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Where Do Your Veggies Grow?
First graders investigate the origins of vegetables. In this Science instructional activity, 1st graders identify where fruits and vegetables come from. Students describe how people utilize plants.
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Getting a Handle on Your Bee
Middle schoolers observe dried bees, carefully glue them to toothpicks, and use them for cross pollinating their Brassica plants. They also describe reasons why two similar investigations can produce different results. Finally,...
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Pollinators and Wildflowers
Students explore how plants depend on pollinators to reproduce. In this pollination lesson students dissect a local flower and collect and identify pollinating insects.
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CONNECTIONS
Students study the interdependence of an ecosystem that allows it to sustain itself. They examine the Western lowland gorillas for an example.
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From Eggs to Frogs
Third graders receive a small container of tapioca pudding, they are to pretend that it is frog eggs. The students pretend they are birds who see the eggs, and eat some of them. They discuss what would happen if these were really frog...
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Sunflowers (Grades 3-8)
Students examine sunflowers and discuss the importance of sunflower cooking oil and seeds. They view pictures, read books, sing sunflower songs, and grow flowers from sunflower seeds.
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Eco-Logical: A Coastal Logic Problem
Fourth graders study the characteristics of five coastal communities. They use logic cards and matching activities to identify the proper community for plant and animal species.
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Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students examine the concept of extinction by studying dinosaurs. In this living environment lesson, students view dinosaur video clips and define the word "extinction." Students visit the "Zoom Dinosaur" website to investigate various...
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Seed Surprises
Students investigate seeds and their growth. For this agriculture lesson, students read the book How a Seed Grows and discuss the seed cycle. Students examine real seeds and identify their properties. Students create a set of sequencing...
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"Garden Springs Gardeners"
First graders ponder the question of how plants help their lives. They observe and compare properties of several different plants. Differentiate between living organisms and nonliving objects.
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Terrestrial Sequestration - Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Students investigate how plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. For this biology lesson, students differentiate photosynthesis and cellular respiration. They discuss the important role of plants in the environment.
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Ecology Vocabulary Exercise: Wetlands
In this ecology vocabulary exercise: wetlands instructional activity, learners read the definitions of 8 words, then categorize a species found in a wetland in their region. This page has numerous links to helpful web resources.
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Seeds and Similarities
Students use the scientific inquiry method to identify the changes in a plant's life cycle. In groups, they plant different types of plants and use a chart to compare and contrast their growth rates. They share their conclusions with...
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Biological Control of Purple Loosestrife
Students examine the role of Purple Loosestrife in Illinois and Indiana rivers. In groups, they collect a wide variety of plants in a wetland and raise beetles in a controlled environment. They introduce the loosestrife into the...
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Testing Soils for Garden Planting
Sixth graders collect soil samples and record the location of the samples by using GPS.
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How Does Your Garden Grow?
Students discover gardening by documenting plants grown on school grounds. In this botany activity, students utilize digital cameras to capture images of plants on photo hikes which are turned into a slide show. Students...
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Nonvascular Plants
In this nonvascular plant worksheet, learners compare the characteristics of bryophyta, hepatophyta, and anthocerophyta. This worksheet has 8 fill in the blank and 3 multiple choice questions.
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If It Smells Good, Is Edible, and Attracts Wildlife, Then It's a Practical Garden
Students explore landscape design. In this practical gardening lesson, students design landscape plans that call for shrubs, trees, and plants that can be used for aesthetics, cooking, and wildlife.
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Dirt Babies
What exactly is a dirt baby, you might ask. Look over the plan to find out! All of the materials and procedures necessary for creating a dirt baby, such as grass seeds, dirt, and nylon stockings, are listed, along with ideas for...
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Plants -- What Are Their Parts and Functions?
Students identify the parts of a flowering plant and their functions. They describe its life cycle as well. They compare the parts of the plant to the roles that are needed in a democracy.
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The Lepidoptera Project
Students are introduced to Scientific Inquiry and discover how to design an experiment that answers critical questions using butterflies as the topic. They design experiments that compare the number of species of butterflies in a vacant,...
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Cell (Biology)
Students conduct a series of activities to explore the nature of cells. In this biology lesson, students observe plant and animal cells under the microscope and compare them. They differentiate osmosis and diffusion.
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Zoo Poo
Students use Internet research to determine the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit energy for biomass and coal. In this alternative energy instructional activity, students research to find out how much energy and carbon dioxide...
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Insects
Third graders research an insect and creates a brochure on that selected insect. Each student develops a Venn Diagram comparing similarities and differences between moths and butterflies.