K12 Reader
Tissues, Organs and Systems
Young scientists are introduced to the connections among cells, tissues, organs, and systems in a life science reading comprehension worksheet that asks them to respond to a series of questions based on the passage.
Curated OER
Lipids: Fats and Oils
A fantastic presentation with great images should improve student understanding of lipids and their involvement in the body. The chemistry of different fats, phospholipids, and steroids are explained. Additionally, the specific uses,...
Curated OER
Why Are Plants Green?
Students smash plant parts and wait for visibility of chlorophyl to show why plants turn green. In this green plants lesson plan, students use acetone and filter paper for this experiment.
Curated OER
What Do Living Things Have In Common?
Young scholars explore the concept of classification. In this classification lesson, students collaborate to create lists of living thing similarities in order to differentiate between living and non-living things. Young scholars create...
Curated OER
Why Plants Are Green
Young scholars discover the properties of chlorophyll in plants. In this plant biology lesson, students conduct an experiment to find where the chlorophyll in the plant is located. Young scholars are split into small groups and study...
Forest Foundation
Forest Health
Young foresters examine the strategies, like prescribed burns and thinning, that are employed to ensure healthy forests.
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready to start...
Curated OER
Agriculture and the Environment
Students investigate the interdependence of agriculture and the environment. They research areas of interdependence and provide examples of situations where farmers are practicing conservation in the local area. Their findings are...
Rainforest Alliance
Investments in Forest Carbon
One hundred metric tons of CO2 can accumulate in one acre of forest over time—that's a lot of carbon! In the activity, groups of middle school learners determine what makes forests important. They then solidify the concept by using a...
Curated OER
Design a Reef!
Using a miniature coral reef aquarium kit, young ecologists model this unique ecosystem. They research various coral reef organisms and their niches, and they culminate the project by working together to write a report. Use this activity...
American Museum of Natural History
Find My Plankton Baby Picture
Get a better understanding of babies in the sea. The class learns about the two kinds of plankton. They then determine the baby pictures of eight marine animals given a picture of the adult and some hints about the larvae. When scholars...
K12 Reader
Xylem and Phloem
The vascular tissue found in plants is the subject of a two-part comprehension activity that asks kids to read the provided article and then to respond to a series of comprehension questions.
Serendip
Changing Biological Communities – Disturbance and Succession
After cutting down a forest to make a farm, how long would it take the environment to turn an abandoned farm back into a forest? Scholars study this exact scenario while they interpret many charts and graphs of the changing ecosystems as...
Curated OER
Science: Comparing Beer and Bread
Students compare and contrast cellular respiration in yeast and plant and animal cells. After discovering the role of yeast in making beer and bread, they describe the short and long term effects of alcohol on the nervous and digestive...
Curated OER
Science Quiz: Plants
In this science quiz: plants activity, students answer 10 questions about botany trivia, then scroll down to check their answers.
Curated OER
Oxygen
Students explore oxygen and its physical and chemical propeties. In this investigative lesson students complete several experiments using oxygen.
TerraCycle
What Can Nature Teach Us about Sustainable Design?
Talk about Velcro®, Gecko Tape, WhalePower turbine blades, and other innovations that mimic nature to inspire your STEM or engineering class. This set of worksheets gets them thinking about imitating nature in terms of sustainable...
Curated OER
Germs and Your Body
Students study germs and ways your body fights against disease. In this germs lesson students complete an activity that demonstrates where germs can get into your body.
Curated OER
Urban Ecosystems 4: Metabolism of Urban Ecosystems
Cities are compared to living, breathing, metabolizing organisms. Fourth in a five-part series of lessons, this one focuses on the flow of materials through a city. Links to interesting websites and images make your delivery of...
Curated OER
The Science of Respiration and Blood Circulation
Fifth graders study how respiration and circulation are connected. In this respiratory instructional activity students complete several activities to better understand heart rate and carbon dioxide in the body.
Curated OER
Bat Ecology
Students, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through their...
Curated OER
Amino Acids
Identify the properties of proteins and amino acids. Name the groups of elements that identify an amino acid Describe the chemical structure of protein Explain what happen during the denaturation of protein and how the process occurs
Curated OER
Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers
Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative lesson, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will design a...
Curated OER
Please the Trees, But Not These, Please!
Students study trees. In this forestry lesson, students complete a variety of activities where they learn the basic parts of a tree and their functions.