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Spinning the Eco Web
Students examine the components and relationships of ecoregions and ecosystem management. They define ecoregion and ecosystem, list ecoregions, and participate in a simulation that demonstrates the connections between parts of the...
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats -- Journey of a Drop of Water Through a Watershed
Learners discuss pollution and the steps in the hydrologic cycle. They follow a drop of water through a watershed simulation. They discover the components of a water cleaning system as well.
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Endangered Biomes
Students compare data from two proposed strategies on how ot best preserve the diversity of plants and animals. They complete a worksheet and share theirviews with the rest of the class.
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Biodiversity
Students are challenged to examine the diversity of their own forest and make comparisons to a tropical rainforest. By exploring and grouping tree and insect types in their local forest, students will develop an understanding of diversity.
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Science: Putting Down Roots
Fourth graders, in small groups, observe plants and note their characteristics. After drawing pictures of the plants, including their roots systems, they hypothesize in which environments the plants would best thrive. Finally, 4th...
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Glue-line Insect
First graders explore characteristics of ladybugs. They view ladybugs in ventilated containers and discuss their observations. Students read a story about ladybugs and create a glue picture of a ladybug.
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Mallard's Wet Olympics
Students investigate some of the different characteristics of living things. They make observations from reading and interactive media. Students observe that animals move in different ways and have adaptations to aid in that action.
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De"compost"ition Activity
Learners investigate the decomposition process and the parameters which influence the rate at which it occurs. They design a "controlled" experiment by comparing decomposition rates between two compost piles. Analysis questions include...
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Habitat Unit - Day 2
Students explore abiotic factors that affect habitats. After a class lecture, students work in groups to answer questions about plant tissue, production and growth. They share answers, complete a crossword puzzle, and create a habitat...
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School Forest Lesson- Looking at Literature
Students compare what they learned though literature to the school forest. In this environment lesson, students visit the forest surrounding their school to listen to literature and identify objects in nature. Students create a...
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Ourselves
Students use a website to name and compare external body parts of humans and other animals.
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Terrestrial Communities
Students watch a video about different terrestrial communities. They conduct an experiment with sponges conserving water. They research desert characteristics comparing them with other biomes.
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Invasive Species
Students explore invasive species. In this species analysis instructional activity, students observe invasive species and review the impact the species have on the environment. Students work in groups to investigate the species in...
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Why Is An Apple Like A Suitcase?
Students examine a variety of fruit to discover that each has seeds. Through experimentation, they discover the role that fruit and seeds play in a plant's life cycle.
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The Lepidoptera Project
Students are introduced to Scientific Inquiry and discover how to design an experiment that answers critical questions using butterflies as the topic. They design experiments that compare the number of species of butterflies in a vacant,...
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Seeing Ancient Worlds
Learners view the images from the Nature Images Photo Gallery and identify various elements of nature. They then group the elements into categories and discuss what these images tell about the worlds of ancient Native Americans.
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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...
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But I Need This
Third graders place everything in their desk or back pack onto their desk top. They explain why each item is needed. They receive a set of pictures and write a list of things each person or animal needs to survive. They compare people,...
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Fall Similes
Students create descriptive autumn similes and write them on fall-themed paper. They first write the autumn simile, and then arrange the plants around the border of the paper. They use natural plants which must be pressed.
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The Magic School Bus Gets Swamped
Students participate in an experiment that shows them how wetlands filter dirty water. They work in groups to accomplish this experiement with the help of supervisors. A bulletin board can be created to show the plants and animals that...
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Tall Grass Prairies of Arkansas
Students compare maps depicting the past and present range of tall grass prairie in Arkansas. They research to discover what has happened to the prairie, why it is unique, how it contributes to the biodiversity of Arkansas, and why...
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Penguin Parents are Cool
Fourth graders explore the lives of penguins and the relationship between them and their parents. They compare and contrast penguin populations in various areas of the world as well as their nesting sites. After constructing a penguin...
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Soil Factors
Eighth graders study the nine soil factors to use in field study and to complete an exam. They learn the components and characteristics of soil.
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Home on the Biome
Fifth graders study six major biomes, graph temperature and rainfall, and present their findings to the class.