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Land Associations
Students identify and explore life forms of various biomes, define transitional regions, examine effects of abiotic and biotic interactions, research a biome, and produce newspaper that features environmental information. Lessons all on...
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"Water, Water Everywhere and None to Drink"
Ninth graders research the importance of maintaining an unpolluted source of water in their community. They brainstorm ideas on what they can do to help the problem. They can also write letters to their local politicians for help.
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Ecological Communities:The Prairie
Students study the meaning of ecological community and recognize its complexity. For this ecology lesson students diagram a food web.
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Depending On Each Other. Communities And Ecosystems
Seventh graders investigate how the ecosystems of the world has influence upon the immediate and nonimmediate environments. The interelationships of food webs is discussed. The class researches one type of ecosystem for a class project...
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Prairie Voices...Making a Living
Students explore the many ways people support themselves and their families. In this economics lesson, students review newspapers and compare types of jobs. Students create daily schedules for an adult worker and role play job interview...
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Grid it, Map it
Learners participate in designing a city layout using grids and coordinates. They work on a city space and create a grid on a life size layout on the gym floor.
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Scales, Scutes, and Skins
Students identify the various adaptations of reptiles and amphibians. After distinguishing between reptiles and amphibians, students discuss the ways in which their adaptations aid in their survival. They participate in a hands on...
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Canadian History
Students conduct research on the history of early Canada. They create timelines of important dates, write biographies of Canadian explorers, consider the importance of geography and religion in Canada's settlement and examine both...
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Diverse Environments
Students explore life forms in different environments. After exploring different biomes within their state, students research different plant and animal species within each biome. They prepare a group report on one feature of the region...
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A Trip Back in Time
Students investigate the pioneer experience in the 1800s. They view and discuss the images on the Missouri quarter, read a story about pioneer life, complete a worksheet, and create a booklet-form time capsule of pioneer items from the...
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Quadrat Sampling 101
Students explore the population of grass plants in a given area. They plan and conduct a sampling activity to estimate the population of dandelions or the number of grass blades on the school grounds.
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Nelson Mandela, Symbol of Courage
Fifth graders study Nelson Mandela. In this leadership lesson, 5th graders study the life of Nelson Mandela. Throughout their learning, they read biographies on Nelson Mandela, compare their community to those in South Africa, discuss...
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Biological Diversity and Conservation
In this conservation biology instructional activity, students will complete 9 short answer questions on the different strategies of conservation biology, including the Endangered Species Act and establishing protected areas for animals.
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Bison (American Buffalo)
In this science worksheet, students read the facts sheet for the buffalo. They could use this for a class activity for classifying animals.
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Buffalo Gone: Appreciating Natural Resources
Students develop numercy skills by studying the number of bison before and after the arrival of European settlers in Canada. They examine the affect of the reduction in the number of bison on Native families.
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Farm Animals ABC Book
Students read and examine various books and websites on farm animals and farm life, then create a class farm ABC book. Each student is responsible for one page in the book.
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Bringing Illinois into the Curriculum
Students of all ages are introduced to the geography of Illinois. Depending on the grade level, they participate in different activities which allow them to discover Illinois in the past and present. They examine the animals and...
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The Turn of the Nineteenth Century: Lifestyles and Cultures
Student reflect on the differences between the life of children in the early
nineteenth century and their lives in the present. They demonstrate these differences by creating a drawing of "then and now." In addition, they create a...
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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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Sarah Plain and Tall
Students read the story, dividing it into chapters per day until complete. They respond to the ad, just as Sarah, Plain and Tall did and use the correct parts of a letter used including a return address, greeting, body, closing and...
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Deck the Halls with Literature Trees
Reinforce and assess reading comprehension by having your class make a literature tree! After reading a book, pupils make decorations to represent the book's themes, characters, and setting. Materials for decorating can be as diverse and...
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Push or Pull?
Utilizing the Nebraska State Quarter, pupils learn about the pioneers who had wagons that were pulled across Nebraska by oxen during the westward movement. Excellent worksheets are embedded in the plan that guide them through this fine...
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Wagons West!
Through learning about the Oregon Trail and Nebraska, learners evaluate the elements of historical fiction. Coming with a comprehensive bibliography, this lesson plan has your class learn about settlers traveling along the Oregon Trail,...
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Moving West With Pioneers
Fifth graders read a book written by Laura Ingalls Wilder to examine the hardships that were endured by pioneers traveling during the Westward Expansion of the US. They predict, summarize and participate in literature circles. They visit...