Carnegie Mellon University
Transportation
Teach your environmental studies, life science, or engineering class how an internal combustion engine works using the first few slides of the accompanying presentation. Then, focus in on the resulting carbon emissions. Finally, take a...
Curated OER
Life Cycle of Trees
Turn your students into young tree-tectives with this fun science investigation into the life of trees. To begin, a class volunteer gets dressed up in a tree costume as the different parts of trees are introduced. Then, the class learns...
Curated OER
A Planting We Will Go
Even the youngest kids can make scientific comparisons using collected data. They read The Tiny Seed, then discuss the essential nutrients and elements needed for a seed to grow into a blooming plant. They plant seeds and track their...
Curated OER
Sexual Plant Propagation
Grow plants from seeds! Explore the methods of propagating plants and the best ways to germinate seeds for all types of plants. Details about the treatment of seedlings and ways to increase efficiency in your production of numbers are...
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Should Soil Be Sterile?
Students determine if the sterilization of topsoil is beneficial to seed germination and plant growth. They grow plants alongside control groups, make and record observations of plant growth and measure plant biomass.
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Lettuce Us Be Different
Students evaluate their differences, then look at differences in plants. In this class team building and life science lesson, the class play a game that focuses on similarities and differences in the group, then students plant three...
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The Amazing Tomato
Learners gain an understanding of where our food comes from. In this plant life lesson, students review what plants need for growth and how long it takes them to grow. Learners research which plants it takes to make salsa. Students then...
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Helping Plants Grow Well
Learners investigate the effect of water, temperature, and light on plant growth. In this plant lesson, students identify the parts of the plant and participate in an online activity. The website is included in this lesson plan.
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Look at Those Seeds Grow!
Students explore plant science by participating in a botany activity. In this seed growth lesson, students identify the necessary elements to ensure a plant grows well and prepare seeds for planting. Students plant their soaked seeds in...
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Pumpkin Science
Students investigate how plants grow by analyzing pumpkins. In this agricultural lesson, students read The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll, and draw pictures of a pumpkin in each of its growing stages. Students measure and dissect...
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Basic Needs of Plants
Fourth graders explore the four basic needs of plants. They examine plants as they grow. Students discuss the changes that they see in the growing plants. They observe what happens to a plant when one of its basic needs is taken away.
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Plants Multiple Choice Activity
In this plant instructional activity, students complete a set of 15 multiple choice questions about plants and their growth. A reference web site is given for additional activities.
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Plant Science Activities
Students complete several plant life activities. For this botany lesson, students practice painting images that resemble plants they are familiar with as well as planting seeds outside of class. Students participate in a dramatic...
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Native Plants: An Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
Young scholars recognize various California native species by their physical appearances and characteristics. They recognize the adaptations that plants make to their surroundings and how humans make use of plants.
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Picture Story: How Do Plants Grow
For this picture story: how do plants grow worksheet, students look at eight pictures about the growth of a plant and decide what sequence to put them in.
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Plants Quick Vocabulary Review Worksheet
In this plants worksheet, students write the plant vocabulary word that is described by the given definition. Students write the words for 15 plant definitions.
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Plants- What Are Their Parts and Functions?
Students learn about plants. For this plant function lesson, students label the parts of a plant and their functions. Students work in small groups to create three simile statements to relate to the function of essential plant parts....
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Plants Group Creative Writing
In this plants writing worksheet, students collaborate with classmates to write a group story about plants. Students have 25 minutes to write the group story using all 10 of the words in the box.
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Plants Spiral Puzzle
In this plants crossword, students solve clues for parts and definitions of plants to complete the crossword. Students complete 8 spaces in the crossword.
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Two Beets Or Not Two Beets—What Is Your Question?
Students use the scientific method to test an idea regarding the structures of a plant as it supports the biological evidence for life. In this growing roots lesson, students use organizing sheets to record their findings. Students...
Kenan Fellows
Sustainability: Learning for a Lifetime – Soil
Do great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...
Curated OER
What Plants Need in Order to Survive and Grow: Air
Students conduct an experiment to determine whether plants need air in order to survive and grow. They discuss natural resources, analyze slides, and observe and record data from the experiment.
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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
Dry-Land Kalo-Growing New Plants from Stems
Students explore Hawaiian plants. In this Hawaii culture and botany instructional activity, students plant the haha(stem) of a taro plant. Students listen to Hawaiian myths about the taro plant and chorally speak a Hawaiian chant of...