Curated OER
Forces in Action
Young scholars investigate questions centered around force and motion by going through the scientific process and creating fair tests and experimentation. In this lesson about forces-in-action, students diagram their findings and explore...
Curated OER
Dirt: Making Dirty Water Clean!
Fourth graders study soil and water. For this water lesson students work in groups and use a filter to clean water.
Curated OER
Rock Your World
Students define soil, dirt, clay, silt, and sand. They conduct an online scavenger hunt, answer pre-written online questions on a piece of paper, and play the Earth Materials Game after completing the scavenger hunt.
Curated OER
The Formation of Soil
Students identify the different components that make up soil. In this earth science lesson plan, students create a pamphlet for next year's class. They analyze how erosion and weathering shape the Earth.
Curated OER
Managing Nutrients in Livestock Manure
Livestock managers reinforce math and science skills while learning about the nutrients found in manure. They predict which animal produces the largest amount and which animal's manure contains the most nitrogen. Finally, they compare...
Curated OER
Ecosystems - Plants and Animals Together
Students study the biotic and abiotic factors of an environment. In this exploratory lesson students examine the different trophic levels and how organisms are connected.
Curated OER
Burs in Your Furs
Students explore the concept of animal welfare. In this wild animal habitats lesson, students discover the work of wild animals in sustaining their habitats as they participate in a classroom simulation. Students discuss how wildlife...
Curated OER
Animal Habitats
Elementary schoolers complete a worksheet that has them decide which of four environments a variety of animals live in. The environments are: pond, soil, ocean, and woodland. There are 12 different types of animals that pupils must match...
Curated OER
Animal Homes
Match animals to their environments with a cute lab activity. Kids draw a line between each animal, such as a fish, a rabbit, and an ant, to the place where it lives. For hands-on practice, a science investigation instructs learners to...
Curated OER
Animals, Soil, Trees
Fourth graders describe the various kinds of soils and how plants and animals are affected by them. They describe the baic needs of plants, scoring at least a 3 or 4 on a 4-point rubic. Students are able to predict and/or infer what...
Curated OER
Animals and Their Biomes
Learners categorize animals according to their natural biomes using biome and animal flashcards.
Curated OER
Causal Patterns in Ecosystems Section 3
Students design and create a worm and worm free compost tanks for observation of decay in ecosystems. They make predictions, care, and revist tanks using their journals for observation and data collection.
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Learners write from an animal's perspective. In this writing lesson plan students explore the landscape of San Francisco prior to the arrival of the explorers. Learners research animals indigenous to the area.
Curated OER
Hazardous Chemicals in Your Neighborhood
Students examine the effect of hazardous chemicals on humans. They discover how the chemicals are cleaned up and the facilities in their neighborhood. They identify federal and local agencies that oversee environmental hazards
Curated OER
Optional Laboratory: Soil Particle Size and Texture
Students work together to perform experiments on different types of soil. They record the soil's pH level, color and texture. They develop hypothesis' on what they believe they will discover before beginning the experiment.
Curated OER
Soil Research
Third graders work together in groups to discover the importance of soils. Using a worksheet, they answer questions as they surf the internet. They observe three different types of soils and record their observations and use the internet...
Curated OER
Optional Laboratory: Comparing Soil Temperatures In Sun and Shade
Students work together to test the temperatures of different soils in shade and sun. They make their own hypothesis before beginning the experiment. They record their data and discuss as a class.
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Nitrogen Cycle
Expose your class to the steps of the nitrogen cycle with this short clip. Colorful computer imagery and animation explain how nitrogen travels from the atmosphere as a gas into plants and soil, where bacteria convert it into nitrates....
Curated OER
Determine Soil Particle Size
Students examine various soil samples in groups. Using the samples, they identify the characteristics of them and calculate percolation and infiltration rates. They use this information to discover why some species can survive in one...
Curated OER
Mud in the Water
Learners build a soil erosion model to study the importance of soil conservation. They investigate how land forms from both constructive and destructive forces.
Biology Junction
Land Biomes
Biomes share similar climates and ecosystems, despite being separated geographically on the planet. A presentation introduces the six most common land biomes. It focuses on the commonalities in climate, plants, and animals with many...
National Park Service
Living & Non-Living Interactions
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in learning about the...
National Park Service
The Secret of Life
Dead trees provide nutrients for the soil, food for animals, protection and a home for organisms, a seed-bed for new trees, and a place for nitrogen-fixing bacteria to live. In the activity, pupils collect decaying logs, expose them to a...
Alachua County Public Schools
Food Chain
Two to four players receive seven cards each, with plants, animals, or nitrates depicted. They place what they have onto their own empty game board with the objective to complete a food chain. The game is a fun way to reinforce learning...