Curated OER
The Water Cycle - starring "Drippy"!
Students become actively involved in building a model illustrating how energy, such as the water cycle, flows through a system. In making a terrarium, the student understands the flow of energy, beginning with the sun, and making a...
Curated OER
Miniature Water Cycles
Fourth graders create a biome of their choosing in a terrarium. Terrariums are observed and results recorded daily for 2 weeks. They observe/record changes in the water within their terrarium and use the data to write sentences...
Curated OER
Do You See What I See?
Second graders view a teacher-created terrarium, and complete a KWL chart. They discuss what they can see, Students go on a nature walk and compare the schoolyard to the terrarium, discussing the roles of rocks, plants, soil, and water...
Curated OER
Mountain Building
Fourth graders identify variables that influence rates of change. They, through group consensus and using the assigned materials, design and build what they believe to be the strongest mountain possible.
Curated OER
Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Habitats of Birds, Fish, and Mammals on the Island and the Pacific Region
Students create habitats in jars to understand integral aspects of plants' and animals' habitats.
Curated OER
Creating the Water Cycle
Students create a terrarium to examine the stages of the water cycle. In small groups, they plant and water a seed in an enclosed plastic container. Each day they diagram and write observations of the terrarium using water cycle vocabulary.
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Death On Board La Belle: Finding Clues from Old Bones
Students practice analyzing skeletal remains for clues by using the Internet. For this scientific investigation lesson, students research the La Belle shipwreck using the Internet and written materials, later completing a Skeletal...
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Food Webs and Making Miniature Ecosystems
Students model a food web and create a miniature ecosystem. For this animal interactions lesson, students engage in a role playing game which simulates a food web. Students then build miniature ecosystems using pop bottles, snails,...
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Mini-Ecosystems
Third graders identify the living and non living things in a book read aloud and discuss the interactions represented in the book. Then, they research and include a list of food that each animal needs in an ecosystem. Finally, 3rd...
Curated OER
Ecosystem Energizers
Fourth graders see how the flow of energy through an ecosystem made up of producers, consumers, and decomposers carries out the processes of life and that some energy dissipates as heat and is not recycled.