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Furbearers of Illinois

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students study fur bearing animals of Illinois. They research a specific furbearer (it's habitat, diet, current hunting regulations regarding the animal, conservation organizations that help the animal, etc.) and give a presentation on...
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the Wonder of Wetlands

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explore the importance of the wetland ecosystem, its properties and functions, as well as, the many birds, animals, and plant life found there.
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Plant Growth

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate how seeds are moved and how plants grow.  In this plant growth lesson, 1st graders listen to stories, play a game, and view a PowerPoint about plant growth. Students examine various seeds and recognize how...
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Bats

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the migration patterns of the long-nosed bat. They identify threats to the animal and the plants bats help pollinate. They participate in a game to help them with the information.
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The Future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students research the governments role is preserving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. They discuss the proponents and the opponents side of the issue.
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The Rock Cycle

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders, in groups, examine soil samples with magnifying glasses. They discuss the living and non-living things they find in their soild samples.
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Habitat Unit - Day 2

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students explore abiotic factors that affect habitats. After a class lecture, students work in groups to answer questions about plant tissue, production and growth. They share answers, complete a crossword puzzle, and create a habitat...
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Changing How Things Look

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders use a literature study in order to investigate how organisms effect an ecosystem. They are asked questions about change taken from the book. Students also take a nature walk to make field observations.
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The New Explorers: Environmental Swat Team

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students follow scientists into the dry forest of Bolivia as they track and record the different species of mammals, birds, insects and plants that would be lost if the forests disappear.
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Conservation Collage

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify many different ways the environment is polluted, and determine ways to prevent pollution. They create a collage of pictures describing how the earth becomes polluted.
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Taking an Animal Census Grades 3-8

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students comprehend the competitive, interdependent, cyclic nature of living things in an environment. They conduct an animal census in a designated research area over a six-month period to determine what types of species are present,...
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Mayonnaise Jar Greenhouse

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the Greenhouse Effect, how it operates and finally allows the student to experiment using a model created in the classroom. They explain how the greenhouse effect affects the Earth.
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Why Do We Need Petroleum?

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students learn the many ways petroleum is used in our industrial society, and the advantages and disadvantages of its use. They explore what it would be like to live in a world without petroleum.
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People Interacting with the Environment

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore an arctic, temperate, and tropical environment and then decide what people need in each environment to help them live comfortably and what their lives would be like.
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Particulate Matter: The Lorax

For Teachers K
Students investigate how dirty air is outside. They read and discuss the book, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. They investigate using jars and lids to compare the dirt left each day as they remove the lids. They observe the lids and discuss if...
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Investigation 1 - Identify & Compare Fossils

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine different items to see if they can recognize fossils. This be an introduction to the different fossils they be studying later and help them make inferences about past environments of Utah.
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What's It All About?- Kansas Prairies

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the interdependence of animal life and the environment. In this Kansas prairies lesson plan, students read background information on prairies and complete a worksheet to identify the main idea.
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How To Save The Planet

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students work together in groups to create a book about how to save the environment. They are to research ways to help the environment and assemble them into the book. They can even design a cover if they choose.
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Greenhouse Effect

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students identify greenhouse gases. They explain why perfluorocarbons are a bad alternative to chlorofluorcarbons. They determine both the least and most influential greenhouse gases.
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Spinning the Eco Web

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students examine the components and relationships of ecoregions and ecosystem management. They define ecoregion and ecosystem, list ecoregions, and participate in a simulation that demonstrates the connections between parts of the...
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Classifying Organisms within Kingdoms

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine animal kingdom classifications. They discuss how animals are placed into kingdom classifications and compare similarities and differences of animals within a kingdom.
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Soil Research

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders work together in groups to discover the importance of soils. Using a worksheet, they answer questions as they surf the internet. They observe three different types of soils and record their observations and use the internet...
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Run For Your Life

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students draw a picture of animal tracks a scientist might find after they read a story about a fox chasing a rabbit. They make up a key to represent the foxes' tracks and the rabbit's tracks.
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The Fungus Among Us

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the basic characteristics and roles of fungi. They discuss the importance of fungi to humans. Students investigate the relationship between cell structure and function and explore the diversity and variation of...