Curated OER
Lighten Up!
Third graders observe light as a form of energy, that it can be reflected/bounced, refracted/bent and absorbed. They explore how different types of light affect our lives as a whole. Songs are researched that involve light (ex. "You...
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"Garden Springs Gardeners"
First graders ponder the question of how plants help their lives. They observe and compare properties of several different plants. Differentiate between living organisms and nonliving objects.
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Insects
Third graders research an insect and creates a brochure on that selected insect. Each student develops a Venn Diagram comparing similarities and differences between moths and butterflies.
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Butterflies on Camera
Students explore the real experience with the sequence and process of caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis. They actually get to watch the process unfold in the classroom. A Flex-Cam records the video of the process to assure that the...
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Bird Up
Third graders identify basic physical and behavioral characteristics of birds and how they adapt to their environments. To organize and share scientific information with peers. They discuss similarities and differences among birds....
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Water: Access and Use
Young scholars get a personal sense for another culture's way of doing things. Develop a list of sources for water. Practice using the scientific method. Examine means for conserving, or for generating, reliable sources of water.
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Let's Get Warm!
Students investigate various methods that animals use to warm up in cold weather. They also explore the science principals involved. They then identify a human parallel, discuss what we can learn from nature, and create multimedia...
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Go Fish!
Students collect data, interpret data summarize proportional reasoning. Students determine (with various alternate goods) the number of fish in a nearby pond. Students capture the goldfish crackers, deal with pretzels and then write...
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TE Lesson: I've Got Issues!
Students study environmental issues from different perspectives. They look at the issues from the view of both preservationists and conservationists as they identify themselves with one group or the other. They determine how teamwork...
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TE Activity: Trash Talkin'
Students collect and categorize solid waste produced in the classroom. They weigh the waste that has been collected over one week's time, and separate it into recyclable and non-recyclable waste. They talk about the role of engineers in...
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Splish, Splash, I was Takin' a Bath!
Students explore the causes of water pollution and its effects on the environment through the use of models and scientific investigation. In the accompanying activities, they investigate filtration and aeration processes as they are used...
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Interactions Everywhere!
Students examine interactions within the environment and environmental engineering careers. They discuss and view photos of natural and manmade environments, explore various websites, create a web to identify interactions between living...
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Falling Water
Students drop water from different heights to demonstrate the conversion of water's potential energy to kinetic energy. They see how varying the height from which water is dropped affects the splash size. In seeing how falling water can...
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The Dirty Water Project
Students investigate different methods (aeration and filtering) for removing pollutants from water. They design and build their own water filters. Students identify the pollutants in a water sample using sight and smell, explore what...
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This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land
Students review and evaluate the ways land is covered and used in their local community. They consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students act as community planning engineers to determine where to place...
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Harnessing Wind
Students explore the ways that engineers study and harness the wind. They study the different kinds of winds and how to measure wind direction. In addition, students learn how air pressure creates winds and how engineers build and test...
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How Should Our Gardens Grow?
Students examine different types of land use by humans and evaluate the ways land is used in their local community. They also consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students assume the role of community...
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Design a Recycling Game!
Students discover that recycling is using a product more than once so that natural resources can be saved and so that we won't need so many garbage dumps and landfills. They see that there are different ways to recycle. Students design a...
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TE Lesson: Renewable Energy
Young scholars examine renewable energy sources such as solar, water, and wind. They experiment to determine how renewable energy is transformed into electricity. They investigate the role of engineers who work in the field of renewable...
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Island Survival
Students participate in a simulation of life on a deserted island. They apply their critical thinking skills and knowledge of oceans and islands to "survive" and ultimately return to safety. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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Corals & Coral Reefs
Students describe a coral reef, how it is formed and its inhabitants. They explain the ecological and economic importance of coral reefs and discuss its present-day threats. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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Food Web Mobile
Students explain the main concepts of food webs and food chains. They
describe the role of animals, plants, and other organisms in cycling energy and matter through a food web by creating mobiles. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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Economy of Ecology
Students work in groups to decide which statement best fits with each type of sustainable development from a handout about specific strategies countries are utilizing to promote sustainable development.
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Conservation in Costa Rica
Students brainstorm what they do that requires land use and use a worksheet to calculate their footprint (the total area of land and water required to produce all the resources they consume). They then compare their footprints to each...