Curated OER
The Cell Cycle and Cancer
Students compare and contrast the cell cycle of frog eggs, normal cells, and cancer cells. They watch a video about early development of the frog embryo, generate a hypothesis in small groups, and listen to a teacher-led lecture. ...
Curated OER
Ecology: Effects of Land Use on Natural Streams
Eighth graders examine how humans affect various ecosystems. For this ecology lesson, 8th graders discuss different ways that contaminants enter the stream. They explain the consequences of eutrophication in lakes.
Curated OER
Once in a Blue Moon
Third graders identify the phases of the moon. They use technology to access websites on the Internet dealing with the moon.
Curated OER
The Birds and the Beaks
Students explore the adaptations that birds have. In this adaptations instructional activity students view a video and create a concept map of birds and their adaptive traits.
Curated OER
Preserving the Harvest: Dry it Out!
Students explore how people preserved their food in the past. In food preservation lesson plan, students create different models that enable someone to dry out food, such as a food dehydrator. Students also learn how...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students observe and discuss what happens when water turns to ice and when ice turns into water. In this freezing and melting lesson plan, students observe ice and water and complete hands on activities that change their properties.
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water and how it changes forms. For this investigative lesson students participate in an activity that shows them how water changes form and what it looks and feels like.
Curated OER
Grass as Biomass
Students explore energy properties by listening to a sustainability lecture in class. In this biomass lesson, students identify what biomass is, how it can be transformed into a usable energy and how it complements the energy cycle....
Curated OER
Amazon Food Chain
Explore food chains in the Amazon Rainforest using this resource. Learners discuss the predator vs. prey relationships in the food chain. Then, they create a food web to describe this relationship. This is a simple and effective way to...
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Costa Rican Food Chain
Discuss the animals and plants in the rainforest food chain using this instructional activity. Learners talk about and do research on the top predators from the Costa Rican region and create a model of one of them in class. They also...
Curated OER
Air Pollution
Students seek solutions to environmental problems. They discover how to conserve and protect natural resources. They examine the role of acid rain on plants and discover how to filter pollutants.
Curated OER
Making Weather-Tracking Tools
Students build tools to help track the weather. In this weather lesson, students follow directions to build a rain gauge, barometer and hair hygrometer.
Curated OER
Photo Synthesis and Transpiration
Students germinate pea seeds and plant the seeds. They experiment with different amounts of light and darkness on the plant growth.
Curated OER
Leach Out and Touch Someone
Young scholars discuss how groundwater becomes polluted. In groups, they design and create models of groundwater pollution sources. They demonstrate to the class how the water may become contaminated from local and nonlocal pollution...
Curated OER
Wildlife Conservation I
Focusing on the wildlife in their area, learners identify endangered and threatened species and what these animals need to survive. While this lesson involves animals in the Long Island area, it could be adapted for use with any area.
Curated OER
Watering Our Prairie Farms
After reading an article about irrigation on Canadian farms, learners participate in a discussion. They individually write an opinion paper about the surrounding issues. A lesson like this can be used in an earth science class when...
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Franklin Mountains
Learners review the steps of the rock cycle. In groups, they identify the natural forces that cause weathering and erosion. They describe how sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks might be formed in nature to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Soils are the Pits!
Students dig soil pits in order to observe soil features and the factors of soil formation and soil forming process. Students also examine the relationships among different soils in a series of soil pits.
Curated OER
Caterpillars To Butterflies
Students observe the life cycle of a butterfly. They read butterfly/caterpillar themed books. They sequence the lifecycle from eggs on a leaf to an adult butterfly. They release their butterflies into a natural habitat after singing and...
Curated OER
Learning To Look
Sixth graders investigate a flower plant and the plant cycle. They extend observational skills when looking at a tree by observing, questioning and sharing ideas. They observe a living and nonliving flower and compare and contrast how...
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Water Reflections:
Students analyze data from monitoring activities . They summarize, post, and present the data from activities. They tell others in the community what they've learned about local water quality.
Curated OER
Ziplock Chemistry
Students investigate various chemical reactions when creating mixtures in ziplock baggies. In this chemistry lesson, students will recognize various chemical reactions and cite evidence. Safety and assessment strategies are included in...
Curated OER
Migrate, Adapt, or Hibernate
In this migration and hibernation learning exercise, students read a 2 page informational excerpt about animals who adapt to changing seasons by migrating or hibernating. They then use the information they learned to answer the 15...
Michigan Sea Grant
Food Web II
A food web consists of complex food chains and the more complex the web, the better likelihood of survival. Learners compare and contrast food webs and food chains and discuss concepts like the predator-prey and consumer-producer...