Curated OER
Biomes and Regions of the United States
Students examine and identify the characteristics of the biomes of the world. Using the Internet, they compare and contrast the similarities and differences and discover how living things are supported in the biomes. They discuss how the...
US Mint
Desert Dwellers
What can a quarter possibly teach young learners about desert ecosystems? More than you might think. After displaying and discussing the included picture of the Arizona state quarter, the class participates in a series of...
Curated OER
Regions and Habitats
Fourth graders identify the different habitats found in the seven regions of the United States. In this ecology lesson, 4th graders write an essay about how humans affect the ecosystem and vice versa. They discuss how changes on one...
Curated OER
No Magic Borders: Haleakala Style
Students discuss borders and boundaries. They discuss pollution and the fact that boundaries cannot stop pollution and that pollution affects even protected wildlife and plants. They participate in an activity in which they must place...
Curated OER
Kansas Crops: From Seeds to Food
First graders explore U.S. geography by researching food production. In this agriculture activity, 1st graders identify the process of crops from a seed to a plate and discuss the importance of farmers in the production of such crops....
National Park Service
Glaciers and Water
Explore the amazing power of glaciers with a hands-on earth science experiment! After first learning basic background information, learners go on to create their very own chunks of frozen water and gravel in order to...
Curated OER
Traveling Through Literature
Integrate geography with literature in this interdisciplinary lesson. Begin by reading a poem such as The Time We Climbed Snake Mountain by Leslie Marmon Silko. On a large map, place push pins in the cities or states mentioned. An...
Curated OER
Wetlands: Pave or Save?
Students discuss the characteristics of wetlands and how to make them more productive. Using a map, they locate the major wetlands in the United States and color them using a key. They read an article and in groups answer discussion...
Curated OER
Writing a Weather Report or Weather Forecast
Students examine their geography skills. In this weather forecasting lesson, students select a location and research it. Students write a weather report or forecast for the chosen location based on their research.
Curated OER
Weather and Water in Ghana
Students research the rainy and dry season to investigate Africa's weather. In this African weather lesson, students use the given websites to research the rainy and dry seasons of Ghana in Africa. Students then read stories about life...
Curated OER
Kansas Land
Fourth graders discover the geographic regions of Kansas. In this geography activity, 4th graders explore the different regions of Kansas and determine how the different geography affects daily life in Kansas.
Curated OER
Celebrate Beef
Students read about the history of cattle, discover new technologies, and fill out worksheets about cattle use. In this cattle lesson plan, students identify states that raise cattle and draw pictures of how cattle is used.
Curated OER
Botany: Irrigating of Rice
Fourth graders discover agriculture by researching the irrigation of rice. In this farming lesson, 4th graders read about the different methods of rice farming and create an illustration for each different action. Students...
Curated OER
Coastal Ecology of the Bahamas
Sixth graders investigate the Bahamas through presentations and charts. In this ecology lesson, 6th graders utilize their library and Internet to research the life forms and species that inhabit the Bahamas. Students observe...
Curated OER
Michigan Food: From Farm to You
Learners recognize Michigan on a map and understand how its climate is affected by the Great Lakes. In this Michigan food lesson, students play a trivia game to identify the produce of Michigan. Learners relate the climate in each part...
Curated OER
Fabulous Funnels
Students explore what tornados are, how they are created and measured, and what their effects are on communities. They keep a journal of their activities and explorations as part of an ongoing process of learning.
Curated OER
Finding an Earthquake's Epicenter
Students examine the process used to identify the epicenter of an earthquake. They identify the Richter scale and interpret a seismograph reading. They also view photographs of the aftermath of earthquakes.
Curated OER
Native Americans and Topography at Rose Bay
Students visit a wetland ecosystem. While they are there, students explore how to read topography maps of Rose Bay.
Curated OER
Inventions Change the World: The Enigma Machine
Third graders explore WWII by analyzing technological advances. In this invention lesson, 3rd graders discuss the use of the Enigma machine which decoded private German messages that communicated with U-boats. Students utilize a timeline...
Curated OER
Environment: River of Life
Students assess the impact of human activity on the environment. After reading the book, "A River Ran Wild," they role-play and discuss how people changed the river. Students write stories about living along a river from the point of...
Curated OER
Wetland Safari!
Students identify how humans, fish, plants, birds, insects and other wildlife benefit from wetland environments. They observe a wetland and its inhabitants, draw a migration map that represents how birds use wetlands in traveling long...
Curated OER
Oceans
First graders recognize that nearly three quarters of the Earth is covered by ocean. They locate the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Antarctic oceans on a map. They describe the difference between ocean water and fresh water.
Curated OER
The Formation And Types of Coral Reefs in Insular Southeast Asia and their Inhabitants
Students study the geological formation and inhabitants of the coral reefs in Southeast Asia. They investigate how the effects of weather and human activity on these ecological systems.
Curated OER
Community Improvement
Young scholars examine a local body of water to determinet the health of its ecosystem and monitor it during the year. If needed they write a report on any conditions that need improvement including photographs and relevant data.