Curated OER
Plant Life
Seventh graders examine different categories of plant life and their roles as producers of food and oxygen for other organisms. They study the evolution of plants from simple organisms to very complex ones. They look at the different...
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Urban Safari: A Walk on the Wild Side
Students discover the urban ecosystem through a series of activities. They explore both the biotic and abiotic factors of the urban environment.
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Digging in the Dirt
First graders awareness is raised that not all dirt is the same. They compare and observe particle sizes in three different kinds of soils. They keep a record book of what the discover and talk about how some soils are alike and some...
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Charlotte and Her Relatives Visit the Classroom: Spider Activities, Experiments and Projects
Learners compare and contrast different spider species that they capture and maintain in the classroom for several days. They identify and research the species characteristics and living requirements then conduct an experiment on spider...
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Cracked Marbles
Fourth graders determine how weathering, specifically ice, snow, and freezing water change the Earth's surface and rocks. After completing the investigations, they explain how heating and cooling expand and contract marbles until cracks...
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Looking at the Community Tree
Third graders review the characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. As a class, they observe a tree and describe the interactions between the living and nonliving organisms surrounding it. To end the lesson, they ask a question...
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Mystery of the Eleven Unknown Substances
Fourth graders identify eleven white substances that are commonly found in the household. They, in pairs, perform experiments on a variety of substances, and must identify them based on the reactions they observe.
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Spring Collecting and Identifying Bumble Bees
Students collect bumble bees in the field, record data, identify and release specimens, answer conclusion questions, and send data in to researcher leaders. They make research based conclusions based upon the evidence.
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Biological Communities
Students identify consumers and producers in different communities. Students collect a variety of soil samples and record organisms found in the samples.
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History and Development of the Microscope
For this microscope worksheet, students review how microscopes work and how early scientists figured out how microscopes could help them with their discoveries. This worksheet has 3 fill in the blank and 7 short answer questions.
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Microscope Basics
Young scholars examine a microscope and learn its parts. In this microscope lesson students study the different parts of the microscope and see the differences in the adjustments then make their own wet slide.
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Excavating the Past
Students discover how palaeontologists conduct a dig for fossils and how they interpret the age of the fossils. In small groups, they prepare a "dig site" consisting of bones, rocks and soil layered in a cardboard box. They switch boxes...
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Ready for Roots
Fourth graders sort seeds and predict what conditions are needed for them to germinate. They keep the seeds moist, observe and measure their growth and graph the results. As the seeds start to grow students compare and contrast the each...
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School Yard Park/ Ecosystem
Fifth graders examine ecosystems in their schoolyard. In this nature and ecosystem lesson, 5th graders map their schoolyard into workable plots. They classify plants and animals found in the plot. They revisit their site every two weeks...
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Holey Clamshells
Pupils analyze data to make hypotheses and conclusions regarding the predator/prey relationship between moon snail and surf clams.
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How Big Are Earth, Sun, and Moon?
Third graders draw what they believe is in space on a dry erase board. In groups, they are given a beaker half filled with water and they add a teaspoon of oil, observing the different layers that form. To end the lesson, they identify...
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Playground Zoom
Students observe and draw small objects on the playground or in the classroom with and without a magnifying glass. They explore how lenses can affect the way that an object is observed from afar or remotely sensed. Afterwards, they share...