Curated OER
What's Growing? Lesson Plan
Students study the life cycle of plants by growing a seed in a paper cup. They record observations of the changes they see. When the plant sprouts, they plant it in soil in a paper cup. Next, they continue to draw and date their...
Curated OER
Monarch Egg
Students investigate the stages of the Monarch butterfly and its life cycle. In this butterfly life cycle lesson, students discuss when, where, and how the Monarch butterflies lay their eggs. After discussion, students participate in...
Curated OER
Birth, Growth, And Development
Students understand that all living things have a life cycle that includes being born, developing into an adult, reproducing, and eventually dying.
University of Southern California
Mastering Microbes
Small but mighty! Learners explore the role of microbes in a healthy ecosystem. An engaging lesson asks pupils to design an aquaponics system that demonstrates that healthy microbes are necessary to maintain the ecosystem.
Curated OER
WET Science Lesson #5: Pass the Salt Please! (How Road Salt Affects Wetlands)
As an anticipatory set, biologists listen to the story of Ruth Patrick, a scientist who used algae to detect water quality. They observe a demonstration of osmosis and diffusion. In their lab groups, they place Elodea stalks in...
Curated OER
WET Science Lesson #3: Comparison of Aquatic and Terrestrial Plants
Elementary life science explorers compare and contrast aquatic and terrestrial plants (elodea and soybeans) in a Venn diagram. Some background information is provided to support direct instruction, and general instructions are provided...
Curated OER
The Nitrogen Cycle
Students design and create a compost pile in order to study the Nitrogen Cycle. They then use the scientific method to determine if plants grow better when they add organic matter from their compost pile to the plant's soil.
Curated OER
How a Seed Grows and Who Grows It
First graders explore biology by viewing PowerPoint presentations in class. In this plant life lesson, 1st graders identify the life cycle of a plant and how to properly plant a seed outside. Students view a movie about plant life and...
Curated OER
Water Cycle Boogie
Learners explore the water cycle. They learn the "Water Cycle Boogie." Students create hats to represent the different parts of the cycle and learn hand motions to go with the words of the song. Learners practice singing the song and the...
Curated OER
Forest Succession
Students research environmental change and why forests cannot stay the same for long. In this environmental growth lesson, students discuss the life cycle of a tree and examine tree cookies to discover the age of these specimens....
Curated OER
Why Is An Apple Like A Suitcase?
Students examine a variety of fruit to discover that each has seeds. Through experimentation, they discover the role that fruit and seeds play in a plant's life cycle.
Curated OER
Bears
Young scholars complete a variety of bear-related activities. They sort and graph teddy bears, distinguish between real and non-real bears and research bear life cycles and habitats.
NOAA
Climate, Corals and Change
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
Curated OER
Groundwater as Part of the Water Cycle
Ninth graders study the effects of soil and rocks on filtering groundwater. In this groundwater lesson students complete a lab activity that includes sources of contamination.
Curated OER
Studying Plant Development Through Metabolic Activity
A hands-on activity which allows young scholars to learn about cellular respiration. This lesson contains a range of investigations testing the rates of cellular respiration to demonstrate the relationship between metabolic rates of...
Curated OER
The Inside of an Apple
Students review the life cycle of apples before they study information about the inside of apples. They work in small groups to color and identify the parts of the inside of an apple. Finally, they use real apples to have an hands on...
Curated OER
Garden Pests and Problems: Insect Life Cycles and Metamorphosis
In this insect metamorphosis worksheet, students read about complete and gradual metamorphosis and label insect's metamorphosis. Students label 2 insects.
Curated OER
Cells
Students are introduced to the life cycle of a cell. In groups, they identify and describe the function of organelles. They compare and contrast the differences and similarities between plant and animal cells as well. They complete a...
Curated OER
Magical Metamorphosis
Students explore the life cycle of the butterfly and the process of metamorphosis through the creation of painted life cycle habitat. They place each part of the cycle in the correct location through the use of a visual diagram.
Curated OER
Sumptuous Sprouting Seeds!
Third graders investigate the wonderful and wondrous world of plants. They examine the inside of a seed, explore the different parts of a seed, plant their own seeds, watch them sprout and then eat them! They describe, using their...
Curated OER
Change or Adaptation
Students identify the adaptive forces in the life cycle of plants, animals, and humans, isolate and identify the role that change and adaptation play in extreme environments and research and write a short term paper using MLA citations.
Curated OER
POLLINATION DEMONSTRATION
Third graders study the terms pollen and pollination. They use appropriate vocabulary in describing their investigations, explorations, and observations (e.g., stem, pistil, stamen, flower). They describe, using their observations,...
Curated OER
Beaver Ecology
Students investigate beaver adaptations, life cycle, and the effects of beaver behavior on ecosystems. They compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic ecosystems.
Curated OER
Milkweed Plants
Second graders view milkweed plants (or pictures). The describe the plant and discuss ways some butterflies use it as a food source. Students view four pictures of different phases of a milkweed plant's life cycle. They discuss the...