NOAA
An Ocean of Energy
Young biologists trace the path of the sun's energy through marine ecosystems in the second part of this four-lesson series. Building on prior knowledge about producers, consumers, and decomposers students are introduced to the concept...
Curated OER
Ocean Life
Third graders create an ocean fish environment. In this ocean life lesson, 3rd graders create an ocean environment from clay. Students paint their sculptures with realistic colors emphasizing contrast, texture, and patterns.
Curated OER
A Science Experiment With Crayfish
A crayfish can lead to a science experiment involving habitats, animal behavior, and anatomy..
National Gardening Association
Migration Mishaps
Elementary ecologists pretend to be migratory hummingbirds. They fly between wintering and nesting grounds, trying to reach a habitat haven. In a musical-chair fashion, some birds will miss out, and are removed from the game. To further...
Purdue University
Simple Machines – Dog Gone It!
How can people use simple machines to solve real-world STEM problems? Learn about simple machines using a hands-on, project-based learning activity. First, pupils investigate and evaluate simple machines. Then, they receive a task that...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Bloomin' Butterflies
Get an up close and personal look at the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Pupils take ownership of their learning by collecting butterfly eggs, building a cage, and raising them to adulthood. The lesson plan resource provides instructions...
Curated OER
Forest Succession
Students research environmental change and why forests cannot stay the same for long. In this environmental growth instructional activity, students discuss the life cycle of a tree and examine tree cookies to discover the age of these...
Curated OER
Growing Plants in Science and Literature, More Than an Empty Pot
Students read The Empty Pot as an introduction to plants. For this planting lesson, students understand a sequence of events in the book and relate it to the sequence of a plants life. Students grow plants and record information in...
Polar Trec
Rings of Life
Individuals analyze tree rings to determine the health of an ecosystem. They then look at otoliths of fish, hard calcium carbonate structures located behind the brain, in the same manner.
Curated OER
Jack and the Beanstalk
Third graders read a story and grow a beanstalk. In this literature and life science lesson, the class reads "Jack and the Beanstalk," then lists fairy tale elements and write a puppet show. The students plant pinto beans and observes...
Curated OER
Bone Transformations
Students create a picture from the shape of a bone. In this life science and art lesson, students discuss their bones and their purposes, then use a picture of a bone as a starting point for an artistic transformation. Lesson can be used...
Curated OER
Marine Animal and Plant Adaptations
Pupils examine nature by creating their own animals. In this animal adaptation lesson, students define scientific vocabulary terms dealing with adaptation such as sea stars, sea cucumbers and exoskeleton. Pupils utilize their adaptation...
Curated OER
A Cat's Life
Students construct a timeline of a panther's life. Students decorate their timeline with illustrations and words, or they can choose to have it orally read to the class. Students use the computer to construct their time-lines. Students...
Curated OER
Little Auk Survival Challenge
A bird's life is one of danger and intrigue as it struggles for survival in sometimes harsh environments. To understand how difficult surviving in the wild can be, children play a simulation game where they act as little auks, birds from...
Curated OER
What Does it Take to be a Survivor? Part One
Students explore marine animal adaptation. In this introductory ocean life biology instructional activity, students access prior knowledge by participating in a whole class "thought swap." Students form two lines, respond to a prompt...
Curated OER
Hatching Chickens
Students observe and care for eggs and chickens. In this life cycles activity, students recall facts about chickens and how they hatch. Students read the article Hatching Eggs in the Classroom and observe the life cycle of the chicken in...
Curated OER
Water: Our Most Important Beverage
Third graders create a KWL chart about water. In this environmental science lesson, 3rd graders demonstrate how much water on Earth is usable. They act out the different stages of the water cycle.
Curated OER
Butterfly Life Cycle
Third graders investigate the life cycle and development of butterflies. They complete an online WebQuest, and write journal entries about their research information. Students create a poster, and observe real Painted Lady larvae...
Curated OER
A Growing Success
Young scholars create a multimedia presentation as a culmination of a plant unit. In this hyperstudio lesson, students research from assigned sites and create a Hyperstudio stack. Young scholars write a cinquain.
K12 Reader
Galileo and His Telescope
Learn about Galileo Galilei's contribution to modern science with a reading passage that focuses on reading comprehension. After kids read several paragraphs about his life, they answer five questions about the information they have just...
University of Wisconsin
Identifying Your Soil for Rain Gardens
Teach your class the descriptive characteristics of soil. Provide information about particle size and a flow chart for assessing texture. Soil scientists then analyze samples and hypothesize which would be the best type for a rain...
Curated OER
Math & Science
Students examine a list of ideas to draw from for lesson planning. They complete a quiz on Math & Science and hand in notes they have taken as a resource for lesson planning. They develop developmental appropriate practice...
Curated OER
Island Research
Students will work in small groups to gather information about the geography, history, economy, climate, culture, and other aspects of life on the island of Eleuthera. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
Curated OER
Invertebrates
Pupils identify insect body parts and look for local insect life. They create an insect using recycled material and design a classroom mural with bug facts. They study Monarch butterflies and dragonflies.