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How Much Water Does A Tree Transpire In A Day
Students engage in a lesson of investigating the amount of water that is transpired in a one day cycle. They conduct research to find the purpose of transpiration and find information to explain the value to a plant and explain how...
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A Symphony of Decomposers
Learners discover decomposition. In this environmental instructional activity, students explore different types of decomposers and their role within the ecosystem. Learners also discover how waste interferes with the decomposition process.
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Basic Needs of Living Things - Lesson Two
Fourth graders study and identify the basic needs of a variety of organisms. Terrariums and aquariums are used to demonstrate what plants, animals, and fish need to stay alive. These two classic models are used to effectively convey what...
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The Great Kapok Tree..
Students predict what each animal in the story read says and then compare them. They pretend that a tree was cut down and write a new ending for the story. Students explain why the story is not true and create a Venn Diagram comparing...
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Habitat Choice in Woodbugs
Students investigate woodbugs. In this scientific investigation lesson plan, students explore the steps scientists take when conducting an investigation using live specimens. Students explore habitat preferences for woodbugs in various...
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Rain Forest Adventures
Learners discover locations of the world's rain forests. Once they identify the animals, plants, products, and resources located in them, they construct they own rain forest terrariums. By comparing and contrasting the two types of...
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Creating the Water Cycle
Students create a terrarium to examine the stages of the water cycle. In small groups, they plant and water a seed in an enclosed plastic container. Each day they diagram and write observations of the terrarium using water cycle vocabulary.
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Water Cycle
Second graders investigate the water cycle. In this water cycle activity, 2nd graders discover how the water cycle effects erosion and weathering. Students create their own terrariums to view the water cycle. Students illustrate their...
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Death On Board La Belle: Finding Clues from Old Bones
Students practice analyzing skeletal remains for clues by using the Internet. For this scientific investigation lesson, students research the La Belle shipwreck using the Internet and written materials, later completing a Skeletal...
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Naturalist Activity Workbook
In this Webelos naturalist worksheet, students list short answers to 13 questions and assignments. The worksheet also includes a list of online resources.
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Student Designed Investigations: Observations
Young scholars choose an organism and create an experiment with that organism. In this observation lesson, students expose a living thing to something from its environment and record their observations. Young scholars must have some...
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Venus Flytrap
Young scholars study the Venus Flytrap including its habitat and how it eats. In this ecology lesson students complete several experiments using a Venus Flytrap to see how it reacts to various conditions.
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Gaia: The Wisdom of the Earth
Learners are introduced to Gaia theory of natural homeostasis. They graph Earth's temperatures over time, construct terrariums or monitor the outdoor environment. Related videos titles are suggested, but may be outdated. The objectives...
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WET Science Lesson #3: Comparison of Aquatic and Terrestrial Plants
Elementary life science explorers compare and contrast aquatic and terrestrial plants (elodea and soybeans) in a Venn diagram. Some background information is provided to support direct instruction, and general instructions are provided...
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Time-Lapsed Observations
Students explore timed observations for science investigations. They record ideas on a chart related to a classroom closed terrarium. They repeat their observations for several days and time observations for changing shadows during the...
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Using My Senses
Students observe crickets in the terrarium. Have them record in their journal any evidence of crickets having senses. Then they answer questions like these: How do they use their sense organs? Where are they are located?
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Mini-Ecosystems
Third graders identify the living and non living things in a book read aloud and discuss the interactions represented in the book. Then, they research and include a list of food that each animal needs in an ecosystem. Finally, 3rd...
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Trophic Relationships, Cycling of Chemicals, Human Impact on Ecosystems and Conservation
Students explore how the energy flow through a system is related to trophic levels. They investigate how organisms affect the cycling of elements and water through the biosphere. Students participate in lab activities to observe ways...
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States of Matter: Liquid
Students work in a mini lab where they measure the temperature every 30 seconds for several minutes as water is heated. They are asked what makes liquid different from a solid. Students view a PowerPoint on the model of liquids,...
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I'm Not Home Alone
Students view species of plants and animals in their native habitats. They design a classroom habitat and create a plan for raising the necessary funds to accomplish their project.
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Plant Parts
Ninth graders identify plant parts by using different classification methods. For this plant lesson students observe and draw different types of leaves then classify them according to species.
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LOOKING AT LAWNS
Students investigate the importance of plants to animals by exploring their own schoolyard. They record relevant observations, findings, and measurements, using written language, drawings, charts, and graphs. They describe ways in...
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Understanding Air Pressure
Fifth graders complete experiments with air to understand that air takes up space, has mass, and that air pressure can be changed. In this air pressure lesson plan, 5th graders test the air pressure by using balloons, syringes, and water...
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Ecosystem Energizers
Fourth graders see how the flow of energy through an ecosystem made up of producers, consumers, and decomposers carries out the processes of life and that some energy dissipates as heat and is not recycled.