Investigate the fascinating, yet terrifying phenomenon of hurricanes from the safety of your classroom using this earth science unit. Focusing on developing young scientists' spacial thinking skills, these lessons engage...

Water is vital for survival, but how does it help global cultures flourish? Elementary and middle schoolers learn about the different cultures around the world that celebrate water and incorporate it into their festivals or traditions.

We are very dependent upon other life forms around us to survive. Here, scholars explore relationships in the ecosystem with the help of Auntie Litter and the pollution patrol. They imagine a world without grass, making connections to...

Students explore sea life. For this cross curriculum fine arts, science, and P.E. "dolphins" lesson, students sing songs and play games about dolphins, perform water experiments, create mosaics, and use their five senses to explore sand...

Learners become connected to their watershed by exploring a local water body and mapping its features. They focus on how the local watershed fits into the larger scheme of the watershed.

A controversial construction project in South America, the Belo Monte dam, is endangering local cultures, ecosystems, and communities. High schoolers create a concept map based on an online article they read before engaging in...

What are the factors that limit growth and expansion? As part of their study of Catalina Island, class members view the West of the West's documentary Magic Isle and research William Wrigley and the Santa Catalina Island Company. After...

Children gain first-hand experience with Native American agriculture while investigating the life cycle of plants with this engaging experiment. Focusing on what the natives called the Three Sisters - corn, beans, and squash - young...

Students share ideas about how scientists know about dinosaurs, then read a news article about the recently found remains of a hadrosaur. For this dinosaur lesson plan, the teacher introduces the article with a class discussion and...

Collaboratively, young scholars partake in a hands-on activity in which they build models of a watershed. Each group member draws an elevation map—a bird's eye view—of their model and predicts how water will flow from the high to low...

Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students research city wildlife then plan and implement a service learning project that benefits wildlife.

Students investigate the effect of dams on the ecosystem. In this environmental lesson, students read case studies on the Aswan Dam and the Colorado River Basin and construct a T-chart to compare the effects on the region.

Students develop an understanding of the interrelatedness of technology, culture, and environment as illustrated by the Chumash culture. They research the tribe and complete a table for the Chumash people describing their environment,...

Fifth graders build a shelter to protect themselves from rain. They perform durability and water proof testing on the shelters. They make observations of plants found in the Amazon rainforest.

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...

Fifth graders investigate coral reefs and the dangers they face by labeling and drawing.  In this oceanography lesson, 5th graders view a PowerPoint presentation of photographs of coral reefs in Belize.  Students investigate...

Students discover how things grow and how they can take better care of the environment in this Earth Day lesson for the elementary classroom. The activity can be accomplished in one day and left in the sun until the "beans" begin growing.

Students work together to build a trash city. They collect items that would go into a landfill to help them build their city. They discuss ways to cut down on garbage.

Students infer the connection among humans, animals, and disease through the interpretation of concept maps. They are introduced to the idea of a connection human disease and the domestication of animals.

Young scholars create a flower, poem, and mailbox for someone to open on Valentine's Day. In this Valentine's Day lesson plan, students also write Valentine letters.

[Free Registration/Login Required] How can you treat the earth with more respect? Check out this resource featuring links to elementary activities to celebrate Earth Day. You will find word searches, crossword puzzles, reading...