Berkshire Museum
Nature Journaling: Experience the Outdoors Through Writing and Drawing
Step into the great outdoors and develop young scientists' skills of observation with a nature journaling lesson. Given a specific focus or goal, children practice making and recording observations of nature through written descriptions...
Berkshire Museum
Adopt a Schoolyard Tree
Help young scientists connect with nature and learn about trees with a fun life science lesson plan. Heading out into the school yard, children choose a tree to adopt, taking measurements, writing descriptions, and drawing sketches of it...
Curated OER
A Pill with a View
Students brainstorm a list of potential uses for micro-video technologies. After reading an article, they analyze the development of a new pill-sized camera. In groups, they create a children's book that shows them the various systems of...
Curated OER
The Mystery of the Missing Hummingbirds
Students record scientific observations in a science journal. In this season lesson, students make observations about each of the seasons and record in their journals. Students record organisms response to seasonal changes such as...
Curated OER
Following The Sun
Students investigate botany by conducting a plant growth experience. In this sunlight lesson, students utilize two potted flowers, depriving one of direct sunlight, and recording their growth process in science journals. Students discuss...
Curated OER
Selfless Service and The Giving Tree - Building Ethical Conscience
Upper elementary schoolers investigate philanthropy and selflessness by reading a children's book. In this ethics lesson, they read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and research Mahatma Gandhi's troublesome, yet inspiring, life....
Curated OER
Pond Ecosystem Field Trip
Students investigate the environment by participating in a class trip. In this pond ecosystem lesson, students define a list of vocabulary terms associated with ponds such as invertebrate and metamorphosis. Students attend a field trip...
Curated OER
Science and Technology Timeline
Students develop a time line of discoveries that have occurred in their lifetime. In this time line lesson plan, students research scientifically or technologically related events of interest to them, write a brief description on a 4x6"...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students experiment with water and ice. In this states of matter instructional activity, students explore how water can change from a solid to a liquid and back again. They discuss and write about the results of the experiment in a...
Curated OER
Water filtration with Plants
Sixth graders explain how soil and plants effect contaminated water in nature. In this filtration lesson, 6th graders work in groups to test biofiltration units. Students determine which biofiltration units work best and how they can...
Curated OER
Weather Journal
Sixth graders write in a journal using weather observations as the focus, they develop writing techniques in addition to scientific observation skills.
Curated OER
Garden Journals
Students create "Garden Journals" using construction paper, poster board, and general art supplies in this Art, Science, Reading, and Writing lesson for the early-elementary classroom. This activity may be done at the beginning of the...
Curated OER
Woodland Animals and Their Habitat
Students explore the natural environment through a video and nature sounds tape. They keep journal's of the unit's activities and vocabulary terms. They play a web of interdependence game and compose a list of forest animals and write...
Curated OER
Growing Jack and the Beanstalk Plants
First graders investigate how plants grow by growing their own "beanstalk", (after reading "Jack and the Beanstalk") and record their observations daily in a science journal.
Curated OER
N is for Natural State
For any pupils who live in the state of Arkansas, this would be a fabulous educational experience to help them get to know their state better. Through the use of activities in literature, art, mathematics, science, social studies, and...
Curated OER
Orville and Wilbur Wong and the Fantastic Flying Machines
Upper elementary and middle schoolers examine the role of Chinese immigrants in America. They investigate literature, history and cultures of Chinese-Americans. This ambitious plan takes two weeks to complete, and it brings in elements...
Curated OER
Learning About Hurricanes
Students write a research paper on hurricanes. In this weather lesson, students use a science text book to write down facts about hurricanes on note cards and then outline their essay. Students use the outline to create an organized essay.
Curated OER
Guided Reading "In the Night Sky"
Students participate in a variety of reading exercises, such as choral reading and reading response journal, to reinforce concepts about space and nocturnal animals.
Curated OER
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Students explore the 5 themes of geography. In this cross curriculum literacy and geography lesson plan, students listen to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett, and make a list of the needs of the people in Chewandswallow....
Curated OER
Integrating the Craft of Writing into Physical Education
Incorporate writing into your physical education class. In groups, learners unscramble a list of words related to exercise and use them in their journal writings. Using their name, they write one word related to physical activity that...
Curated OER
Classroom Composting
Young scholars observe and describe the cyclic nature of life. They identify and appreciate the importance of a balanced ecosystem. Finally, students compare and contrast biodegradable and non-biodegradable resources in nature and...
Curated OER
Sacred Places: California Missions from Different Perspectives
Students create a project poster displaying photos, drawings, and journal writings that incorporate the major themes of California's missions, and use perspective and point of view both visually and in writing.
Curated OER
Look Up!
Students investigate the sky. In this weather and clouds lesson plan, students observe the sky and write journal entries using their five senses to describe what they see. Students observe, identify, and write about the different types...
Curated OER
Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh My!
Research animals and develop a non-fiction presentation. Young scholars will complete research on a particular animal and determine the animal's characteristics as well as habitat before choosing a differentiated project to present using...