Curated OER
Science: Down Home Dinosaurs
students participate in hands-on activities to discover the different types of fossils. Using teacher-provided materials, they make models of cast and trace fossils. After writing essays describing how traces are formed, students plan a...
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Paleogeographic Mapping (o.k. Fossils Are Neat But What Good Are They?)
Learners examine how evidence from fossils can be used in paleogeographic interpretation. They gain experience in developing multiple hypotheses.
National Wildlife Federation
By Air, Land, or Sea: The Formation and Location of Our Natural Resources
Coal forms from the ancient remains of plants that were alive on Earth before the dinosaurs! Scholars use their t-charts from the previous lesson over resources and research to determine if their information is correct. Through analysis...
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Common and Science Names
First graders investigate how dinosaurs are named. They listen to the book "The Littlest Dinosaurs," discuss Greek and Latin words and word parts, identify the word parts and meanings of Triceratops, and create a drawing of a dinosaur...
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MUD-A Walk
Students investigate their tracks to determine the number of footsteps it takes to travel the entire length of their bodies. Then they determine the taller of two children and the shorter of two children with their tracks. Students also...
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Fossil Impressions of Ancient Life
Students make a mold using Plaster of Paris and then make a cast using that same mold. They pick a fossil and describe how it looks. They write a fictionalized story about its life, or burial. (
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Be a Paleontologist
Students search for fossils in a simulated archeology site and explore how paleontologists mark out a dig site.
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I Have a Bone To Pick With You
Pupils explore fossils and how they are found by paleontologists.
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What Big Teeth You Have:
Students make their own tooth impressions of a sharp and a flat tooth and compare the differences. They make impression of fossil teeth from dinosaurs comparing the sharp and flat teeth and learning about their uses.
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Make a Dinosaur
Students estimate the size of dinosaurs and create a dinosaur model. They create bar graphs of the sizes of dinosaurs one in meters and the other in "student" units. They draw a pictures and add words or sentences about their dinosaur.
Desert Discoveries
How Old is Old? (And, How Much is a Million?)
Here is an interesting lesson on how old things are designed for young scientists. In it, learners compile a list of their birthdays, and the class puts them in sequential order from youngest to oldest. Then, they sequence 15 objects...
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Birds
Students study birds and examine the idea that they evolved from reptiles or dinosaurs. In this birds lesson students divide into groups and research one side of the debate, then at the end have the students debate each-other.
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The Mesozoic Era Crossword Puzzle
In this Mesozoic Era crossword puzzle worksheet, students examine the 12 clues in order to complete the puzzle with the words and names from this time period.
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Energy Crisis and Energy Alternatives
In this energy crisis and energy alternatives worksheet, students fill in the blanks of sentences when given terms related to the environment, the energy crisis, renewable resources and non-renewable resources.
Curated OER
Cooking with the Sun!
Students access prior knowledge of solar energy and understand that solar energy produces heat. In this solar cooker lesson, students complete grade appropriate experiments using the heat of the sun. Students complete a worksheet on...
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Carbon Cycle Game
In this carbon cycle lesson, middle schoolers review the carbon cycle and visit stations in the room where they experience every phase in the carbon cycle. Young scholars journal about their journey through the cycle and brainstorm ways...
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Archaeology and Prehistoric Native Americans
Young scholars study the terms paleontology and archaeology and examine how they can help us learn about prehistoric Native Iowans. For this archaeology lesson students discuss these terms and view a video on Native Americans.
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Dell House Dig
Students experience an archaeological dig exploring off the shore of Black Hawk Island and Wisconsin River. They study in the same place where the infamous Dell House once stood. Dell House and its historical significance is reviewed...
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Build-A-Horseshoe Crab
Students discover many facts about horseshoe crabs. Students identify the main body parts of horseshoe crab. They explore the habits of the horseshoe crab and their importances to the ecosystem. Adaptations for younger students are...
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Not Just For A Baby's Bottom
Eighth graders investigate the presence of talc in the geologic record. The different characteristics of talc is covered. The lesson includes background information for the teacher.