California Academy of Science
A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Before Google, before Sillicon Valley, before the Gold Rush, the San Francisco landscape was a biome filled with grizzly bears, mule deer, tule elk, coyotes, gray fox, gophers, and moles. To explore the early days of yesteryear, kids...
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Watersheds: The San Francisco Bay Watershed
Sixth graders make a model of a watershed. In this geography lesson, 6th graders view a shaded relief map of California and locate landmarks. Students examine the San Francisco Bay Watershed by following the journey of water through the...
California Academy of Science
A Day inthe Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Although the lesson is specifically about the San Francisco Bay area, it's good enough to be adapted to any local region. Children research what the landscape in San Francisco was like prior to settlement, they consider the types of...
Curated OER
Field Trip - San Francisco Bay Model
Students investigate scale models while attending a field trip within the San Francisco Bay Area. In this oceanography lesson, students identify the currents of the Bay Area and discuss how they are created by different tides. Students...
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A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Students write from an animal's perspective. For this writing lesson students explore the landscape of San Francisco prior to the arrival of the explorers. Students research animals indigenous to the area.
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Saving the Bay
Students investigate water pollution prevention. In this ecology wastewater instructional activity, students activate prior knowledge about sewage, then view a video explaining the waste water sewage system used in the San Francisco Bay...
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San Francisco Bay Watershed
Students examine relief maps of California and discuss the San Francisco Bay watershed. Discussion continues with the class helping complete a journey of water through seasons in a "finish my sentences" style lecture. They label rain...
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San Francisco, Ahoy!
Fifth graders analyze paintings that share a common theme of San Francisco as seen by some of the first travelers who arrived there. In this art history lesson plan, 5th graders consider the experiences involved with the arrival to a new...
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Field Trip - Marine Science Institute
Students discover the ocean life of the San Francisco Bay. In this ocean instructional activity, students take a Discovery Voyage of the Bay ecosystem through the Marine Science Institute. Also available are inland voyages, ocean labs,...
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Earthquakes: Third Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Introduce third graders to energy waves with a hands-on geology activity, in which they answer questions and compare seismograms in the San Francisco Bay area. After a demonstration that shows how bigger waves indicate a high-intensity...
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Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. Explore its origins, organisms, and contributing rivers with this PowerPoint. It opens with several slides of general information on the formation of estuaries, then it...
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San Francisco Cooking
Students investigate the history of San Francisco, California and then create recipes from the area, including a Monte Cristo Sandwich, Sourdough Bread, and a Golden Gate Burger.
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Then and Now, A Watershed in San Francisco
Learners compare recent and historic maps to explore landscape changes. Using photos provided, students identify prominent features on the maps. They discuss differences in landscape, human impact on watershed, and changes in natural...
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Estuary and Watershed
Young scholars investigate the San Francisco Bay Estuarine Research Reserve and watershed. In this estuary and watershed lesson plan, students complete 4 activities to better understand estuarine systems. They include studying the San...
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"Ex-SPAN-D" Your Math by Traveling Over the Chesapeake Bay
In this math lesson, students calculate the cost of bridge construction and time of completion. They solve and write short answers to 5 questions using mathematical operations.
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San Francisco Explodes
Learners investigate why San Francisco grew so quickly during the Gold Rush. They
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Where are the Watersheds in San Francisco?
Students create a mental map of San Francisco. They compare it with actual topographical maps of the city. Then they label various locations on the San Francisco Hillshade map and locate watershed boundaries.
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San Francisco Bay Watershed
Students locate important landmarks on a map and explore the watersheds in California. In this watershed lesson students complete a worksheet and discuss what they learned.
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Oil Spills
Third graders examine the San Francisco oil spill and the effects it has had. In this investigative lesson students view a demonstration on oil clean up and how it works. They see how wildlife is rehabilitated, how the oil is cleaned...
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Recycled Water: A Smart Way to Reuse Water
Learn about wastewater and recycled water with a science reading activity. After learners finish a two-page passage about conserving the water supply, they answer six comprehension questions about what they have read.
Curated OER
Bay Area: Race and Land
Pupils examine the role that racism played in the growth of the Bay Area. They discover how turn-of-the-century boosters promoted a vision of the Bay Area. They study the American Indian Movement's takeover of Alcatraz Island in 1969,...
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Earthquakes: Second Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
What causes earthquakes? Second graders learn about stresses from plate movement with a set of hands-on activities. After tracing fault lines on a map with yarn, class members create a paper plate model of Earth to show its layers and...
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1906 Earthquake
Students explore the impact of the 1906 earthquake on the population of San Jose. They explore two different perspectives of earthquakes. Students write a news bulletin as if they were reporting on the earthquake. They are then...
Gobal Oneness Project
Passionate Pursuits
Not all technology is digital. Teach learners about the low-tech maker movement with a photo essay about six artisans from California and two articles about the local creator movement. After tackling the photo essay in small groups,...