in-depth research using several websites. They design a presentation with their findings.

Third graders participate in an activity to determine which tool will work the best to gather food. They create analogies about how the experiment relates to birds. They brainstorm about which adaptation helps or hurts the survival of an...

Students take a hands-on approach to explore the world beneath the water in this activity. They examine the creatures they catch to study about the adaptations these animals have that allow them to survive in this harsh environment. They...

Third graders are introduced to the Great Salt Lake (GSL) environment and the various components of it. They make observations about algae and its environment and discuss why it is considered a living organism and various components of...

Second graders, with adult help, create a PowerPoint presentation on a selected ocean animal.

Young scholars work in groups to research an endangered species. They then refinish and paint a piece of furniture and incorporate facts and references about the animal they have researched.

Third graders investigate the environment that is considered favorable for brine shrimp hatching. The salinity level is of particular interest in the observations because the optimum level is needed for survival. They make daily...

Students study fur bearing animals of Illinois. They research a specific furbearer (it's habitat, diet, current hunting regulations regarding the animal, conservation organizations that help the animal, etc.) and give a presentation on...

Students research challenges with which modern biotechnology confronts wild nature. Students collect articles that relate to biotechnology and the environment. Students prepare a collaborative answer to the question, "Do we really need...

Eleventh graders research an animal and its habitat, the conditions of that habitat and how its connections to the rest of the world are affecting that habitat.

Students choose which building material to use to create their structure and which animal to house. After being read a story, they examine and identify the differnet types of homes mentioned. They take pictures of their structures...

Second graders view clips from the animated series Math Monsters, and discuss the many ways patterns can be found in the world around us. Following the video portion of the lesson, 2nd graders visit a variety of Web sites to assess their...

Students in two different countries work together to create their own business website. They are potential clients to the other teams involved in the project. They get a great realistic business like approach when the lesson is completed.

Students calculate weathering rates from tombstone weathering data. Atmospheric (and precipitation) chemistry determines the rate of weathering for marble tombstones. They are shown data from a rural and an unrban cemetery, and are...

Fourth graders study about food chains. With the assistance of a local biologist, Students hike the school trail system. They explore ecosystem and collect data by charting the organisms found and identifying the energy source. They...

What can this rock be? Pupils pretend to be paleontologists by sketching fossils and making predictions about their types. To determine whether they can identify the type of dinosaur, class members compare their observations and...

It's a time of change. A hands-on activity engages young scientists in a lesson highlighting the change of seasons. They brainstorm indicators of season changes in nature and then look for them. Next, they record observations in a field...

We all know someone who won't eat the banana with a brown spot, the grape with a dimple, and the apple with a bruise. Scholars use different fruits to explore what happens when fruits really start to decompose. They set up an experiment...

Students interpret and name the vocabulary termed acted out by the mime. In this science/language arts/physical education lesson, students are given a set of vocabulary terms to discuss within their group. Next, students place all...

Here is an opportunity for your first graders to take a close look at plants: what they need to survive, how they grow, and the names of each plant part. The book, Corduroy's Garden is used to open the instructional activity. Then,...

Young scientists weave together an understanding of ecosystems with this fun collaborative activity. Taking on the roles of different living and non-living elements of specific habitats, learners use a ball of yarn to create...

Incorporate knowledge about biomes and ecosystems in multiple ways while encouraging creativity. Emerging ecologists collaborate and perform research to complete a graphic organizer about various biomes of the world. They conclude the...

Responsible farming is important for maintaining natural resources. Eager scientists complete a WebQuest to explore what happens to nitrogen when it enters the soil. They learn about the chemical makeup of nitrogen-based molecules...

Here's a fine lesson that combines poetry with life sciences. Learners carefully listen to a poem that's all about a food chain. As the poem is read, learners name the producer, the herbivore, the carnivore, and the omnivore. Lots of...