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To Drink or not to Drink
Seventh graders discuss water quality, water availability and water resources and how water is used in the world around them. They view a video on water quality then test for pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen to indicate water quality.
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Atlatl Lessons Grades 4-12
Students examine motion and how to describe it qualitatively. In this investigative lesson students see how aboriginal people were environmentally responsible.
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How Smoking Affects Our Repiratory System
Seventh graders examine the dangers of smoking. For this life science lesson, 7th graders survey their schoolmates about the factors that would influence them to smoke. They present their findings in class by creating a presentation.
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Ecology - Ecosystem
Third graders research ecosystems, the work of ecologists, John Muir's contribution to the environment and an endangered species of their choice. They read books, participate in discussions, and write reports.
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Smart Decision!
Fourth graders use a Decision Making Model to analyze and solve an environmental problem of public concern. Groups review a real life environmental problem, and use a worksheet imbedded in this plan to guide their decision.
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Florida Springs
Students discover the many uses of water and the sources of the water we see. They complete a worksheet about the water usage at school and at home.
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Landfill Lounge
Students accurately construct a model of a sanitary landfill and identify the parts of the landfill and explain their function. They work in grous using a clear plastic box, modeling clay, soil and a variety of garbage to create their...
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All Caught Up!
Students discover the difficulty involved in trying to isolate a target species by fisherman. They discuss this issue and its problems as a class. They examine how bycatching affects their lives.
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What Do You Think About Sharks?
Fourth graders explore sharks. They read a story about sharks and act out using Reader's Theater. They discuss fact and attitude statements about sharks and complete a Shark Survey. They create a shark promotion brochure informing...
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Amazing Bird Adaptions--Why Am I A Bird?
Fourth graders identify and classify birds found in Illinois. Using the internet, they discover how birds have adapted over time and how the adaptations have increased their life span. They compare and contrast the various adaptations...
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Survival Of The Fittest
Seventh graders examine the concept of an ecosystem and how there is a variety of representations of life that exist there. They look at the equilibrium that is reached in stable communities and how the variable of change in...
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the New Explorers:Into the Depths
Students explore the self preservation mechanism that is inherent in the Great Lakes. They examine how scientists are studying Great Lakes, and what their predictions are for these national treasures.
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Our World A Complex Eco-system
Sixth graders set up an ecosystem, investigate conservation techniques, develop an action plan for conservation, and various other activities to explore the ecosystem.
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Traverse City Trouble Makers
Students investigate how to become advocates in an authentic environmental issue, in this case the invasion of the zebra mussel invasion of the Great Lakes. They complete graphic organizers during Internet research, while reading...
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Ecosytems: Water Purification
Middle schoolers explore how ecosystems purify water and what kinds of things humans do that alter these processes. They use a website to access information on local watersheds and develop a "river" newspaper
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Experiment on Minimal Segment Size Regeneration of Lumbriculus variegatus
The experiment allows students to observe regeneration of tailless and headless worm segments into complete individuals. Data of a completed experiment are included as well as a student activity sheet.
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DRY UP BABY ! ANHYDROBIOSIS (freeze drying)
In this lab, students explore how organisms are able to survive the extreme environmental conditions found in the Polar regions. Students observe and draw active living rotifers and Tardigrades, design and perform experiments to collect...
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Who Will Get the Last Drop?
Students discuss the importance of California's water system. In this earth science lesson, student play the role of different stakeholders. They present a 2-3 minute argument on their group's perspective about their need for water.
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Coastal Biodiversity of South Africa
Students investigate the biodiversity found along the coast of South Africa. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They use the information in order to write lab reports with the data. The lesson plan can be adapted to...
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Into the Pond
Seventh graders use a pond to explore macroinvertebrates and other organisms. They use a dichotomous key to classify the organisms and maintain a journal recording their findings.
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Who's for Dinner?
Fifth graders examine life systems within different biomes. They choose paper plates with the names of animals on them. They research the animals, write reports and draw pictures of them. They create a food chain model by arranging the...
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Ecological Citizen
Pupils examine the interconnectedness of living and non-living things that constitute an ecosystem. They examine fallen trees,insects, living trees, leaves, food webs, and forests. They conduct various activities and write poems about...
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Invasive Species
Young scholars explore invasive species. In this species analysis lesson, students observe invasive species and review the impact the species have on the environment. Young scholars work in groups to investigate the species in varying...
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How Things Fly
Students observe photographs of selected twentieth-century aircraft at the National Air and Space Museum and note differences in the design of aircraft wings, fuselages, and engines.