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Regulating the Harvest
Pupils study the effect of trapping in the Illinois Territory in 1805 and compare it to trapping today. They participate in a role playing activity in which they discover how practices in early Illinois Territory led to wildlife such...
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Human Trafficking & Modern Day Slavery - Introduction
Students identify the main reasons people are trafficked. With their classmates, they discuss the three-tier country-rating system. They explain examples and how they occur in today's society. Using the internet, they research a...
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Blood Vessels & Circulation
High schoolers participate in a layered curriculum designed lesson in order to study the cardiovascular system of the human body. The assessments and activities are student centered.
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A Case Study of Racial Prejudice and Discrimination
Students participate in a simulated form of discrimination as they divide into groups of blue-eyed and non-blue-eyed students. They reflect on their experiences during the role-play and compare their observations to the former system of...
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BLAST Algorithm
Students explore a series of activities on using BLAST. In this biology lesson, students explain the significance of BLAST in DNA query. They give real world applications of BLAST.
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Disease Fighters
Students study how the human body fights off disease causing agents. In this human health activity students study the use of antibiotics and the problems misuse can cause.
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Anatomy
Fifth graders identify and describe the functions of the major body systems. They discover how to maintain a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition and exercise. They answer comprehension questions to end the lesson.
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Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Students conduct an experiment to demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down society's wastes exist in nature among the decomposers in a compost pile. They culture compost bacteria on starch agar to examine the...
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Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Students demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down--and therefore clean up-society's wastes already exist in nature among the decomposers. They select the best starch-munching organisms by altering the environment...
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Anatomy
Third graders explore the basic structures and functions of the human body and how they relate to personal health.
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CONNECTIONS
Young scholars study the interdependence of an ecosystem that allows it to sustain itself. They examine the Western lowland gorillas for an example.
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A Design You’ll Dig: Designing a Habitat for Worms
Students discover how worms contribute to the balance of the environment. In this composting lesson plan, students study the composting and decomposition processes. Students then create habitats for worms that allow them to do their jobs.
Green Learning
Build Your Own Biogas Generator
Where this is not exactly a lesson plan, it is a terrific outline of how to generate biogas from an animal manure sample. If you are up for the challenge, the generator can be built by your class as a concluding project at the end of an...
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Persuasive Writing: Fact or Opinion
What is the difference between a fact and an opinion? Middle schoolers categorize statements as either facts or opinions before writing a persuasive essay to support a thesis statement they create. This is a great introduction to...
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The Perfect Cow?
Students examine how cattle have evolved through natural selection and selective breeding. In this natural selection lesson students compare and contrast natural and artificial selection.
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Rice as a Source of Energy
Fifth graders investigate the nutrition in rice. In this rice lesson, 5th graders discover that rice is a great source of energy. Students compare foods to rice to see the differences in the nutritional value. Students classify foods in...
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What is Coral?
Students discuss what they know about coral reefs and are introduced to the importance of preserving coral reefs. In this coral reef lesson, students make connections between coral ecology in the classroom and in the real environment...
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Good Food, Good Health
Students investigate how food provides energy for the human body. In this physical health lesson, students access online resources to identify how certain foods can affect their health. Students discuss how many servings of each food...
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Testing for Life’s Molecules
Want to hear a joke about sodium? Na. Young scientists test various materials to identify if they include protein, starch, and glucose by using the Biuret test, iodine starch test, and Benedict's test respectively. After practicing with...
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Harvesting Energy from Food: How do Plants Help Humans?
Beginning botanists view slides of plant vascular tissue. They watch Magic School Bus Gets Planted, which you can find online, and then write a summary of what they have learned about plants. This lesson could be used with upper...
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Fun Faces of Wisconsin Agriculture: Curley's Beef Fast Facts
Students explore animal slaughter by researching the Wisconsin beef industry. In this meat statistics lesson, students practice using different math functions to identify how many burgers or sports equipment can be made from one...
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Inside Out: An Up-Close Look At Foods We Eat
Fourth graders identify the origins of meats and vegetables consumed by humans on a daily basis. They classify foods (meats, dairy products, grains...) and create a food pyramid.
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9 Phyla of the Animalia Kingdom.
Students identify characteristics of all 9 phyla of the Animalia Kingdom. They create a table of the 9 phyla and research a representative organism for each.
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Enzyme Lab
Students examine the effects of specific enzymes on samples of liver tissue, muscle tissue (chicken), apples, and potatoes.