Serendip
Introduction to Osmosis
A chicken egg is a very large cell—perfect for investigating osmosis! Scholars conduct an experiment with vinegar and eggs that helps them understand the process of osmosis. They follow the activity with an in-depth look at osmosis in...
Curated OER
Water Quality and Environmental Pollution
Learners use litmus paper to begin to discover the qualities of acids and bases. They learn about pH by testing clear liquids for acidity with purple cabbage juice as an indicator. The video Streamkeeper, with Bill Nye, and other video...
Curated OER
Growing Vegetable Soup
Students use children's literature in order to think about the concept of creating a garden. This is done through conducting simple research about types of plants that could be grown in the area and how to care for them. Then the garden...
Curated OER
The Green Truck Garden Giveaway
Students read "The Green Truck Garden Giveaway" and explore the hobby of gardening. After observing illustrations in the book, students predict possible events in the story. They discuss gardening and write a story about a community...
Curated OER
Plants Reproduce and Grow in Various Ways
Third graders take a walk around the outside of the school and examine their clothing to see if they picked up any seeds while on their walk. They discuss how seeds travel and how a new plant thus can form. They then observe root...
Curated OER
Root, Root, Root for the Nutrients
Pupils observe the growth of a seed, predict what will happen when seeds are planted without soil, and conduct an experiment using a hydroponics system.
Curated OER
Why Are Bees Important?
Learners identify and analyze pollination and how bees play an important part in the life cycle of flowering plants. They also identify the process of plant pollination and how bees play an important part in the life cycle of flowering...
Curated OER
Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-The Tree That Would Not Die
Students read The Tree That Would Not Die by Ellen Livine. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities as they read of an ancient oak tree that has lived for nearly 500 years. they focus their attention on the events in...
Curated OER
Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas: The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds
Learners read The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds by Janna Cole. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of plants and seeds. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and...
Curated OER
Plant Growth & Development
Students share what they know about plants and discuss what else they would like to know. The teacher evaluates students' prior knowledge of plants to inform future instruction. Students practice observation and prediction skills.
Curated OER
Predicting the Greening of Spring With Red Emperor Tulips
Students examine seasonal changes by watching tulip plant growth across the continent utilizing the Journey North website. They develop hypotheses as to why the plants emerge and grow where they do.
Curated OER
Observing Pods
Students observe the pistil growing into a tiny string bean-like seed pod. They then observe the development of the fertilized pods between Day 17 and Day 35 and record their observations by drawing and labeling, writing, and graphing. ...
Curated OER
What Plants Need in Order to Survive and Grow: Water
Students conduct an experiment to evaluate whether plants need water to survive and grow. They observe two cactus plants for four weeks, analyzing the results of one plant having received water and the other having received no water.
Curated OER
The Great Kapok Tree..
Young scholars predict what each animal in the story read says and then compare them. They pretend that a tree was cut down and write a new ending for the story. Students explain why the story is not true and create a Venn Diagram...
Curated OER
If They Had Lived
Students explore the impact on society when a person dies prematurely from gun violence. They develop research and critical-thinking skills
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
Seed Detectives
Students examine seed coats. In this biology lesson, students look at pictures of magnified seed coats, then use hand-help magnifiers or microscopes to look at seed coats on their own.
Curated OER
Plant Reproduction
Students investigate seeds and plant life by creating a germination chamber. In this botany lesson, students investigate the relationship between flowers and the fruit they produce while examining the structure of the flower. Students...
Serendip
Using Models to Understand Photosynthesis
Is your class in the dark about photosynthesis? Shed some sunlight on an important biological process with a thoughtful activity. After answering questions to help determine their level of knowledge, learners work with chemical equations...
NASA
Biology Training Module
Are you a koalafied biologist? The lesson begins with research about human survival and our ecosystem. Then, an online training module simulates the effects of changes to the plants and animals in an ecosystem. Finally, scholars research...
Curated OER
What Plants Need in Order to Survive and Grow: Soil
Students conduct an experiment to evaluate whether plants need soil to survive and grow. They plant two seeds, one with soil and one without, make predictions, and record and analyze the seed germination results on a worksheet.
Curated OER
GROWING PLANTS UNIT
Students predict outcomes of scientific experiment,.conduct a scientific experiment with control groups, and plant seeds to observe, measure, and compare growth across groups. They gather, record, analyze, and share data with other...
Curated OER
Activity Plan Mixed Ages: Pineapple Investigations
Students use all of their senses to explore a fresh, delicious pineapple. In this early childhood lesson plan, students engage in activities that encourage sensory exploration, problem solving, creative-thinking, language skills, and the...
Curated OER
Seed Dispersal
Students determine seed dispersal methods. In this life science instructional activity, students make predictions about how seeds might move, then look at seeds under micrographs or microscopes to analyze the seed coat and how this...