Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Characteristics of Living Things

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students discuss the criteria for living things with their groups. They come to a consensus on at least five or more characteristics of a living thing. They determine if the lab samples are living, non-living, or other.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In the Company of Wild Butterflies

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Learners discover the life cycle of a butterfly and explain the different stages.  For this exploratory lesson students watch a video and create insect art and they will get an opportunity to view live specimens of butterflies. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hunters and Gatherers

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders participate in mapping and other activities to understand why ancient civilizations developed as they did. In this ancient civilization lesson, 6th graders recognize that there were three important climate zones and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Describe Environmental Interrelationships

For Teachers Higher Ed
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Summarizing Details in Sequence

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Seventh graders write a few sentences explaining the most important events of their lives during the past year. As a class, they discuss why they chose the elements they did for their sentences. To end the lesson, they read a variety of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
With The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry as the hook learners discuss the rainforest, the animals that live there, and conservation efforts. Then, students write a letter to the man in the story asking him not to cut down the Kapok...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indian Story Bag

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students use an object to tell an interesting story from their lives. They write and present a short story about an interesting episode from their life and gather objects in a story bag, which illustrates their story to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecosystem Organization - Lesson Plan

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Student explore ecosystems. In this ecosystem organization lesson, students consider how scientists study living organisms. Students participate in a teacher guided activity that requires them to visualize an organism and imagine its...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Daphnia and Algae: A Study of Pond Dynamics

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students observe interrelationships and interdependencies of organisms which may generate stable ecosystems. They also study that living organisms have the capacity to produce infinite sized populations, but environments and resources...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes a Cat a Cat?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars investigate the lives of pets by videotaping them.  In this animal life activity, students videotape a cat and other pets using school cameras in a computer lab.  Young scholars review the footage from the cat...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking Things Personally

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers create a work of art calling attention to significant societal problems or social issues.
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

A-Mazing Plants

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Have your young scientists questioned why plants grow a particular way? Through this learning opportunity, scientists gain firsthand knowledge about how plants develop and various factors that affect rates of growth as they bring plants...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bat Ecology

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The First Fire : A Cherokee Animal Tale

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders discover movement through the telling of "The First Fire", a Cherokee tale. Small groups are given sections of the story to tell by creating dances. Music (live and recorded) adds to the final performance and assessment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biogeography

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders listen to a teacher led lecture about species living in different parts of the world. They study how the species spread to different parts of the world and examine the concept of dispersal. As a class, 3rd graders...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Are Ecosystems?

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders recognize and examine ecosystems. They observe and describe habitats within ecosystems and observe and identify organisms with similar needs that compete for resources.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In the Wild

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the concept of ecology and how animals are suited to their habitats. In this animal adaptation instructional activity, 3rd graders identify a variety of plants and animal species that live in a Beech forest.Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water: H2O = Life

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
In this earth science worksheet, young scholars explore and describe animals and their adaptations, including their habitats, physical characteristics, and competing organisms. They also explore and describe how others use water around...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Child Survival Stories: Hope To Cope

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students brainstorm a list of the various scenerios going on their family life at home. In groups, they read about different perspectives on survival and identify ones they could use in their own lives. They share their own experiences...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cyber Safety

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students explore internet safety. In this cyber safety lesson, students gain information on how to choose safe websites. Students get tips on what types of information is safe to share on the internet and things to be aware of.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

But I Need This

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders place everything in their desk or back pack onto their desk top. They explain why each item is needed. They receive a set of pictures and write a list of things each person or animal needs to survive. They compare people,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coin A Phrase

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars demonstrate competence in skills and strategies of the writing process. They apply their own views and experiences to their writing. They explore figurative language to make comparisons in their writing.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading for Information: Chinese Emigration

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students read and discuss given information about Chinese emigration, and compete a set of relate comprehension questions. Students discuss the concept of an interview, then complete an associated interview worksheet, sharing information...
Lesson Plan
WolfQuest

The Return of Gray Wolves to Yellowstone National Park: Right or Wrong?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Should gray wolves be removed from Yellowstone National Park? After researching the complex relationships between the various habitats and species at Yellowstone National Park,  including humans, class members take a position...