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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Succession

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The final lesson in a two-part series prompts scholars to create newspaper articles and succession events. Applying their knowledge of the ecosystem and the past examples of succession, they predict what will happen in the future using...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

The Engine of Life

For Teachers 5th - 11th Standards
There is a specific zone, or distance from a star, that a planet must be in order to have water in a liquid form. The activity demonstrates how flux density depends on its distance from the source. A photovoltaic cell gets power to drive...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Is It Alive?

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or not. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pharaoh Mountain Hike: Investigating Adirondack Life Zones

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students hike a local mountain and examine its life zones. They measure various components at each zone and collect leaf litter at the sites. At the mountain top, students make descriptive observations and complete a handout about the...
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Lesson Plan
2
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NOAA

An Ocean of Energy

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Young biologists trace the path of the sun's energy through marine ecosystems in the second part of this four-lesson plan series. Building on prior knowledge about producers, consumers, and decomposers students are introduced to the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

7th Science Quiz

For Teachers 7th - 8th
This seventh grade life science quiz has a professional appearance and well-written multiple-choice questions. However, it seems to cover too broad a variety of biology topics for only 15 questions to fully assess. There is one question...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Speedy Succession

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify how a pond can change into a grassland. An ecosystems activity where learners identify pioneer and climax species, and recognize that ecological succession can take up to 100 years or more. Some excellent...
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Lesson Plan
Safe Routes to School

Pollution & Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Bring together a study of two major scientific topics with a lesson on the relationship between pollution and evolution. With the help of a PowerPoint presentation, hands-on activity. and class demonstration young scientists learn how...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Life

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders create an ocean fish environment. For this ocean life lesson, 3rd graders create an ocean environment from clay. Students paint their sculptures with realistic colors emphasizing contrast, texture, and patterns.
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Lesson Plan
Serendip

The Ecology of Lyme Disease

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Areas that previously included no risk of Lyme disease now have cases every year. Scholars learn about the spread of Lyme disease and the relationship with ecological succession. Then, they discuss possible solutions using the known food...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Lifecycle of a Butterfly

For Teachers K
Students study the life cycle of the butterfly. In this butterfly life cycle lesson, students examine and discuss a large diagram of the four stages of the butterfly life cycle. They read books and access web sites that extend their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Home Living / Daily Living: Shopping List 2

For Teachers 8th - Higher Ed
I've done this exercise with my special needs learners more times than I can count. They practice getting ready to shop at the grocery store by identifying items on their shopping list. They match grocery items to the proper department...
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Lesson Plan
National Gardening Association

Migration Mishaps

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Elementary ecologists pretend to be migratory hummingbirds. They fly between wintering and nesting grounds, trying to reach a habitat haven. In a musical-chair fashion, some birds will miss out, and are removed from the game. To further...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing a Real Life Ecosystem!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research abiotic and biotic factors concerning the concept of an ecosystem. Record and analyze data collected. Write a lab report in proper and scientific format with thinking and analytical skills. Work as a cooperative team.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
NOAA

El Niño

For Teachers 9th - 12th
El Nino, La Nina ... and the Santa Maria? The 11th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program explains the mechanism of El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Pupils use previous data to determine...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecological Succession in Pond Water Cultures

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners collect samples of pond water, dried grass, and soil in a jar. They predict the order of ecological succession in their pond water cultures. They compare their expected results with their observed results.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quality of Life Investigations: Risk Reductions

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students participate in a discussion of recent environmental issues affecting their own community or ones nearby. In groups, they research the role of food additives and the purpose of adding them to foods. They also determine their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life Skill Communication

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students use  digital camera to document the needs for daily living. In this life skills and visual arts instructional activity, students create class books that include photographs of everyday objects that they use in their home, school...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life-Changing Events

For Teachers K
Students investigate the life changing events that can take place in the life of a school age child. They conduct class discussion about some examples of life changing events. The activity is targeted towards counseling or opening days...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life on the Moon

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students study the physical properties of the Moon.  In this life on the moon lesson students describe the ways life on the Moon would be different than on Earth. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

3-D Ocean Animals

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research an animal from the ocean, using the internet and encyclopedias, with at least 5 out of 5 topics covered. They also construct a 3-dimensional model of their animal and give an oral presentation about their animal...
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Lesson Plan
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Purdue University

Simple Machines – Dog Gone It!

For Teachers 3rd Standards
How can people use simple machines to solve real-world STEM problems? Learn about simple machines using a hands-on, project-based learning activity. First, pupils investigate and evaluate simple machines. Then, they receive a task that...
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Lesson Plan
American Physiological Society

What Environmental Conditions Lead to the Hatching of Brine Shrimp?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Will changing the environment in which brine shrimp live impact their reproductive success? Young scientists get hands-on experience studying the habitat of brine shrimp in a two-week immersion lesson. The teacher's guide provides all of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Death and Recovery

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, devastating plant and animal life for miles around. Two activities are included in this lesson plan. In one, learners evaluate tree rings to determine the age of a tree and the year of a volcano....