Curated OER
Nature's Calendar
In this autumn leaves worksheet, students document when trees begin to change colors in the fall and when the tree is completely bare. Students collect this data in a graphic organizer.
Curated OER
Poet-Tree (or shrub or forb)
Learners write poetry to describe a noxious weed. They form a personal relationship with, and a better comprehension of weeds. Students explain what the basic elements of a haiku are. They describe a particular weed, and comprehend...
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Woodland Math Facts
In this Woodland math facts worksheet, students study and examine woodland weights of trees and shrubs, explore invertebrates and draw a bar chart to chart their findings.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Using Insects in the Classroom
Students identify and interpret the importance and diversity of the insect world. Students organize various insects into a classification system based on their characteristics. Students create tree or window ornaments utilizing their...
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Layers of the Forest
Students explore rain forests. For this rain forest ecosystems lesson, students identify and describe the layers of the rain forest. Students paint and decorate a large rain forest mural. Students write riddles about animals that...
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Explora-Pond: 1st Grade Shore Count
First graders experience addition through the exploration of a virtual pond. They categorize the various plants around the pond, count the number of various types of plants on the pond shore, and calculate the number of shrubs.
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Biology Leaf Collection
Students collect leaves and compile them into a collection booklet. They collect tree leaves, shrub leaves, grasses, and weeds. For each sample they also label its common name and information about where and when it was collected.
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The Woods and Pond
Students explore nature in a living, experiencing way. In this woods and ponds lesson plan, students recognize that ponds/woods environments are ecosystems, identify three of the trees in the area by their leaves and bark...
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ExplorA-Pond: 1st Grade Addition
First graders explore the shoreline of a local or virtual pond and count the number of bushes and trees present in the area they are assigned. They then, as a class, add the numbers of bushes and trees together to determine the total...
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Boston's Arnold Arboretum
Students examine how 19th-century urban conditions influenced the development of parks. They research local trees and shrubs, develop a display of trees and shrubs, plan a new park or arboretum, and write a report on a local park.
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Erosion
Fifth graders study the effects of running water on erosion. They examine how the soil on the playground is affected by erosion and determine how the placement of trees and shrubs changes the path of erosion. In their science journals,...
Forest Foundation
The Web of Life
Producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers. To begin a study of the forest ecosystem, learners examine the connections among the members of ecological communities.
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Dinner in a Woodland
After reading a short paragraph about what makes up a woodland habitat, fifth graders attempt to identify the primary consumers, secondary consumers, and third order consumers in two separate food chain scenarios. They also name a hawk's...
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Growing from Seed
High school or college horticulturists will appreciate this PowerPoint on seed-propagation. It walks them through the science behind seed production and germination as well as the requirements for growing plants from this stage....
Curated OER
Dream Stream
Investigate the parts of a healthy stream to build content-specific vocabulary and ecological awareness. The class builds vocabulary and determines why clean water is important for trout. They design a shoe box to show what a clean...
Curated OER
California Poppy Postcards
What a great lesson! Learners discuss California history, including the state flower, the poppy, and then engage in an art activity. For the activity, they learn about value, shading, layering, blending etc. to produce a realistic...
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Agriculture in Your Life
Students examine the agricultural sources of everyday products and identify food products outside traditional farming circles. They discuss the background information, and complete activity sheets, locating various commodity locations on...
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Orienteering: Welcome to the Jungle
Students work together in groups to complete a treasure hunt. Using the school grounds, they search for pictures and stuffed animals of different species. They use a GPS to locate them and record which habitat they live. They calculate...
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Wetland Plant Detectives
Sixth graders identify plants in the wetlands. In this plant detectives instructional activity, 6th graders complete a scavenger hunt on a local reserve, record observations, and respond in their journals.
National Park Service
Fire Ecology on the Rim
An engaging unit on wildfires includes three sections, including a background section with eight lessons and five activities, a field experience section with 13 lessons and five activities, and a conclusion section featuring an...
Curated OER
Simple Machines IV - Levers
The principles of levers and simple machines are presented here. An easy-to-make lever is constructed by each group of scientists, and they use it to explore how this simple machine makes heavy things so much easier to lift and move. A...
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Guetemala's Changing Forest
Eighth graders compare their local ecological zone to the tropical rainforest. In this natural ecology lesson, 8th graders complete an activity about the differences in ecological zones. They compare their biome to the Guatemalan...