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Ocean Habitats
Students examine the water samples from a demonstration and discuss the difference between fresh and salt water. They draw different animals that live near or in the ocean and how humans can harm the ocean habitat. They draw pictures of...
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Webcams in the Classroom: Animal Inquiry and Observation
Boost observational skills with an inquiry-based lesson that takes scholars on a virtual field trip. With help from webcams, learners observe animals in a zoo or aquarium. Observations go into a journal and a discussion is held to review...
Curated OER
Coral Reefs
Students research coral reefs and identify their benefits to humans, threats to the reef, how to reduce and eliminate threats, and more. For this coral reef lesson plan, students research the reefs, and take a field trip to an aquarium.
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Exploration of 'pill bugs'
Fifth graders define words. They create a dichotomous key. After carefully examining pill bugs, 5th graders record observations. They compare and contrast habitats of pillbugs.
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Forest Ecosystem
Students take a field trip and explore a temperate rainforest. In this rainforest lesson plan, students discuss many items they see on their journey and experiment with different tree leaves.
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Pond Habitats
Students define what a pond habitat is and explain what animals live in this habitat. They discuss what can harm or destroy a pond habitat. They create a poster of what could harm a pond habitat including illustrations and sentences. ...
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Salmon in the Classroom
Students list the salmon life cycle stages in order. They draw a stream with the vegetation, animals, and water quality parameters that are necessary for salmon survival. Students explain the connection between animal morphology and...
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The Animals Kingdom
Students are introduced to the classification system of animals. In groups, they set up an aquarium in which they must maintain throughout the year. They also observe earthworms and how they react to various stimuli and research the...
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Hands on Habitat
Learners teach others about habitats. In this Science lesson, students use a Science Log to record data about a habitat for research. Learners analyze the data and construct an eco-chamber. Students share what they have found with other...
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Students Solutions - Saving Our Surroundings
Students explore the environmental impact of humans on the plants and animals in their state. In this environmental impact lesson, students use digital cameras to photograph plants and animals in their state. Students investigate the...
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Biosphere
Students examine the basic biosphere and its components. In this ecology lesson students complete several experiments including designing a system that is balanced to sustain life.
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Cycles of Life in an Urban Habitat: Changes in Biodiversity
Second graders compare and contrast animate and inanimate objects. In this environmental science lesson, 2nd graders create simple food webs. They observe their environment and create a collage about it.
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Leaf Collection
Learners examine the tree species in Pennsylvania. In this Pennsylvania tree lesson students use field guides to assist them in identifying tree species.
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Is This a House for Hermit Crab?
First graders identify text that uses sequence or other logical order. They identify and interpret how different plants and animals inhabit different kinds of environments and have external features that help them thrive in different...
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Invasives and Macroinvertebrates
Students view macroinvertebrates, or discuss previous collection activity. They graph data on macroinvertebrates in the Hudson River. Students discuss the relationship between habitat, environmental changes, and invertebrate diversity or...
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Forest Ecology or Who Lives Here?
Students explore a hardwood forest. In this forest ecology lesson, students examine the diversity and animals and plants as they explore their habitats at Poricy Park Conservatory. Students determine how biodiversity and abiotic elements...
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Habitats: Rainforest
Students use the internet to find reasons the rainforest is endangered and ways that affects the rest of the world. They read for information, perform experiments, locate rainforests on maps, and write about this ecosystem.
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Great Lakes Ecology
Eighth graders identify the Great Lakes, and describe the habitat of life of a loon. They are able to point to and explain one of the major river systems that enters the Great Lakes with a focus on the Clinton River and the food webs...
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Native Plant Restoration Project
Students distinguish between exotic and native plant species. They work in groups in the field to restore a natural habitat. A class map is created to reflect their work in the field.
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Pawing Around
Young scholars identify common wildlife by investigating their footprints. They examine where and how to look for signs of animal activity. They create casts of animal tracks and gather information about the animal from the location it...
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Animal Adaptations
Tenth graders participate in an arthropod scavenger hunt. In groups of two, they identify and collect two specimens of arthropods in the school area, and create a table of all the specimens and what class they belong to.