After completing a unit on animal classification and attending a field trip students e-mail a trusted adult with some information about animal classification. They detail what they have learned about classifications of animals, insects...

Life science laureates choose a plant or animal cell to construct a model of as an at-home project. This handout provides guidelines, suggested materials, and a grading rubric for their reference. A full-page letter to parents is also...

In this Internet fact hunt worksheet, students access the "Fact Monster" web site to find the answers to 5 multiple choice questions. They answer questions about Canada, using e-mail, inventions, and Ecuador.

Students study weather and climate patterns using computer and Internet resources. They collect temperature information and share it with other classes via e-mail using graphs

What makes a watershed? What are the natural and human features of a watershed? How do human features affect watersheds? Where can I find my local watershed? These questions are thoroughly explained in an informative watershed interactive.

Here is a tasty challenge, especially for middle school engineers: design a container that meets mass and volume criteria, and will safely transport a tortilla or potato chip through the mail without damaging it! Mostly, this is a crisp...

Students complete a unit of lessons on rocks and minerals. They conduct research, write e-mail questions to geologists, write daily journal entries, label maps demonstrating types of rocks/minerals found, and create a web page that...

Students combine their study of physics with their study of best practices when writing to inform. They communicate with experts using e-mail before creating a brochure based on their study of universal gravitation.

Fourth graders conduct Internet research to explore various peanut-related topics. Among topics they investigate are: agriculture, scientific uses, and the research of George Washington Carver. As a technology component, 4th graders...

Students identify and classify magnetic and nonmagnetic materials and metals. After determining which materials and metals are magnetic, students create a data table and classify items by two different criteria. Students e-mail various...

Students take on the role of members of a concerned citizens group and discuss the transportation of spent-fuel rods from a local nuclear power plant and the safety issues that surround the power plant. Students work in groups to write...

Learners create a "water web" to illustrate the interdependence among water users and producers. They distinguish between direct and indirect uses of water; illustrate the interconnectedness of water users in a community; and demonstrate...

Learners examine data to investigate the impact of lead shot pellets on waterfowl populations. They graph their findings and discover how lead in ingested by birds and poisons them. As an extension, students research legislation and...

In this review and test-taking practice lesson plan, the classroom is set up like a baseball field. The class is set up into 2 teams and has to answer questions that moves them along the bases like in baseball. The team that wins has the...

students create a PowerPoint presentation to both inform and assess the knowledge of the prairie. This project must have the cooperation of the technology teacher or the teacher must be able to instruct Students on PowerPoint presentations.

Sixth graders choose specific trees to research while taking a nature walk around the schoolyard. They discuss tree and leaf parts and observe various types of leaves. After writing their reports, 6th graders present them to the class...

Seventh graders design four biomes models and plant three types of seeds in them to observe growth. In groups for each type of biome, they predict the seeds' growth in each of the settings. Students follow the conditions on a biome chart...

Hummingbirds and flowers need each other to survive! Pupils explore the co-adaptation of hummingbirds and the flowering plants. They explain how a flowering plant has adapted to be pollinated by a hummingbird and how the hummingbird has...

Seventh graders discuss the loss of animal habitats and the importance of refuge areas for them. They collect small pictures of animals found in their state and glue them to an outline of their state according to their range. Finally,...

Sixth graders participate in an online, cooperative project researching trees in their local environments for use in an online knowledge game. They take digital pictures of the trees, bark, and leaves. After completing their research,...

Sixth graders identify different animals native to Illinois. They research a specific animal to study more about its characteristics, examine what makes a habitat, and recognize the difference between a food web and food chain.

Eighth graders write a short report in first person about any plant or animal found on a list of Illinois species. They become the character of the plant or animal and give a short report describing the plant or animal.

Students research different mammals and create illustrations and narratives about them. Working individually or in small groups, students compose their rough drafts prior to creating their posters or dioramas. Students present short...

Students work in small groups on a problem based learning activity. Students are presented with a problem of buying land to use for educational purposes only and must determine if it is feasible to buy it based on soil analysis and plant...