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World of Protists
Young scholars observe a jar of pond water and predict how much life they think exists in the jar and watch a "Bill Nye: The Science Guy" video regarding protists. They participate in an online virtual pond dip where they begin to...
Curated OER
Molecules Rock
Fourth graders engage in this interactive lesson which illustrates diffusion and osmosis and shows them that molecules of life move dynamically and powerfully. They must analyze their lab orally and in writing.
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The Nervous System
Students investigate the nervous system. In this anatomy instructional activity, students identify and define vocabulary related to the nervous system. Students role play the parts of a nervous system and perform an experiment measuring...
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Diversity of Life
Young scholars study the classification of viruses and describe their structure. For this investigative lesson students complete an activity and answer questions about viruses.
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Sinking Races
Students build plankton models and compete to see which sinks most slowly. They write, or orally present ,the adaptations they incorporated to slow the sinking rate of their organisms. Race results can be grounds for some prizes!
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Mature Forest Mime
Students come to understand vocabulary words through pantomime. In this vocabulary lesson, students first review several vocabulary words and their meaning, then they work in groups to pantomime the definitions.
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Egg Carton Coral
Students use egg cartons to construct models of coral colonies showing
many aspects of the coral's natural history - including the structure of
coral polyps and the coral colony's colonial life style.
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Dating a Volcanic Eruption
Young scholars discover the various ways in which tree rings can give information. After a brief disucssion of concentric tree rings, they use cross section cut outs of tree rings to identify the time and type of various naturally...
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Animation Flip Books
Students investigate examples of animation made from a flipbook technique in order to learn how to create their own flipbook and to learn how this process looks like an animated cartoon. In this animation lesson, students will observe...
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Filter Feeding in Reef Sponges
Students investigate the role of sponges in our oceans. In this biology lesson, students create a diagram visualizing how sponges bring food into their bodies through a filtering process. Students discuss the connections between...
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How Does a Green Plant Grow?
Students of all ages can explore the question "how do seeds grow?", design an experiment to answer the question, predict the outcome of the experiment then conduct the experiment.
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What a Waste!
Fourth graders explore the kidney, bladder, and function of the excretory (urinary) system.
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The Skeleton Within
Fourth graders explore the bones, joints, and other attributes of the skeletal system.
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You Have Nerve!
Fourth graders investigate the nervous system and how it communicates messages to and from the brain.
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How Does a Green Plant Grow?
Students examine how a seed grows, and design an experiment to explore this concept. They make predictions, conduct the experiment, record the results, and interpret the results.
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Candy DNA Model Lesson
Students explore DNA structure using materials such as Twizzlers, small colored gumdrops and/or toothpicks.
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Rotten Truth
Pupils complete activities to study decomposition. In this decomposition instructional activity, students work in pairs to observe a decay buffet experiment. Pupils keep compost bag journals. Students define and discuss the process of...
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Organs and What They Do - Lecture
Students read information about the internal organs and body systems. In this organs and systems lesson, students read descriptions of the heart, lungs, stomach, small and large intestine, and liver and gall bladder. Students study...
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Com-Post With Us? Learn About Recycling While Having Fun
Students examine the importance of recycling to help the environment. In groups, they make a compost bin on the school grounds recording how the material changes from week to week. They collect other materials for recycling like cell...
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Parasites: Our Tiny Companions
Learners consider parasites that seek human hosts. They prepare nutrient agar plates and cultivate samples of bacteria taken from their own bodies. They experiment with disinfectants and soaps to determine which method kills the most...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Plant and Animal Adaptations
Fourth graders identify behavioral and structural adaptations to plant and animal life. In this unit overview, 4th graders discuss the importance of variation and adaptation in a species survival. This is a unit overview and does not...
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The Human Memory
This is a well-designed, creative lesson to help young scholars learn more about the human memory. Working in pairs, students complete tasks and gather data. Excellent websites for resources are also provided.