Space Awareness
Investigating the Atmosphere - Air Takes Up Space
How do you know there is air? Can you see it, smell it, feel it? To begin the investigation, learners watch a video and discuss what they know about air and the atmosphere. Then, they participate in five different hands-on, inquiry-based...
Curated OER
A Frog's Life Story
Students investigate the lives of frogs by completing several worksheets. In this biology instructional activity, students discover the life cycle of a frog from tadpole to death. Students complete frog life cycle puzzle as well as...
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Colds and Germs
Students determine how diseases are spread from one person to another. They investigate the importance of hand washing to reduce the spread of common colds and other diseases. They listen to teacher read alouds and complete an inquiry...
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Animal Coverings
Students compare and contrast the types of coverings found on animals. They identify a wide variety of animals in a museum room. They classify animals based on their coverings as well.
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We All Live Together
First graders examine the lifestyle of classroom and family pets in their natural habitat. They determine the needs of plants and animals, and how those needs are met. They listen to read alouds, sing songs, and draw using computer based...
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Boston Harbor Cruise: A Shoreline Survey
The students take a harbor cruise, photograph, and draw shore line features attending to evidence of human impact/consequences, and its cost on marine/land animal habitats vegetation, weather patterns, signs of erosion, and the water...
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Hero Or Zero?
Students investigate science and technology by reading a children's book. In this reading comprehension lesson plan, students read the story Archibald Frisby and discuss the ways we use science and technology in everyday life. Students...
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Plant Power
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 lesson. Then, youngsters utilize...
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Friends on the Farm
Young farmers explore the world of farm animals. They are introduced to a variety of animals, what their role is, how many legs they have, and what sounds they make. Worksheets and websites embedded in the plan are used to carry it out....
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Classifying Shells
Students observe and classify different types of shells. They compare and contrast an exhibit they created with one that already exists in a musuem. They discover the different characteristics of shells.
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Calling All Owls
Students research various types of owls. In this owls lesson, students observe owls and discuss their characteristics. Students go to an owl habitat and listen for the call of an owl. Students read The Owl in the Shower and debate the...
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Where are all the Animals?
Students view animals that camouflage at the Shedd aquarium website. In this camouflage lesson, students recognize that there are different types of camouflage, cryptic coloring, counter-shading, warning coloration and mimicry. Students...
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The Colors of Seasons
Students observe each season and and mark the colors they see. In this colors of the seasons lessons, students read The Mystery of the Missing Hummingbirds and compare their results and note variations of colors in the different...
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All Sorts of Seeds!
First graders compare seeds and explore how they are carried through the environment.
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Nature's Recyclers
Students create environments to demonstrate how earthworms interact with their surroundings.
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Weather/Climate
Students examine traditional Native American weather/climate knowledge. They keep a weather journal and research cloud cover.
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Valley of the Butterflies
First graders explore why butterfly populations in Idaho's Lapwai Valley have decreased.
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Palace for Pill Bugs
Students build a palace fit for pill bugs. In this experimental design lesson, students design an experiment to determine which shelter is preferred by the pills bugs. Students are creating a testable hypothesis, collecting data,...
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An Encyclo-ME-dia for Every Child
Learners create a digital scrapbook that shows information-text and pictures that are specific to each child. They make charts and graphs. They use digital cameras, scanners, software, to write captions, stories, poems, letters, and...
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Gathering, Traditions, and Nutrition of Our Food
Students gain a better understanding of what it means to eat seasonally through learning about traditional hunting, gathering, and food preparation methods of Athabascan tribes. By interacting with Native American Elders and...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Guess What Benjamin Franklin Did!
Students research Ben Franklin's inventions. In this invention lesson, students see the relationship between a need and an invention. Students will engage in a class discussion, read a handout, and play a match the invention to its...
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Winter Survival
Students study the Lewis and Clark expedition and work in small groups to solve problems that the explorers might have encountered.