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Fossil Fuels: Facing the Issues
Students explore energy by researching fuel usage on Earth. In this fossil fuel lesson, students define fossil fuels, the energy created by burning them, and the impact on the environment when using them. Students conduct pollution...
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Wet or Dry Experiment
Practice the scientific process by testing whether mealworms prefer a wet or dry environment. This is an engaging experiment to use as an example of how to go through the steps of the scientific method. Elementary schoolers can work in...
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Air Quality Issues
Students identify the different layers of the atmosphere. They examine the different types of air pollutants. They also discover laws in effect that work to protect the environment.
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Describe Environmental Interrelationships
Students describe environmental interrelationships using list of criteria. They are able to explain organism interaction, based on definitions provided. Also, students can use references and worksheets, to describe effects of pollution...
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The ABCs of Our Nation
In this social studies worksheet, students are directed to a Web site to find out what makes our Nation special. Students create an acrostic poem about our country. Students then explore the need for responsible living within a community...
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Bud the Spud Moves West
As part of a unit on Canadian agriculture, this focuses on how potato farms have increased in the west. Pupils participate in a discussion about the impact of consumer demand on production, and then they read an article about potato...
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The World's Last Great Wilderness (Antarctica)
It's a shame that there are no photographs in this presentation because the information is fascinating! Each identically fashioned slide contains bullet points of information about Antarctica that will enhance an earth science...
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Turtle Hospital
Students explore techniques to rescue and rehabilitation of stranded and injured sea turtles. They examine the turtle's impact on the environment. Students discuss ideas to reduce the number of stranded marine turtles.
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Land Quality Issues
In this unit of lessons, students examine land quality issues. They discover food chains and practice reading them. They also examine the erosion of soil and how it affects the environment.
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LESSON #2 SAFETY UNIT: Real-life reading selection
When studying pollution and the environment, you can use this activity as an enrichment. Safety-conscious learners read a 2005 article about an ammonia leak from a Kentucky fast-food product plant. They work in small groups to discuss...
Learning to Give
Start Cleaning the Air
Advocate for the environment! With the short story included, learners are prompted to think about radon (the odorless and colorless gas) and possible ways to get donations or raise money to purchase detection equipment. The plan spans...
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To Light or Not to Light
Students examine the role of light and dark in a living environment. In this photosynthesis lesson, students hypothesize about the best environment for plant growth, record observations using plant seeds in various light and dark...
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Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students examine the concept of extinction by studying dinosaurs. In this living environment lesson, students view dinosaur video clips and define the word "extinction." Students visit the "Zoom Dinosaur" website to investigate various...
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Frog Habitats
Middle schoolers are placed in pairs and given a type of frog to research on the computer. They research its habitat for 30 minutes on the computer and then make a 3-D habitat/model of their individual frogs living environment with...
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Adaptations of Penguins
In this adaptations of penguins activity, learners write short answers describing 14 ways penguins are adapted for their living environment.
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Thinking Like a Scientist
Students examine what it is like to be a scientist. In this living environment lesson students complete a group lab activity and answer questions.
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Unique Ecosystems
Fourth graders explain how in any particular environment, some kinds of
plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. They research the ecosystem of which each animal or plant is natively a part.
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Biomes of the World (and Canada)
Students explore environments by analyzing food chains. For this biome identification lesson, students define a list of environmental vocabulary terms such as tundra, rain-forest and desert. Students create a fictional self sustainable...
Michigan Sea Grant
Wetlands
Wetlands may not sound particularly ornate, but they are as important as any habitat! With a hands-on activity, young scientists build a wetland model and observe its many functions in action. They discover the importance of wetlands to...
Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Identification
Using a dichotomous key, pupils identify characteristics of fish who live in the Great Lakes and explain how these features help them survive. In small groups, class members discover what features scientists consider important and...
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Ocean Habitats
Students examine the water samples from a demonstration and discuss the difference between fresh and salt water. They draw different animals that live near or in the ocean and how humans can harm the ocean habitat. They draw pictures of...
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Squirrel Islands
In this adaptations worksheet, students read about 3 species that have changed over time to adapt to their environment. Students design a squirrel that has adapted to an island habitat that students are assigned. They describe the...
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T's Alive! Or Is It?
Students explore data on the bone, muscle, and skin of living systems and then create a list of characteristics of these systems and relate these characteristics to bone, muscle, and skin.
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Plants Alive! How Plants Grow and Move
Students explore how plants move in response to the environment. In this plant lesson plan, students engage in three different experiments to investigate how plants grow and move. Resources available in English and French.