Berkshire Museum
Meet a Naturalist: Researching, Writing, Interviewing
Young scholars reach out into the community and learn about different environmental science careers in this inquiry-based instructional activity. Beginning with a short research assignment, children gain background knowledge about...
Curated OER
Cycles of Life in an Urban Habitat: Changes in Biodiversity
Second graders compare and contrast animate and inanimate objects. In this environmental science lesson, 2nd graders create simple food webs. They observe their environment and create a collage about it.
Berkshire Museum
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: Sorting Through Personal Choices
Raise children's awareness about the importance of conservation with this hands-on science lesson. Start by breaking the class into groups and having them collect trash from around the school or local park. Students then use the provided...
American Forest Foundation
Who Speaks for the Trees?
Help young conservationists appreciate the important role that trees play in ecosystems around the world with this collection of six engaging activities. From a shared reading and class discussion of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, to in an depth...
Curated OER
The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change
Students analyze the impact of climate variability and change utilizing a broad span of topics over a wide range of grade levels. This three lesson unit is easily adapted for the various instructional levels listed.
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Themes to Encourage Awareness of Environmental Changes on the Shoreline of Connecticut in Elementary School Students: The Case of Kelsey Island
Students begin the lesson by developing a map of Kelsey Island by following specific instructions. In groups, they are given a block of ice in which they tie a rope around and drag over various rocks for different distances. They...
Curated OER
Disposing Garbage
Students explore environmental cleanliness by completing a worksheet in class. In this waste management lesson, students identify the technological advances in society and how they increase waste production our planet is unable to deal...
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Comparing Deciduous and Evergreen Trees
Students investigate nature by identifying different plants and trees. In this environmental field trip, students participate in a British Columbia expedition in which they identify cedar, pine, hemlock and Douglas fir trees. Students...
Curated OER
Reading Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers
Students discover the impact "Lady Bird" Johnson had on America by reading a short biography. In this historical persons lesson plan, students read a multi page biography of the former first lady and write a summary of her life's work....
Curated OER
The Effects of Weather on People
Students discover the causes of different types of weather and it's effect on society. In this environmental lesson, students utilize the Internet to examine cloud types, normal weather conditions and the type of weather considered...
Curated OER
De-composers - Terrarium
Students explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. In this rainforest analysis lesson, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's rainforests....
Curated OER
Our Lives and the Four Seasons
Students compare and contrast the four seasons. Using this information, they determine the plant, animal and environmental activities that can be enjoyed in each season. They discuss why the seasons must change and how humans adapt to them.
Curated OER
How They Get Building Materials Out of the Ground
Students experience a virtual quarry. In this science musical lesson plan, students understand how materials are quarried and manufactured from rocks, musically interpret a quarrying sequence with untuned musical instruments, and...
Curated OER
Decomposers- Nurse Logs
Learners investigate temperate forest ecosystems. In this environmental instructional activity, students discover different forms of decomposition and its effect on the environment.
Curated OER
Weather in the USA
Students identify the different types of weather conditions that occur in the United States. They discover how to adapt to weather and explain forecast and warning signals.
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Disaster Cycles
Students explore what causes natural disasters. In this environmental lesson plan, students will spend four weeks using activities to help in their understanding of the Hydrological Cycle, Hurricanes, Plate Tectonics, and the Recovery...
Curated OER
Exploring Fish Anatomy and Commercial Fishing Gear
Students investigate commercial fishing by exploring the technical methods. In this environmental lesson, students identify the fish that are most commonly consumed by humans and trace their path from ocean to plate. Students examine...
Curated OER
Plants Alive! How Plants Grow and Move
Young scholars explore how plants move in response to the environment. In this plant lesson, students engage in three different experiments to investigate how plants grow and move. Resources available in English and French.
Curated OER
Fish Hazards
Students study the Pacific salmon and see the different challenges they face. In this environment lesson students complete several activities that show how humans have affected the salmon environment. These activities have varying...
Curated OER
Looking At Leaves
Learners investigate the different leaves of Wisconsin. They gather samples of leaves in order to compare to the samples taken from Puerto Rico. They make observations and collect data recording the size, shape, and texture of the...
Curated OER
Making a Human Tree
Learners explore botany by defining the anatomy of a tree. In this environmental exploration activity, students research plant vocabulary terms and discuss the uses of each word. Learners create a "human" tree by role-playing as one of...
Curated OER
Jane Goodall, Renowned Naturalist and Champion of Chimpanzees
Learners study the life of Jane Goodall and how she made an impact studying chimpanzees. In this endangered species lesson students write in their journals.
Curated OER
Seed Germination
Students germinate a Mung Bean seed. In this seed instructional activity students conduct an experiment germinating a Mung Bean. They apply three different treatments to the seeds: dry, moist, and underwater incubation.
Curated OER
Affecting Transportation Choices-Walk, Don't Ride!
Learners discuss methods of transportation they use and create a trip tally to determine which methods they use the most.