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Butterfly Life Cycle
Second graders explore biology. In this life cycle lesson, 2nd graders act out the stages a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly. They spend days prior to this lesson observing caterpillars they have collected and developing...
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The Queen's Empire
Students conduct Internet research on a variety of ant species and their habitats. They have an opportunity to observe ants in their environment. Areas of interest might include ant identification, colony life, the ant life cycle, and...
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Camouflage
Students observe first hand what it is like to be the prey and what he or she must do to blend in and make themselves less noticeable. They participate in a variety of hands-on activities which help them explain how insects hide...
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Urban Rocks: Investigating Stone Used for Buildings and Monuments
Learners observe the rocks and stones used to build and carve monuments during a field trip.
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Plant Investigation Through Young Eyes
Students observe pictures of plants and forests. They observe their own plants in a plot of land especially for them. They are to identify the plants in the photographs they saw.
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Me And My Shadow
Students investigate the concept of a shadow. They design a tool to create shadows for an experiment. They make observations and record the size and shape of shadows. The lesson contains background information for the teacher to deliver...
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Water Speed and Erosion
Fourth graders investigate the process of water erosion. They observe the roots of a plant and discuss the concept of erosion. Next, in small groups they conduct an experiment to observe how water erodes soil on a stream table, and...
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Funky Fungus
Students discuss decomposition, bacteria, fungi and other microscopic organisms. They participate in an experiment to grow fungus on bread. As the fungus colonies grow, students observe them under a microscope to identify and locate...
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Properties of Soaps
Students investigate 3 types of soap. In this properties of soaps lesson plan, students test soap with pepper and observe the reaction between the two. They make observations of the 3 types of soaps and make a chart to compare each. They...
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How Trees Contribute to the Water Cycle
In this water cycle instructional activity, 3rd graders conduct an experiment where they observe and calculate how water transpires in different types of trees. Students engage in a class discussion and use Venn Diagrams to compare...
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Modeling the Big Bang and the Formation of the Universe
Sixth graders conduct an experiment to understand the Big Bang Theory. In this Big Bang Theory lesson plan, 6th graders will observe a balloon with confetti popping to emulate and analyze information related tot he Big Bang theory....
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Population Growth
Students grow duckweed, observe what happens when an organism population is allowed to grow without predation or competition, view videos about invasive species, and develop a proposal for controlling the growth of an invasive species in...
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A Day on the Farm
First graders, with a collection of various art supplies, plant a seed to observe it growing and record specific data on a data record sheet. They create a collage from various magazines of ten different foods farm animals eat and make a...
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Insect Homes
Students investigate student homes. In this insect homes lesson,students observe insect homes. Students visit a campsite and gather information about insect homes. Students examine and record an insect home on a worksheet....
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Scientific Method and Crystal Growth
Students conduct a hands-on experiment growing crystals to demonstrate the nature of science as inquiry. They discuss and test variables that affect crystal growth. They research mineral crystallization and mineral formation on the...
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American Indians and Their Environment
Learners create a storyboard of the three American Indian language groups showing the geography of where they lived and how they adapted to the environment. They compare European and American Indian views of nature and explain how these...
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Get to Know Trees
Students recognize the characteristics of trees by using their five senses. In this trees lesson, students observe and record the characteristics of trees on a field trip. Students then are blindfolded and use their senses to identify...
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Relating Maya
Students read about the bags that the Maya people made and about how reusing bags can help save our environment. In this environment lesson plan, students read and discuss conservation and observe pictures.
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Symmetry
Learners explore symmetry. In this geometry lesson, student identify and define bilateral symmetry, radial symmetry, pentagonal symmetry, hexagonal symmetry, and cubic symmetry. Students construct examples of these types of symmetry and...
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Fall Lesson Plans
Students participate in various fall activities. In this fall activity, students take a trip to a farmers market and purchase the ingredients needed for vegetable soup. Students paint fall scenes and create a fall story. Students discuss...
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Who Was Charles Darwin?
Students examine how Darwin used the processes of science to support his theory. They distinguish between artificial and natural selection, recognize Darwin's contribution to science. They produce a newspaper describing the times in...
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How Does Evolution Work?
Students are introduced to how the process of evolution works. As a class, they review the characteristics of natural selection and how those with advantageous traits reproduce and survive. To test this theory of natural selection,...
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Maine Black Bear Research and Field Study Activity
Students participate in a field study of Maine Black Bears. They first do academic research on the Maine Black Bear. Following extensive research and discussion, students go out into the field with Maine State Biologist to observe bears...
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Lightning in a Jar
Young scholars create lightning with two common objects and observe the colorful "discharge" of electrons on a smaller scale. By exploring the phenomena of static electricity, students relate their knowledge to the real-life weather...