Students examine the relationship between chlorophyll and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  In this investigative lesson students study the local effects of climate change. 

Most living things go unnoticed. Change that using a fun activity about the nutrient cycle. Pupils use hula hoops to mark areas of study and then make observations about the living things they see. They first make surface observations,...

Young scientists roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty in this three-day earth science investigation. Following the scientific method, children monitor the growth of algae in pond water samples in order to determine...

Breathe some life into product design. Pupils learn about the stages of product creation, use, and disposal—sometimes called a cradle-to-grave assessment. They see how this cycle relates to the life cycle of organisms.

Students are introduced to the on-farm nutrient cycle, which explains feed to manure, to soil, and back to the feed. They are introduced to the generation of runoff during rainstorms, and the contents of runoff water are more than water...

Students create a compost cake. In this gardening and decomposition science instructional activity, students review and describe the "nutrient cycle." Students create a compost pile, measure and record the dimensions and temperature of...

The fifth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program defines dead zones and how they form. Pupils then examine data from the Gulf of Mexico to determine dead zone formation.

In this water cycle instructional activity, 3rd graders conduct an experiment where they observe and calculate how water transpires in different types of trees.  Students engage in a class discussion and use Venn Diagrams to compare...

The Gulf of Mexico dead zone, an area of low oxygen that kills marine life, costs the United States $82 million every year. Young scientists research anoxic ocean environments then come up with a hypothesis for the cause of the Gulf of...

Students are introduced to the concept of acids and bases and arouse curiosity about acids and bases in daily life. They are introduced to the measurement of soil pH. Pupils are introduced to the effect of soil pH on nutrient cycling...

Learners act out the cycling of nitrogen through the environment. In this nutrient cycle lesson, students role play as nitrogen atoms traveling through the nitrogen cycle. They travel to stations and roll dice to determine the...

Students explore cycles in nature. In this cross curriculum agriculture activity, students define "cycle" and research weather and planting folklore. Students make a bracelet in which individual colored beads represent the many "cycles"...

Learners investigate the factors that compose the nitrogen cycle. The harmful effects of acid rain and ozone depletion are also discussed in the lesson. Students define the nutrient that is often limiting to plant growth through...

Young scholars investigate the circle of sea life by creating nitrogen compound models.  For this oceanography lesson, students discuss sea creatures and where their waste goes.  Young scholars identify nitrogen cycles in the...

Fixin' to add a great resource to your plans? Scholars perform an experiment to investigate nitrogen-fixing bacteria from plant roots. Along the way, they learn about the concepts of symbiosis and mutualism.

First graders learn the basic needs of plants and identify geometric shapes while planting a fall garden. Combining math and science in one lesson, the resource guides kids through starting their class garden as they...

Scholars become part of the cycle of matter with a reader's theater that showcases producers, consumers, decomposers, and the sun. A diagram and discussion concludes the learning experience and enhances comprehension. 

Students investigate, through their own experimentation, the important role wildlife play in nutrient cycling. Earthworms and compost are used in this experiment and different experimental setups be evaluated.

Seventh graders examine the life cycle of the human. In this human life cycle lesson, 7th graders discuss the many different stages of the human life cycle. Students use pictures from magazines to create a representation of the human...

Young scholars investigate nutrient cycling in a simplified desktop ecosystem involving aquarium and hydro-ponically grown plants. They set up an aquarium with 10 gallons of water at least a week before the lab is planned and place...

What happens at the end of a plant's life cycle? Show kids the natural way that plants show that they're decomposing, as well as the importance of compost, with a lesson about living organisms. After reading Log Cabin by Anne Schreiber,...

Photosynthesis seems nothing short of magic: a little carbon dioxide and water, add energy, and poof, you get food! A thorough, collaborative lesson teaches youth the process of photosynthesis thanks to a skit they perform with a group...

In this food chains worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle by placing 16 terms into the puzzle that match the clues given. Students review food webs, biomass pyramids, and the water cycle.

Students conduct various experiments to investigate plant transpiration. In this biology lesson, students explain how this process helps maintain the hydrologic cycle. They measure the rate of water loss in plants using a potometer.