Curated OER
Charting Diversity
Students organize different species of plans and animals according to various characteristics. Students then determine what characteristics enable them to survive in their habitat. Game ideas and activities are included.
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Habitats, Abiotic v. Biotic
Pupils explore and define ecosystem, ecology and habitat. They discuss abiotic and biotic organisms and the things needed for survival. After observing pictures of animals in their habitat, students compare and contrast habitats and...
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The Coyote Population: Kansas Prairies
Students discover animal lifestyles by researching their ecosystem. In this animal statistics lesson, students research the geography of Kansas and discuss the reasons why wild animals survive in the open Kansas fields. Students complete...
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Researching an Animal (Class Book)
Third graders research an animal in order to gain knowledge of the adaptations that allow it to survive in the desert. They present this information to the rest of the class in oral reports, and by contributing to the class book.
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Learning From Leaves: Adaptation Scavenger Hunt
Students participate in an adaptation scavenger hunt at. They obtain various plant specimens, and sort the plants based on whether they came from a desert, tropical rainforest, or wetlands.
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Salinity Of Soil
Fourth graders investigate the contents of various types of soil to determine the differences in salinity levels. They conduct an experiment of observing the plants in the different soils. Students then determine survival rates by...
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The Plant Bartering System
Fifth graders explore plant characteristics by viewing a flower and seed presentation. In this environmental adaptation lesson, 5th graders identify specific traits plants have in order to allow them to grow in different climates whether...
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'Water, Water Everywhere...'
Fourth graders explore how the Utah pioneers used irrigation to make the desert 'blossom as a rose'. They use geographical tools to analyze political and physical features of Utah, the United States, China, and Asia.
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How Big Is Your Landscape?
Students explore how an organism perceives its landscape and how changes to its landscape can effect its survival. Of particular focus is the effect of urbanization and the organisms survival in the cities.
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Adaptation Scavenger Hunt
Fourth graders recognize the specific adaptations of living things and relate them to survival within the animals environment. They study common plants and animals found in Utah environments and how they have adapted to the environment...
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Ecosystems and Remote Sensing
Students obtain remote sensing data to compare and contrast global biomass data with global temperature data.
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Anthropogenic Biomes
If you teach a man to fish, he will never go hungry—or he will overfish and permanently damage the ecosystem? Address the traditional biomes as well as the human-included ecosystems and contrasts the biotic and abiotic factors in each....
Teach Engineering
Biomimicry and Sustainable Design - Nature is an Engineering Marvel
Discover how copying nature can be beneficial to humans. Scholars read articles about examples of biomimicry and its potential applications. Along the way, they learn about Nature's Nine Laws and how they relate to biomimicry. This is...
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Whose Home Is This?
After reading a short and informative paragraph on animals and their environments, learners look at pictures of four animals, and write a short description of how each one has adapted to its environment. A suggested activity is that each...
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Drama in the Salt Marsh
Students are introduced to the various organisms that live in a salt marsh. They recognize adaptations of organisms that live in the salt marsh. Pupils review concepts of the ecosystem and niche. Students explain the different roles...
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The Wetlands
Fourth graders learn what a wetland is, where they can be found, and what types of plants, animals and characteristic are associated with the wetlands. They also participate in an activity to explore and enhance their knowledge of...
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Introduction to Wetlands
Learners describe the characteristics of a wetland, identify plants and animals found there, and how those plants and animals have adapted to their environment. They visit stations, view a video, and complete a KWL about the wetlands.
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Mystery Creek
Fourth graders are introduced to the Riparian Ecosystem. They define the following terms: riparian and riparian ecosystem. Students take a trip to the creek, where they make observations about the environment around them. They are...
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Outside Animals Crossword Puzzle
For this outside animals worksheet, students explore all the possible animals that live outside in the wilderness and their habitats and then find the answers to fifty questions associated with those animals in a crossword puzzle.
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The MPA “GamePlan”
Eighth graders explore the purpose of having Marine Protected Areas. In this environmental science lesson, 8th graders simulate the planning process by playing a board game. They explain the positive and negative effects of trade offs.
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Endangered Species
Students define the terms endangered and threatened. They identify the factors that can cause species to become endangered. They discover how animals are protected by the Endangered Species Act.
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Extreme Environments
Students examine extreme environments and the characteristics that make them. In this adaptation lesson students see how animals have adapted to these environments.
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Learning From Leaves: A Look at Leaf Size
Students measure and analyze leaves from various environments. They discuss the environments, and make inferences about environmental variables that could have contributed to the differences in leaf size and texture.
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Life As A Tree
Third graders design a plate to represent the three parts of a tree. For this tree parts lesson plan, 3rd graders learn about the functions of each part and design the plate to resemble the rings of the tree.