Curated OER
The Prairie Climate
Ninth graders research the average temperature and precipitation of a prairie region to determine the type of climate it is, and how it differs from other biomes. They examine the types of adaptions animals have made to live in the...
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Prairie Scales and Prairie Smoothies
Sixth graders explore the animals that live on the prairie and identify differences between amphibians and reptiles and the adaptations each have made to live on the prairie.
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Prairie Plant Investigation
Students carefully observe prairie plants and record their observations in a science journal. They examine the root systems of grasses and flowers and surmise how these plants can grow together on the prairie.
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Prairie People
Eighth graders interview a person who explains the lifestyles of people who lived on the prairies in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. They examine how today's lifestyles impact the environment and write up what they learned.
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Prairie Find Outdoors
Young scholars take a field trip to a local prairie. Using identification books, they identify various forbs and grasses in the prairie. As a class, they discuss the importance of forbs and grasses to the ecosystem and review the various...
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Prairie, Stream, Forest for Junior High Students
Eighth graders take field trips to prairies, streams and forests in Illinois. During the field trip, they complete a worksheet to observe what they see and discuss it when they get back to school. They share their experiences through...
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Prairie Predator and Prey
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of animals that live on the prairie, and classify them as predators and prey. They conduct interviews where they ask the animals what they need to look out for to sustain life on the prairie.
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Prairie Populations
Eleventh graders practice the Quadrat Survey Technique to analyze the biodiversity of a local plant community. They compare its biodiversity with the documented changes in biodiversity of the tallgrass prairie over time.
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Prairie Plants Lab
Students recognize and identify 3 grasses and 9 common forbs of the fermilab prairie and which were common in IL, identify using resources and write 3 critical attributes of each plant.
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Miners of the Prairie: The Days of Shaft Mining in Northern Illinois
Students explore the life and times of a coal miner in Illinois through the analysis of primary source documents and images.
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Prairie In A Bottle
Second graders observe images of prairie ecosystems and discuss the needs of living things. They create a prairie habitat in a closed jar to observe the water cycle and plant growth.
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Prairie Adaptations
Twelfth graders consider the survival of prairie plants. They examine how some tallgrass prairie species are adapted to the conditions of their ecosystem. They make a prediction of how a species might change given new conditions.
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Prairie Senses
Second graders use their senses to explore a prairie or imaginary prairie. They draw pictures to represent the five senses and discover how an artist describes non-visual sensations in a visual way.
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Soil Stories
Tenth graders collect and analyze soil samples and extrapolate the characteristics needed to support different types of plant life. They research different types of prairie soil and how it supports plant and animal life.
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Perceiving the Prairie
Twelfth graders explore the changing concept of "prairie" through written and artistic works. They write their own poem or essay describing the prairie after discussing how differently people perceive the prairie.
Scholastic
Perfect Postcards: Illinois
Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered activity on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional...
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Prairie Poetry
Ninth graders take note of the ways in which word choice, rhythm, language and narrative voice, as well as point of view in a poem can be used to evoke a time and place. They use their insights to create a poem of their own.
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Leaf, Tree and Prairie Study
Students are introduced to the topic of Botany and the process of photosynthesis. Using various habitats, they research the amount of destruction it is facing and how to solve the problem. They make a leaf booklet with leaves they find...
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Illinois: Crossword Puzzle
For this United States history worksheet, learners use the 15 clues in order to fill in the crossword puzzle with the appropriate answers pertaining to Illinois.
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Fire Fighting
Young scholars consider the effects of a wildfire on prairie life. They explore the ways that plants regenerate after a fire and create fictional plants that have adapted specifically to the prairie environment. They share models of...
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Illinois On Tour
Eighth graders participate in the Illinois Mystery Activity (from the ENTICE materials) to study additional interesting facts about Illinois. Using the DNR poster "Illinois' Natural Divisions" and printed materials from ENTICE, 8th...
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Poisoning the Prairie
Seventh graders investigate what pesticides are and why people use them. They examine the effect of pesticides on prairie grasses and what alternatives can be used.
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Prairie Mural Project
Seventh graders construct a large mural of a praire showing plants, and animals that would live there.
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Illinois Entice Spoken Here
Eighth graders name a prairie animal when their name is called for attendance each day. They read books about Illinois or related topics. At present we have read Illinois, A Rookie Read About Geography Book by Allan Fowler.