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2nd Grade - Act. 25: Creature Creation
Create a creature using some of the characteristics of a real animal. Second graders will read a book from the "Froggy," series by Johnathan London to learn about the characteristics of frogs. After discussing and recording various...
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Penguins Around the World
Students investigate penguins. In this Science activity, students compare and contrast penguins to flying birds. Students use a Venn diagram to illustrate the differences and similarities of penguins and flying birds.
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Innovation for Good
Many historical innovations were created for the common good. Get your students ready for life as a critical thinker with this lesson which defines the differences between innovation and invention. They will conduct Internet research,...
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Birds of A Feather
Students observe and record the many types of birds they see in a month. They discover the many patterns birds follow and compare their results with other classrooms. They complete a field assessment as the final activity for this lesson.
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Week 8 - Sea Life
Using a magnifier, mini marine biologists examine the barbules of a bird feather. They swirl the it into a mixture of oil and water and then re-examine the feather. After the activity, discuss how the oily feathers pose a problem to sea...
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Digital Animal Presentations
First graders explore animals and digital presentations. They chose an animal and identify the physical traits of the animal. Students classify the animal using the physical traits. They create a presentation about their chosen animal.
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Aquatic Exotics
Students identify and describe the aquatic exotic species found in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the species origins and discover their effects on native species in the area. They discuss how appropriate it is to introduce...
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Careers With an Aquatic Emphasis
Students are introduced to careers with an aquatic emphasis. They take a self-evaluation test on what they enjoy in school to determine which career is right for them. They listen to people in the field discuss what their job is like.
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Illinois Biodiversity
Students examine the amount of biodiversity in the state of Illinois. They practice using new vocabulary and listening to stories about animals. After given time to reflect, they write their own haiku. They work together to create a...
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Leaf, Tree and Prairie Study
Students are introduced to the topic of Botany and the process of photosynthesis. Using various habitats, they research the amount of destruction it is facing and how to solve the problem. They make a leaf booklet with leaves they find...
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Farm Animals Thematic Unit
Student study farm animals by watching a teacher made PowerPoint presentation and visiting a farm. They research a farm animal with teacher assistance. They design a book about the animals using available technology and orally present...
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Enemies and Threats to Sea Horses
Students research threats and enemies of the sea horse. For this animal biology lesson, students use the Internet to find threats and enemies of sea horses and write a paragraph on their findings.
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The 400-acre wood
For this forest planning lesson plan, middle schoolers visit the 400-acre wood website and work in groups to learn about the specific aspects of forest development. Students create, label and color a forest planning map and present their...
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Seeds of Wetland Life
Students participate in several activities on seed exploration. In this biology lesson plan, students classify seeds according to their dispersal method. They explain the different adaptations plant have to disperse their seeds.
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Plant Identification: New Jersey vs. Ecuador
Sixth graders discover the different plants that grow in different climates through specimen collections. In this botany lesson, 6th graders examine plants from both New Jersey and Ecuador and discuss what conditions could create such...
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Meet Your Partners
Students become student scientists and work with Internet partners to collect, share, and analyze data needed to draw conclusions about the Waipi'o Valley Stream Restoration.
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What Lives in the Forest?
Students investigate nearby forests and record their interactions with trees as well as wild life. In this ecology lesson, students read the book, In the Woods: Who's Been Here?, and attend class observational field trips through their...
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Rainfall Mapping
Students explore rainfall and habitats. In this rainfall lesson, students explore the relationships among rainfall, vegetation, and animal habitats. Resources are provided.
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Living or Nonliving
Third graders brainstorm a list of the characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. Individually, they find four nonliving and living items and the characteristics that make them fit into one of the categories. To end the lesson...
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Investigating Fresh Water Ecosystems
Sixth graders examine the fresh water ecosystems. In this environmental lesson, 6th graders work in groups to collect information about a fresh water ecosystem and report their findings to the class in the form of a brochure.
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Wetland Adaptation
Fourth graders study the impact of the wetland environment on the migration of birds. They make a list of the important reasons on a large piece of paper to be posted in the classroom and point out the biggest wetland in the state (The...
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Bluebirds Ecology Vocabulary Exercise
In this bluebirds worksheet, students categorize bluebird species found in their state and define vocabulary related to it. Students complete 6 vocabulary words.
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Ecosystem Food Web Mural
Learners create a food web mural about an ecosystem of the freshwater marsh. For this food web lesson plan, students write about the organisms and how each one depends on another.
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Algae Experiments
Students describe the characteristics of algae. In this biology instructional activity, students perform a series of experiment to explore algae. They investigate the basic things algae need to survive.