Curated OER
Growing a Native American "Three Sisters" Garden
Students explore plant life by creating their own gardens in class. In this food growing instructional activity, students discuss the types of gardening methods Native Americans used in order to keep healthy. Students plant corn seeds in...
Curated OER
Butterfly, Butterfly: Teaching Vocabulary
Kindergarteners practice new words through listening to and reading the science book Butterfly by Jenny Feely. The teacher will first choose words that are essential for understanding the text. Then, using pictures in the text, pupils...
Curated OER
Sunflower Jigsaw
Students recognize and name the main parts of a flower. In this life science lesson, the teacher leads a discussion about the parts of a plant, then students color and cut out the parts of a planet, then glue the parts together...
Curated OER
Plant Power
Seventh graders discuss the role of plants on Earth's biological system. In this life science lesson, 7th graders explain the process of transpiration and its importance in establishing Earth's climate patterns.
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of the Butterfly
Second graders study the life cycle of a butterfly by observing metamorphosis taking place in a butterfly pavilion. Students illustrate their understandings of the body parts of a caterpillar and butterfly, as well as the life cycle,...
National Wildlife Federation
What's Your Habitat?
How are third graders like rabbits? They both live in habitats and require food, water, and shelter to survive! An educational science lesson encourages your learners to think about their own habitats and survival needs, before comparing...
Curated OER
Undersea Plant and Animal Life
Young scholars study the various species found in and around oceans. They examine the variations in underwater life, determined by ocean depth. Afterward, they create dimensional relief boards of seascapes. In addition, they write a play...
Curated OER
Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination
Students describe the complementary relationships between pollinators and the plants they pollinate, identify adaptations that flowers have developed to "encourage" pollination, and create and draw their own "designer" flowers.
Curated OER
Quick-Change Flip Book
Students create flip books that illustrate the growth and change of a plant or an animal as it goes through its life cycle.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ecosystem Comparison
Fifth graders examine plants and animals in two ecosystems and compare them. In this ecosystem survival lesson, 5th graders compare and contrast a coral reef and kelp forest ecosystem. Students investigate the abiotic and biotic factors...
Curated OER
Science Unit Lesson Five
Sixth graders review how and which plants operate in terrariums. In groups, they follow instructions to make their own terrarium and place different types of plants in it. To end the lesson, they review the steps in the water cycle and...
Curated OER
Plants- What Are Their Parts and Functions?
Students learn about plants. In this plant function lesson, students label the parts of a plant and their functions. Students work in small groups to create three simile statements to relate to the function of essential plant parts....
California Academy of Science
How Big is Big?
In a math or life science class, "mini-me" models are created with cardstock to reflect a 1:10 scale of students' bodies. Learners measure each others' heights with meter sticks, and then reduce the size by 10. After this exercise, they...
Curated OER
Building a Butterfly Garden
Students examine the habitat and life cycle of a butterfly. In this early childhood lesson plan, students identify the parts of a butterfly, as well as the stages of the butterfly life cycle. Students also plant a garden in which they...
Curated OER
Drawing Plants with Plant Studio Freeware
Young scholars identify parts of plants by name and the relationship among these parts as they use Plant Studio Freeware Wizard and tools on the computer to draw a particular plant from life or from a picture.
Curated OER
Local River Life
Students identify rivers in their county, state, or province, and
research various kinds of animals and plants living in or near the rivers.
They write short summaries about the animals and plant life, draw pictures, and compile...
Curated OER
Dry-Land Kalo-Growing New Plants from Stems
Students explore Hawaiian plants. In this Hawaii culture and botany lesson, students plant the haha(stem) of a taro plant. Students listen to Hawaiian myths about the taro plant and chorally speak a Hawaiian chant of protection. Students...
Curated OER
Creating New Forms of Life
High schoolers are asked to use their imaginations to take the idea of biotechnology one step further. Before beginning this activity students read and complete a report on the book "Jurassic Park," which deals with the use of...
Curated OER
Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Terrestrial Forests vs. Kelp Forests
Students discuss concept and specificity of habitats, both marine and terrestrial, list similarities and differences in the habitats of a kelp forest and a terrestrial forest, compare types of organisms that occupy corresponding types of...
Curated OER
Get to Know: Plants
Students complete a research activity in a schoolyard or park to learn about plants. In this plant lesson, students learn the name of the one of more plants. Students describe or draw the plant, pointing our features that distinguish the...
Curated OER
Habitat for Plants! There's No Place Like Home!
Learners compare and contrast conditions necessary for survival of aquatic and terrestrial plants, identify common and scientific names of plants,
and determine correlation between location and plant characteristics. Students then use...
Curated OER
Aquarium Acrobats
Students create a realistic underwater diorama as a follow-up activity to a field trip to an aquarium. They research and discuss sea creatures and plants that contribute to aquarium life, then create a diorama using research information...
California Academy of Science
Composting: A Scientific Investigation: California Academy of Sciences
Garbage, recycle, compost: Does it really matter where we put our trash once we are done? By making detailed observations over seven weeks, kids will see which materials break down naturally to become a healthy part of the soil, and...
Curated OER
Fiber of Life
Students examine the importance of plants to individuals and society through a multi-discipline set of activities. They observe and draw different leaf structures and then create a book about trees and photosynthesis. They explore ways...