Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Wave - A Science Lesson Plan

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students investigate the geography surrounding the Great Salt Lake and the three main benches in the area. In this Great Salt Lake lesson, students read a background for the areas geography and make their own beach to analyze wave...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What’s so “Great” about these Lakes?

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Learners label the regions and major ports of the Great Lakes region. In this environmental science lesson, students create a timeline about the history and development of the Great Lakes. They discuss the problems its facing today.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ducks in the Flow: Resources about Surface Ocean Currants for the Upper Elementary Classroom

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate surface ocean currents. In this oceanography lesson, students work in small groups to create models that demonstrate surface currents, the Coriolis Effect, and how surface currents move debris. This lesson includes a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

U.S. Geography: The Midwest

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research agricultural products of the Midwest. In this Midwest activity, students watch a video about the geography of the Midwest, discuss how topographical features were formed and review the agricultural products the Midwest...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Galaxy Adventure

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Working in groups, learners create a mnemonic device, give an oral presentation, and create a pictorial representation of the correct sequence of the planets and asteroid belt from the sun. An assessment rubric is included in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Problem Based Learning Scenario

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars research about the function of MPA's. In this marine science lesson, students explore how humans influence changes near these areas. They explore different MPA's in the Great Lakes region.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Good Boat is Hard To Find

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders design and construct a safe and efficient human powered watercraft that can be used on a trip on the Great Lakes. Students utilize math and measurement skills to design and cut the pieces for their boat. Working in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Students Slide to School on Air-Powered Sled

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students locate the Great Lakes on a US map, then read a news article about a sled being used as a wintertime school bus in Wisconsin. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a map and vocabulary activity,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pollution Assessment: Is Wood Lake a Good Lake?

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars become aware of pollution in Richfield Minnesota's Wood Lake, identify sources of pollution in Wood Lake, learn to use variables, equations, spreadsheets and modeling software, and generate solutions for the problem.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Michigan Food: From Farm to You

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students recognize Michigan on a map and understand how its climate is affected by the Great Lakes. In this Michigan food lesson plan, students play a trivia game to identify the produce of Michigan. Students relate the climate in each...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mussels Are Coming

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students work together to identify and describe the various types of mussels. Using a color-coded system, they plot the arrival date of zebra mussels in North American waters. They discuss the increase in their population with the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the History of the I&M Canal

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students examine the building of the I & M canal in Chicago. Using the internet, they research the lives of the individuals who worked on the construction and develop a timeline of events. They explore the impact of the canal on...
Lesson Plan
Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Section Two: Why is Biodiversity Important?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Explore soil, genetic traits, natural resources, and pollution in a series of lessons that focus on biodiversity. Kids complete experiments to learn more about the importance of varied genes and organisms in an ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to the United States Map

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Pupils identify the United States of America and it's states on a map. In this mapping lesson, students examine a globe and find the United States as well as a few land marks (Florida and the Great Lakes).  Pupils then look at a...
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Perfect Postcards: Illinois

For Teachers 4th Standards
Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Modeling Using Similarity

For Teachers 8th Standards
How do you find the lengths of items that cannot be directly measured? The 13th installment in a series of 16 has pupils use the similarity content learned in an earlier resource to solve real-world problems. Class members determine...
Lesson Plan
State University of New York

Going Back in Time Using “George Washington’s Socks”

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
After reading Elvira Woodruff's George Washington's Socks, young readers and writers embark upon writing their own historically based story, with a focus on developing ideas and details throughout the piece. In small groups, class...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

US Geography: The Midwest

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate the geography and agricultural products of the Midwestern United States. In this US geography lesson, students watch and discuss a video that depicts the Midwest of the US as the breadbasket of the country. They make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine Protection Areas

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explain the importance of having Marine Protected Areas. In this ecology activity, students research MPA's in any of the Great Lakes. They play a MPA simulation game and identify MPA's on the map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let the River Run

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars explore the environment by reading a story in class. For this water formation lesson, students define environmental terms such as rivers, streams, gulf, oceans and lakes. Young scholars read the story A River Ran Wild and...
Lesson Plan
National Energy Education Development Project

Great Energy Debate

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
If someone yelled for eight years and eight months, they could produce enough energy to heat one cup of coffee. A lesson on energy encourages scholars to research 10 different energy sources in groups before playing a game. Twenty...
Lesson Plan
Michigan Sea Grant

Water Quantity

For Teachers 4th - 8th
It may be tricky for a young mind to conceptualize that less than 1% of all water on earth is useable for humans to drink. Simulating the amount of fresh water available on earth by removing measured amounts of water from a five-gallon...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seven Natural Wonders of Africa

For Teachers K - 3rd
Young scholars draw a picture and write a few sentences telling about their favorite natural wonder of Africa. They discuss the importance of the Nile River, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Great Rift Valley, the Serengeti Plains, and the Sahara...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to the United States Map

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students identify a map of the United States. In this United States map lesson, students study a map of the United States and find various locations on the map. Students then locate and list the state that touches their state.

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