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Invent an Insect
Explore biology by researching adaptation. First, learners research and define a list of insect vocabulary terms and discuss the benefits of each insect characteristic. They then utilize a worksheet to create their own insect and share...
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Fossil Fuels: Facing the Issues
Students explore energy by researching fuel usage on Earth. In this fossil fuel lesson, students define fossil fuels, the energy created by burning them, and the impact on the environment when using them. Students conduct pollution...
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Unit 21 Terrariums
The history of terrariums and how to construct one are presented in this PowerPoint. Each important step aspect of terrarium care is discussed: selecting a container, drainage, soil, types of plants, and maintenance. You will want to...
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Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...
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Sheffield Island Adaptation Activity
You don't have to visit The Maritime Aquarium to use this plan, but you would need to find a location where a variety of bird species live, re-write the activity worksheet to incorporate the local species, and purchase field guides for...
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Marine Habitats of Galveston Island
Four lessons introduce elementary ecologists to salt marsh and sandy beach habitats. In the first lesson, they place shells and other materials in vinegar to determine if they contain calcium carbonate. In the second lesson, they read a...
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Seashore Explorers
There are three separate lessons within this resource that can be used together, or that can each stand alone. In the first, five simple activities allow junior scientists to examine the amazing properties of water. In the second, they...
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Exploring Biomes Lesson 3: Endangered Biomes
Future environmental scientists compare data from two different conservation strategies. Alone this lesson plan is sufficient, but as part of the Exploring Biomes unit produced by the Arizona Fish and Game Department, it becomes top-notch.
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Stamp Boxes or Jars: Recycled Art
With some canceled stamps, an old box, and some glue, learners create art from scraps. You save up or gather used postage stamps, the kids glue them onto a box or an old clean jar. All the steps needed to complete this project plus two...
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Humans and the Environment
This PowerPoint is a straightforward list of facts about how humans impact the environment. Subjects covered are extinction, natural resources, different types of pollution, and conservation efforts. Questions are presented on some...
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Forestry
When you are exploring pollution or human impact on the environment with your class, this PowerPoint will serve as a support. The first half focuses on the effects of the logging industry, creating roadways, and wildfires. The second...
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Friend, Foe, or . . .
As a result of this lesson, upper elementary ocean explorers will be able to describe several interrelationships: symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. They learn that the biological richness is increased near seamounts and...
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Week 3: Pollution Source and Effects
Lab groups set up an experiment to observe what happens over time in collected pond water when fertilizer, representing pollution, is added. This website does not include student lab sheets, but background information, materials, and...
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Recycling Survey
How many people really recycle recyclables and how do they feel about it? High schoolers create a survey to find out. Once they agree on what questions to include, they each interview four people outside of the classroom. They combine...
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Treasures in Jeopardy
In small groups, middle schoolers research deep-sea coral reefs and design a poster to educate the public about their importance. They compare them to shallow-water reefs and consider the impact of bottom-trawl fishing. Many internet...
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Marine Debris
Now is the time to educate tomorrow's citizens to care for the planet, and here is a lesson to help facilitate the process. Collect some marine debris and bring it into class. Have your class separate it into types and then test each...
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Historical Climate Statistics
Are we getting hotter? Let’s look at a sample locality where historical records exist and see what we can find out. Here is an activity that has young environmentalists plotting the average winter temperature in England from 900-1900. It...
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LESSON #2 SAFETY UNIT: Real-life reading selection
When studying pollution and the environment, you can use this activity as an enrichment. Safety-conscious learners read a 2005 article about an ammonia leak from a Kentucky fast-food product plant. They work in small groups to discuss...
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Environmentally Friendly
What can your pupils do to promote better conditions for wildlife? After researching issues around wildlife management, class members use the Internet to locate three different organizations devoted to protecting wildlife. They then...
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Landforms and Bodies of Water
A simple worksheet helps your learners with geographic terms. This could be used as a template for future worksheets which have learners identify some geographic terms, then complete an essay about one of the terms.
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What is Urban Ecology?
Here is a worksheet on Urban Ecology in the state of Arizona. In it, learners answer nine short-answer questions on this topic. The last two questions have them use the reverse side of the paper to create tables and graphs which deal...
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Integrated Unit on Nevada Solid Waste Disposal
Sixth graders examine how to gather and interpret data, accept responsibility for the environment, and demonstrate an interest in making a difference in this series of lessons.
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Spaceship Earth
Pupils study the earth as a system, and the fragility of that system when population, and pollution, are considered as interactive parts of earth.
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Micro-Climate
Atmosphere aces investigate the microclimates that exist within a larger area. They use a thermometer to record the varying temperatures and identify the microclimates on a map that they have drawn. This exercise helps them to understand...