NOAA
Journey to the Unknown
Go where no one has gone before. Learners experience what it is like to be a scientist exploring new territory. Using audio and a scripted text, pupils take a trip in the depths of the ocean. They follow their trip with a hands-on...
Curated OER
Fish Tank Territories
Students observe swimming and resting patterns of aquarium fish to determine how different parts of the habitat are used. Different pairs of students should compare their results after several days to look for daily patterns.
Edgate
Discovering New Resources
What is a natural resource, and what resources did the Lewis and Clark expedition seek? After reading an article on the mapping of the west, learners get into small groups to discuss the important natural resources of the period. They...
Curated OER
Agriculture: Oklahoma's Legacy
Sixth graders explore agriculture as it relates to crops over the course of a series of historical events. They read and create a timeline of the 50-year increments that depict important cause and effect events. Students then use...
Curated OER
Wagons Ho! Hard Times! Hard Choices!
You have just hit the lesson plan jackpot! This isn't just a lesson, it's a ten-day unit covering westward expansion, pioneer life, and the Oregon Trail. Activities include baking, model building, role-play, newspaper writing, science...
Virginia Department of Education
Predator-Prey Simulation
Do your pupils have the misconception that environmental predators are "bad" and harm smaller creatures? The simulation explains, in detail, the important role predators play in maintaining a stable ecosystem. Through web-based research,...
Curated OER
States and Territories: Vocabulary Follow-Up
In this states and territories worksheet, students fill in blanks in sentences, using given vocabulary words at the top of the page. A reference web site is given for additional activities.
Curated OER
Bird Interdisciplinary Possibilities
Students explore birds, their territory, breeding, and seasonal movement. They research and collect information on birds through writing letters to ornithologists, reading in books, comparing web sites, and observing pictures. Students...
Curated OER
Behavior Adaptations
For this behavior worksheet, students review different types of behavioral adaptations including migration, hibernation, and communication. This worksheet has 10 matching and 10 true or false questions.
Curated OER
Who Gives a Hoot?
Students look at owl migration and its impact on the environment and the food chain after reading an article from The New York Times. Students then apply this information to and research different food chain situations for other species...
Curated OER
Animal Signs
Students discuss the many different types of animal signs that can be used to identify and track animals. They participate in an hands-on activity in which they examine tracks, trails, homes, territory markings, and even "scat" left by...
Curated OER
Impact of Exotic Species on Lake Ecology
Students examine the effect of foreign species on various habitats. In groups, they identify the population dynamics of the zebra mussel. They calculate averages and graph data from Seneca Lake in New York. They develop hypothesis...
Desert Discoveries
The Sonoran Desert
Elementary schoolers study the geographic location of the Sonoran Desert. They pay close attention to the characteristics of the plants and animals found in this desert environment. The student handouts embedded in this plan are...
Curated OER
Write On!
Help empower your class by learning about the editorial section of the newspaper. They will have the option to also write to a politician. The goal is to teach students how to speak-up and express their opinions on important issues....
Curated OER
Canada's Climate: Temperature and Rainfall Variations
Middle schoolers analyze data about various climates in Canada. In this data analysis and climate lesson, students use Canada Year Book 1999 to complete a worksheet and make connections between precipitation and temperature in different...
Curated OER
Too Many Otters
Second graders investigate the habitat of otters. In this animal science lesson, 2nd graders role play the job of wildlife biologists and try to manage the otter population. Students use a map to track their specific otter population.
Curated OER
Why the Y2Y?
Students investigate the proposed route from Yellowstone to Yukon. They listen to lectures about the proposal and the different opinions concerning it. Students research the type of wildlife in the area for the road and they consider how...
Curated OER
Archaeology and Erosion
Sixth graders study how erosion affects archaeology sites. In this investigative activity, 6th graders construct a model of a pyramid using sugar cubes. They will investigate in groups how water, wind, and sunlight affects their model...
Curated OER
High Temperature records by State
In this temperatures instructional activity, students view a spreadsheet of the high temperatures of the states and change the data on it using spreadsheet tools. Students complete 4 tasks.
Curated OER
Bioinvasion
Young scholars examine the role of organisms when they eliminate the native species of an area. They review cooperative and competitive relationships within an ecosystem.
Curated OER
Dark Days on the Prairie
Students explore U.S. geography by researching agriculture. In this dust bowl activity, students complete a cause and effect worksheet based upon the dust bowls that covered a large portion of Oklahoma and Texas in the early 1900's....
Curated OER
Develop Journalistic Style--Birds
Students develop journalistic style of writing through considering selection and presentation of information. Students tie science with journalistic writing. Students summarize several science species.
Curated OER
The Sonoran Desert
Little learners examine a map of the southwestern United States and identify the Sonoran Desert. They locate different cities and rivers, determining whether or not each is found within this special ecosystem. A student handout is...
Curated OER
A Flag for Mars
Students investigate the historical use of flags on Earth, debate ownership issues for interplanetary exploration, and design a flag for Mars. The implication of placing a flag at a location forms the focus of the instructional activity.