Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section One: What is Biodiversity?
Four intriguing and scientific activities invite learners to explore the natural resources of their town. The activities cover concepts such as genetic traits, organizing species in a taxonomy, the differences between different species...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Wad-a-Watershed
What kind of impact do humans have on watersheds? Find out in a lesson plan that defines, explores, and promotes ways to protect our watersheds. The ultimate goal of the lesson plan is for learners to discover how a watershed is impacted...
Lerner Publishing
Teaching Habitats
What makes up a habitat? Use this resource to engage first graders in the exploration of desert, wetland, forest, and ocean habitats. Youngsters classify plants and animals into the four distinct habitats through drawings and cutting and...
LABScI
Cell Diffusion and Permeability: The See-Thru Egg Lab
Create a model to study a microscopic phenomenon. The seventh of 12 lessons uses an egg (without its shell) to represent a cell membrane. Using different solutions, learners explore the concept of cell diffusion. They monitor...
Curated OER
Defining Drought
Students examine the hydrologic impacts of drought. Humans can change the course of the water cycle, to some extent, to meet their needs, but can they do so without imposing risks on the plants and animals?
Curated OER
Ho'opiha - Growing in Knowledge: Terrarium Project
Students explore environmental protection by conducting a research experiment in class. In this botany instructional activity, students identify the necessities for growing a plant indoors and create a small terrarium for their plant....
Curated OER
Classification of the Nearby Trees
Third graders practice using classification techniques to identify local trees. In this plant life instructional activity, 3rd graders discuss how trees differ from other plants and what characteristics are unique to trees alone....
Curated OER
Ecosystem Tumble
Students create visual representations of ecosystems. In this ecology instructional activity, students discuss the interdependence of plants and animals in various ecosystems. Students cut pictures from magazines and glue them on...
Curated OER
Chlorophyll
Learners explain the importance of chlorophyll in plants. In this biology lesson, students extract chlorophyll from different plant sources using chromatography. They discover the different factors needed for photosynthesis to take place.
Curated OER
Designing a Germination Experiment - Part 1
Students experiment with seeds and germination. In this natural science lesson, students discuss the stages of germination. Students engage in a 4 part hands on science activity to view the process of germination.
Curated OER
FOREST GRUMP: Examining How Deforestation Affects Plants and Animals of the Canadian Boreal
Students consider definition of an ecosystem as it relates to the Canadian boreal, discover how deforestation affects this forest and recreate ecosystems. They write persuasive letters urging politicians or business people to help save...
Curated OER
Function of a Stem
Fourth graders perform an experiment to test the function of a stem. In this science lesson, 4th graders write a description of their investigations. Students also explain how the stem interacts with the rest of the plant. Students use...
Curated OER
Rate of Photosynthesis
Learners investigate the rate of photosynthesis using elodea leaves. In this photosynthesis lesson plan, students place elodea in a test tube filled with water. They include baking soda and place the test tube under a lamp. Learners...
Curated OER
Structure and Function of Bulbs, Corms and Rhizomes
Students explore the concept of philanthropy and why people give. They investigate the importance of the tulip to Holland and the tradition of giving flowers away. They begin to explore the life cycle of tulips and dissect a bulb to...
Curated OER
The Sahara: Home of the Tuareg
Students study inhabitants of the Sahara. In this Tuareg culture activity, students explore the how the Tuareg people adapt to their environment as they research specific Internet sites.
Curated OER
A Pressing Project
Young scholars create a collection of pressed plants. In this plant lesson, students use newspaper, plywood, and a rubberband to press plants they previously collected.
Curated OER
What is a Seed?
Students share experiences they have had with different types of seeds. After being read a story, they are given a lima bean in which they split apart and examine the inside. To end the lesson, they share their own ideas on how they...
Curated OER
Food chains and webs
Here is an extremely simplistic look at food chains and webs. It depicts three different food chains, each containing a plant, plant eater, and meat-eater. Learners fill in the missing part of each chain by using the images provided at...
Curated OER
Photo Synthesis and Transpiration
Middle schoolers germinate pea seeds and plant the seeds. They experiment with different amounts of light and darkness on the plant growth.
Curated OER
Ready for Roots
Fourth graders sort seeds and predict what conditions are needed for them to germinate. They keep the seeds moist, observe and measure their growth and graph the results. As the seeds start to grow students compare and contrast the each...
Curated OER
Chocolate Fever
Students study plants in the rainforest. They complete a variety of activities surrounding the subject of chocolate. They create new candy bars, invent learning games and write poetry--all focusing on chocolate.
Curated OER
Alfalfa Butterfly/Caterpillar Lifecycle Investigation
Students collect and record data. They identify sex of butterflies. They make conclusions based on collected data.
Curated OER
Water Cycle Bracelets
Young scholars engage in a lesson that investigates the hydrological cycle. They create bracelets with different colored beads that represent parts of the cycle. Students can follow the cycle in the order of the beads. The lesson...
Curated OER
Cellular Models
Each student construct a model of a cell on a large cookie, including the parts which were discussed during lecture.? Half of the class will be instructed to make plant cell models and the other half will be in charge of animal cell...