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Insect Unit
Fourth graders study the lives, and features of insects in the series of lessons that make up this unit.
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Profit From Pumpkins
Third graders cut open a pumpkin. In this math activity, 3rd graders complete the worksheet "From Seed to Pumpkin" and then clean out their pumpkins to see how many seeds are in it.
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Classification of Cerealites
Middle schoolers create a dichotomous key. In this categorizing lesson, students create a dichotomous key for different types of cereal. Middle schoolers classify the cereal into groups such as flakes and cereal with holes. Students...
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Bugs
Students explore the wonders of bugs. In this bug lesson, students examine various types of bugs. Students make crafts, sing songs, discuss nutrition, and investigate different types of insects.
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It's Fun to Learn!
Students use the macro mode of the OLYMPUS FE-140 CAMERAS as virtual microscopes to explore different habitats, observe plants, soil, and insects and other creatures. They download those images on electronic files and build web pages....
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Catch As Catch Can
Students capture and observe insects. Using provided netting, students design and create a butterfly net. They study many types of insects and their benefits. After identifying insects caught, students complete a graph. Students write...
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Catch as Catch Can
Students investigate insects. In this insect analysis lesson, students catch insects using nets they make. They identify the insects they catch and create a chart to show the numbers and varieties. This lesson includes a vocabulary list...
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"One Day in the Prairie" by Jean Craighead George
Young scholars collect "prairie insects" for data collection and analysis.
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Radial Design Mandala
Students design original radial art designs.In this radial design lesson, students use compasses and a nature inspired idea to create radial art. Students understand the use of symmetry, balance and design shapes in continual patterns....
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Be A Bug Scout
Learners perform outside activities to determine the amount of insects, flowers, or common weeds within an area. They predict the number of insects they will find within their square area. Using calculators, students organize the data...
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Animal Poetry
Fourth graders write poems that use local wildlife as their inspiration. After a class discussion which produces a list of wildlife that pupils have seen in their town, a review of three types of poetry ensues. They look at how...
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Habitat Happenings
Students examine the characteristics of the Prairie Creek Habitat in Illinois. In groups, they travel between various stations writing haikus and reading brochures. They identify what occurs in each habitat and identify the animals...
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Bug Hunt
Students strengthen observational skills by searching for insects in their home and classroom. In this observation lesson, students use magnifying glasses to classify what kinds of bugs were found. Students then create a bar graph to...
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Scenes of the Earth
Students examine and study how changes in perspective can change the way that they can observe objects. They explore the relationship between a scene's area and its detail. Each student looks at the ground through cardboard tubes from...
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Who Are the Aliens in Our Inland Seas?
Middle schoolers work in teams to research specific landforms in Great Lakes Watershed, compile information into data table, and write legend explaining landform for children's book. Students then research area surrounding landform,...
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Layers of the Earth
In this layer of the earth learning exercise, students label and color each layer of the earth. Then students are asked to describe each layer below.
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
In this seasons learning exercise, learners cut out the picture cards at the bottom of the page, sort the pictures and paste them with the matching season.
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Life Cycle of a Butterfly
For this worksheet on the life cycle of the butterfly, students look at 4 pictures representing the life cycle stages, and choose words from a word box that match each picture. Students then number the pictures in the correct order of...
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Wonderfully Wild Unit the four L's of Wildlife
Students appreciate the natural environment. In this "four L's" lesson, students observe, reflect and appreciate unique ecosystems and how they help sustain life. Students create posters with the four L's.
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All About Ants
Students create model ants in order to study the characteristics of insects such as body segments, number of legs, and feelers, as well as how these characteristics serve the insect.
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School Yard Park/Ecosystem
Fifth graders observe and categorize different sections of a park and it's ecosystem. In this categorizing lesson plan, 5th graders collect different facets of nature from a nearby park (without disturbing the ecosystem). They map,...
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Introduction to Invasive Species
Students explore the environment by identifying invasive species. In this ecosystem observation lesson plan, students identify the native species that exist in an exotic land such as Hawaii and the impact of invasive plants, insects and...
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Make a Dried Bouquet
Students examine how drying flowers was a popular hobby for Colonial women during the Colonial era in America. They read and discuss an instruction sheet, and create dried-flower bouquets that are hung upside down and tied with a string.
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The Chain Gang
Students perform a food chain simulation to determine what happens when a food chain is broken.