Lesson Plan
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Where Are the Dinosaurs

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the concept of extinction. In this dinosaur lesson, students view a video and have a class discussion about the extinction of dinosaurs. They create a dinosaur egg and imagine what life would be like for a dinosaur.
Lesson Plan
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The Nitrogen Cycle

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Learners design and create a compost pile in order to study the Nitrogen Cycle. They then use the scientific method to determine if plants grow better when they add organic matter from their compost pile to the plant's soil.
Lesson Plan
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Native Versus Exotic

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students investigate the presence of exotic and natural species in the ecosystem. They define the differences between exotic and native while looking at one specific ecosystem in Maryland. They write how the exotic species are considered...
Lesson Plan
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Global Environmental Change

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine environmental change of land, water, and air, discuss Clear Skies Legislation, and experiment on solid compaction and resultant water filtration.
Lesson Plan
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Sock Walk

For Teachers 1st
First graders, after brainstorming all the ways seeds are scattered and viewing a multitude of examples of seeds, explore how seeds travel by taking a walk outdoors wearing socks over their shoes. In addition, they assess how seeds...
Lesson Plan
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The Nitrogen Cycle

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate the nitrogen cycle and examine the concepts of decomposition and nitrification. Students participate in a class discussion about the creation of waste and ammonia compounds, then using nitrogen cycle cut-outs...
Lesson Plan
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Ecologist's Activities

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students construct a model of a biome. In this ecology activity, students use a shoebox, magazine pictures, paper, and string to create a model biome. Students glue the photos inside the shoe box and draw other objects, such as plants,...
Lesson Plan
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What Are Endangered Species?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore the concepts of endangered and extinct animals. In this animal protection lesson, students discuss and define the words endangered, extinct, and habitat. Learners share why they think it is important to protect...
Lesson Plan
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The Nitrogen Cycle

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students study the nitrogen cycle and construct a diagram.  In this Earth Science lesson students use role play to see the various paths. 
Lesson Plan
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Nutrient Enrichment vs. Oxygen Depletion

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate how excess nutrients enter a body of water, and the harmful effects they have on aquatic organisms.
Lesson Plan
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Invasive Species

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils study exotic and native species, and examine how exotic species can impact native ones. They study how the mute swan effects native species.
Lesson Plan
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Habitat Mural

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners build a collage of an ecosystem. The goal is for them to understand interactions in a community, plant and animal adaptations, and how all life depends on plants. This activity is based on Wump World and students describe what...
Lesson Plan
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Forest Friends Forever

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate how to use the senses to gather information about objects such as size, shape, color, texture, sound, position, and change (qualitative observations are utilized throughout this lesson). They investigate and explain...
Worksheet
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Survival of the Spiniest

For Students 3rd - 5th
For this earth science worksheet, students identify and discover the amazing ways that desert plants adapt to harsh habitats. They use discussion and drawing to explore their existing knowledge about deserts. Then, students respond to 15...
Lesson Plan
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Immersion Presents Monterey Bay

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study Monterey Bay. For this Monterey Bay lesson, students create a model of upwelling around Monterey Bay. Students simulate surface water movement relative to prevailing winds.
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The Rainforest Community

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Young scholars create a miniature rainforest ecosystem, a terrarium. Students then explain how the continuous flow of energy and food in the ecosystem allows it to sustain itself.
Lesson Plan
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Animal Classification

For Teachers K - 2nd
Pupils watch video and slide shows as an introduction to animals. They discuss classifications of animals while moving from most common to least common of the animals. Types of classifications includes herbivores/carnivores;...
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Everything's Connected

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students explore how trash decomposes. In this ecosystem instructional activity, students discuss new vocabulary words, such as producers and consumers, and think critically to answer how landfills work.
Lesson Plan
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Who lives with Mallard?

For Teachers K - 1st
Students explore how all living things have needs that are obtained from their surroundings. They identify the surroundings where an animal or plant lives is its habitat. Students identify that a habitat is a community of living and...
Worksheet
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Who Lives in a Wetland?

For Students 5th - 6th
In this science worksheet, students list the names of 14 animals that live in a wetland. The animals are pictured and numbered. Students identify the animals and color the picture.
Worksheet
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Heat 1

For Students 7th - 12th
In this heat worksheet, students determine the heat gained or lost when matter changes phases. Students review the energy flow through ecosystems by comparing trophic levels and food webs. This worksheet has 10 fill in the blank, 5 short...
Lesson Plan
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Secrets of the Ocean Realm - Survival in the Sea

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students determine the sequential links in a marine food chain and identify the roles that various organisms play in this chain. Students develop charts as visual aids for illustrating marine food chains.
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Traveling Nitrogen

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Pupils demonstrate and understanding of the nitrogen cycle by taking roles and interacting with others in a simulation activity.
Lesson Plan
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Different Environments

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students read literature selection, discuss habitat, divide habitats into different categories such as water, soil, and land, list animals that live in each habitat, and describe habitats using descriptive words in vocabulary list.