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Activity Plan 5-6: Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students become entomologists for a day. In this life science lesson, students go on an insect hunt and investigate insects and their homes. This leads to the creation of an insect by each student. Lesson includes a take-home activity...
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The Community Forest

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders plant a tree. In this sustainable forestry lesson, 4th graders define community forest and brainstorm a location to plant a new tree on the school grounds. Students learn how to plant a tree and discuss choosing an...
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Using Your Senses

For Teachers K - 4th
Learners make observations. In this sensory skills lesson, students use their senses as well as tools that sharpen their senses to make observations regarding foods and other items.
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Minerals

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students define the characteristics of a mineral. In this geology lesson plan, students are given out various materials to observe such as a chicken bone, salt shaker, white paint, and chalk. Students categorize the items and are told...
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Too Bee Or Not To Bee

For Teachers K
Students recognize that bees are important in the reproduction of plants and to the survival of animals.  In this bee lesson plan, students become familiar with the parts of bees and how those adaptations help them pollinate plants....
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Out of This World

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders animate their own planets.  In this solar system lesson, 5th graders use smartphones and the software, GoKnow Sketchy, to create images for presentations on their created planets that appear to be animated when played...
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Race the Track! Design Challenge

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students focus on a force and motion problem, explore it, reflect on it and apply it while completing experiments.  In this motion lesson, students experiment with force and motion by creating a track for testing cars.  
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Prairie Food Chains & Webs

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students complete a food chain. In this ecosystem lesson, students learn about producers, consumers and decomposers. Students identify herbivores, carnivores and omnivores and complete two worksheets.
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Exploring Forest Objects

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young scholars explore the forest. In this ecosystems lesson, students rotate through sensory activity centers, brainstorm, and read about temperate forests.
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Layers of the Forest

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore rain forests.  In this rain forest ecosystems instructional activity, students identify and describe the layers of the rain forest. Students paint and decorate a large rain forest mural. Students write riddles about...
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Trees and Erosion

For Teachers 1st - 7th
Students examine the connection between trees and erosion. In this erosion instructional activity students experiment with the effects of rain on a hillside. Students investigate the number of trees and the amount of erosion.
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Under Our Feet

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate the forest ecosystem to learn of the living and non-living elements of the soil. In this ecosystem lesson, students examine soil for twigs, moss, fungi, leaves, roots and other matter.   Students...
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Forest as a Filter

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students experiment using soil and water. In this forest as a filter lesson, students identify the role of forest cover, vegetation, and foliage impacts erosion and evaporation. Students conduct a simple experiment, form a hypothesis,...
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Pond Life

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students recognize the habitats of animals that live near or in a pond.  In this pond lesson plan, students examine pond water and look for pond organisms. Students observe organisms with a loupe and complete a worksheet.
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Systems of the Body: Movement and Choreography

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create movements that connect art and science. In this body systems lesson, students interpret the function of body systems, organs, and processes as they create movements to exhibit their research findings.
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Case of the Missing Pumpkin

For Teachers K - 8th
Students explore the process of decomposition. In this science lesson, students carve a pumpkin and observe as it decomposes. Students compare the changes to an uncarved pumpkin. Students write about the disappearing pumpkin.
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Field Trip to the Watsonville Wetlands

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars explore the differences between food webs and food chains.  In this wetland lesson students play a food web game and go on a scavenger hunt. 
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Kalahari Explorations

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore world geography by completing graphic organizers and researching the Internet. In this Kalahari desert lesson, students identify the geographic location, weather and creation of the Kalahari desert. Students define a...
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What's The Scoop?

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explore the properties of matter.  In this cross curriculum three states of matter science lesson, students listen to the poem "Eighteen Flavors" by Shel Silverstein, and predict what will happen if listed ingredients are...
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Soil Composition

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students examine soil. In this soil composition lesson students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.
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Tree Birthdays

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate the growth of trees. In this tree growth lesson, students discover that trees make a ring each year they live. Students use new voabulary such as bark, phloem, and cambuim to talk about tree parts. Students create a...
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Dissecting Owl Pellets

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students dissect owl pellets. In this dissecting owl pellets instructional activity, students discuss birds of prey and make predictions about what they may find during the investigation. Students tease out skull and bones and try to...
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Making Recycled Paper

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore paper making. In this tree conservation ecology lesson, students brainstorm ways paper is used in daily life. Students examine paper fiber using a magnifying glass. Students make paper following a step by step procedure...
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Producers -- Focus on Trees

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students examine the needs of trees and plants. In this forest ecosystem lesson students use seedlings to investigate the basic necessities of plants. They discuss the consequences of these basic needs not being met.