Lesson Plan
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"Julie of the Wolves"

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research life in Alaska and compare life there to their lives in this lesson. They read "Julie of the Wolves." They research through the novel and other reference books facts about the Alaskan climate and geography. They...
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Native vs. Non-native Species: Who Will Win?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students examine non-native species and the problems they have caused in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. They create a "Wanted" poster for one of the species. They describe the effects of non-native species on the schoolyard species.
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Is Urban Sprawl Causing Us To Lose More Than Ground?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students map the changes that occur in the land as a result of urban sprawl. They explore the problems that paving and building have on the watershed and the habitats on the Northshore.
Lesson Plan
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Creating an Experimental Design

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research the damage to the environment by certain plant species. They create an experimental design which they test how these species take over certain habitats. They share their information with the class.
Lesson Plan
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Mangrove Ecology & Adaptations

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students creat a plant, animal, or other living organism that would be well adapted to a habitat that they previously selected. First they learn about adaptations of Mangroves.
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Shedding Light on Watersheds

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss what a watershed is, complete online activities showing them how to take care of a watershed, and create a model of a watershed that they experiment with to see what happens when it is disrupted by civilization.
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Oceanography

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify saltwater and freshwater habitats and the resources found in them. They compare and contrast the two habitats and discuss their findings. They discover the resources bodies of water can provide.
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Make Way for Wild Migrants

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students discuss the threats facing migratory species and track the seasonal journeys of wildlife in real space and in cyberspace. Once they have gathered information from several sources, they create a portfolio to share with others...
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River Research

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students use the internet to research the streams and rivers found in Illinois. Using the information, they identify and describe the rivers and streams along with the physical characteristics of a river ecosystem. They share what they...
Lesson Plan
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Biosphere

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine the basic biosphere and its components.  In this ecology lesson plan students complete several experiments including designing a system that is balanced to sustain life.
Lesson Plan
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Animal Movements

For Teachers K - 1st
Students discuss the behavior of different animals and how they move. They explore the ways that this helps them live and find food in their environment. They participate in a game that requires them to mimic the ways in which animals move.
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Desert Tortoise Tale

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students listen to a reading of the "Desert Tortoise Tale" and complete a maze that highlights the different threats the baby tortoise faces along the way. They discuss the reasons the Desert Tortoise is becoming endangered.
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Reclamation and Recycling

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers learn the importance of plants and animals, ecosystems and habitats... and see how these factors guide mining reclamation projects. They then discover the importance of recycling, and the difference between manufacturing...
Lesson Plan
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It's For the Birds

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine how anatomical adaptations make it possible for a bird to survive in various habitats. They discuss and list birds and their unique characteristics, and create an imaginary bird, illustrating the environmental...
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Riparian: The Guardian of the Waterways

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students become educated on what a riparian is, the need for riparian, and how a riparian corridor (forest, habitat) can protect waterways. Students construct dioramas depicting riparian habitats.
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Reclamation and Recycling

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the many uses of mined lands after reclamation has been completed and discover the importance of recycling finding the difference between manufacturing with recycled materials and newly extracted materials.
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Needs and Wants

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students demonstrate responsible consumer choices. In this social studies lesson, students read The Lorax and discuss wants and needs. Students discuss how to save natural resources by making informed consumer choices.
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Creature Features

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students examine why certain animals live in only specific places throughout the world. Using animals, they classify them based on their characteristics and identify their basic needs. They also observe and compare the life cycles of...
Worksheet
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Electricity Sources

For Students 6th - 12th
In this electricity instructional activity, students review the different types of energy sources including fossil fuels, solar, wind, and nuclear energy. This instructional activity has 10 fill in the blank questions.
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Create Your Own Animal

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students design and create their own hypothetical animal. In this biology lesson, students identify the factors organisms need to survive. They classify their animals according to its correct phylum.
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Wildlife

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...
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Boom and Bust

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students investigate commercial fishery. In this fishery lesson, students describe stages in commercial fishery, interpret data and predict when a fisher stock is showing signs of overexploitation.
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Environmental Problems and Solutions

For Teachers 8th - 10th
For this environmental problems and solutions worksheet, students are given a list of 25 environmental problems. They match them with a given solution and paste the matching pairs to a piece of construction paper.
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Standard 4 Review-Human Impact

For Teachers 9th - 12th
In this human impact on the environment worksheet, students fill in the blanks to complete sentences about how humans have negatively affected the environment. They complete sentences about the actions taken to reduce and repair the...