Curated OER
Earth
Fourth graders have a spatial awareness of the plants by orally discussing what they saw after they stepped out the model of the solar system. They recognize the similarities and differences between Earth and the other planets by being...
Curated OER
Weather Art in Space Settlements
Students demonstrate a cloud formation and the relation between pressure and temperature in gases. They explain how clouds could be created in space settlements and see the relation between pressure and temperature in gases.
Curated OER
Children's Health
Learners learn the basic parts of an insect, where they like to hide indoors, and how to safely get rid of them. They assemble the cockroach body and cut it out of a brown bag. They attach pipe cleaners as legs and attennae. They then...
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Breathing Rates and Exercise
Learners work in groups to predict which condition produces more breaths per minute. Groups record their breathing rates during rest periods and periods of activity. They graph their results and make comparisons to their predictions.
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Arbor Day
First graders study the importance of trees to our environment. they make their own version of the story by completing the following sentence and then completing an illustration for their writing. "A tree can be ______."
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Feet Are Neat
Students describe several types of bird feet and explain how each type helps a bird survive in its habitat. Students then match birds to their feet and mold bird feet out of clay.
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Science: Where the Worms Live
Students build mine-earthworm habitats to discover their niche in them. They make predictions about what the niche looks like in a week and draw a picture of it. Students notice the tunnels in the soil and how the sand and dirt are now...
Captain Planet Foundation
Sorting Out Soils
Sift through soil and learn about why it's important for organic processes. After discussing what makes up soil, such as the living organisms and what types of soil have more nutrients, kids sample layers of mulch and deeper soil to...
Curated OER
"Two Diamond Baseball" Review Game
Here is a game that can be used across the curriculum. Two teams are made up, and each time a member of the team answers a question correctly, they roll a dice to see how far they advance on the "baseball field." A fun game!
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation
Greenhouse Gas Game
You will need to gather a number of tokens, bags, and other various game components in order to incorporate this activity into your curriculum. Different tokens represent carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Printable 8.5"x11"...
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Sea Turtles
Students investigate eight different species of sea turtles while being involved in classroom lecture and video presentation. The characteristics used to identify sea turtles is taught to help students identify unknown species.
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What is Ride Sharing?
Third graders discover the concept of ride sharing. They discuss how it helps the environment. They use the internet to gather information as well.
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Ozone Pollution: Smog Alert
Students simulate the development of smog. They discover how it forms naturally in nature. They read news articles about the ozone and pollution. They discuss what they can do to lower the pollution they generate.
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"Approaching Walden: From Emerson to Thoreau"
High schoolers examine selected local leaves in greater detail in the classroom by using more analytical drawing techniques. They use Thoreau's drawing of a Scarlett Oak as their model. Students choose a leave from a box of leaves...
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Survivor
Seventh graders investigate changes in the ecosystem within the school year. They see that ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms are dynamic and change over time. They, in groups, collect data in quadrants in the fall,...
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Sunshine and Shadows
Students measure their shadows early in the morning, record direction of shadow, make marks in ground with chalk or tape, measure with ruler, and record results. Students repeat process at noon, and then later in afternoon. Students...
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Bats Migrate South
Students examine the life of bats in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the history of the bat in Illinois and describe the way they find prey by using echolocation. They report their findings to the class and answer any...
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Autumn Colors Shine Through
Students create colorful stained-glass Autumn window decorations. They shave crayons with scissors, melt the crayons in wax paper with an iron, and cut out a leaf pattern to display on windows.
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Natural Resource Management Course Outline
Gain skills in ecosystem evaluation including chemical, biological, and physical qualities. Learners write a report on a local ecosystem.
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What Kind of Garden Would Grow in Our Schoolyard?
Students perform soil tests for pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, composition and water percolation rate and assess the conditions in the schoolyard.
Curated OER
In My Own Backyard
Learners explore the soil and vegetation found in their home and/or school environment and map a familiar area. Each group is assigned a section of the schoolyard. They draw maps of their assigned places and gather soil and vegetation...
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Hopping For Candy
Young scholars explore recipes online for different types of candy, and simulate process of making candy to explain how candy makers rely on varied temperatures and basic chemistry to produce perfect sweets.
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Guidebook
Students create a book about plants they observe after identifying and researching them.
Curated OER
Bubble Blast
Students explore the ingredients and properties of bubbles. They participate in various bubble blowing activities, and write a paragraph describing their best bubble.