Students draw a picture of animal tracks a scientist might find after they read a story about a fox chasing a rabbit. They make up a key to represent the foxes' tracks and the rabbit's tracks.

Students examine the ways in which scientists answer questions.  In this critical thinking and scientific process lesson students complete a worksheet of questions. 

Fourth graders, in small groups, observe plants and note their characteristics. After drawing pictures of the plants, including their roots systems, they hypothesize in which environments the plants would best thrive. Finally, 4th...

Fourth graders explain how in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. They research the ecosystem of which each animal or plant is natively a part.

Musical chairs may be a classic game, but Ruffe Musical Chairs is a unique activity on invasive species! Using the time-honored game, pupils role play the behaviors of the invasive fish called Eurasian ruffe. Learning about this...

Learners discuss the types of technology that are used to control the population of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. They explain the parasite/host relationship and understand the devastating impact invasive species have on ecosystems....

Starting with a simple food chain, young scientists interpret the difference and interrelatedness between herbivores, carnivores and producers. They answer questions related to cause and effect of food chain disruptions, including the...

A food web consists of complex food chains and the more complex the web, the better likelihood of survival. Learners compare and contrast food webs and food chains and discuss concepts like the predator-prey and consumer-producer...

Students examine soil. In this soil composition lesson students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.

Young scholars examine the connection between trees and erosion. In this erosion lesson students experiment with the effects of rain on a hillside. Young scholars investigate the number of trees and the amount of erosion.

Students experiment using soil and water. In this forest as a filter lesson, students identify the role of forest cover, vegetation, and foliage impacts erosion and evaporation. Students conduct a simple experiment, form a hypothesis,...

Students dissect owl pellets. In this dissecting owl pellets lesson, students discuss birds of prey and make predictions about what they may find during the investigation. Students tease out skull and bones and try to make a complete...

Students become familiar with the temperate rainforest.  In this forest ecosystem lesson, students identify the producers, consumers and decomposers in the forest ecosystem.  Students sort cards and identify the trophic level...

Students examine the needs of trees and plants. In this forest ecosystem lesson students use seedlings to investigate the basic necessities of plants. They discuss the consequences of these basic needs not being met.

Using a dichotomous key, pupils identify characteristics of fish who live in the Great Lakes and explain how these features help them survive. In small groups, class members discover what features scientists consider important and...

Students use a simple method to collect living microorganisms from natural and/or artificial environments and develop skills in microscopy, observation, drawing, speculation, hypothesizing, oral presentation, and raising questions.

Students develop their own techniques for drawing a small sample of solutions into a straw. They hypothesize ways to increase the density of water, and discuss how salt-free rainwater tends to float on top of salty seawater.

Students read background information about Monterey Bay, California, and conduct related experiments. In this ocean in motion lesson, students read information about the location, wildlife, and characteristics of Monterey Bay. They...

Plankton: so much more than just a SpongeBob character. Three different activities have kids looking at both phytoplankton and zooplankton in pictures, as well as collecting their own samples (depending on your access to a saltwater...

Alphabet insects! Who has ever heard of such a thing? Get ready because your class is going to research insects that start with a specific letter of the alphabet. In small groups, they'll use the Internet and reference texts to locate...

Introduce your class to various reptiles and amphibians. They will meet and identify a representative from each of the four major reptile families, then learn about and discuss reptile characteristics. Next, they will identify and...

Students demonstrate effects of waste on environment and ways of reducing it, observe how much packaging goes into bag lunches each day, and survey their families to assess awareness levels and household recycling practices. Lessons all...

Young scholars investigate Earth and its resources. In this Earth, space, and nature lesson plan, students collaborate to design presentations on the Earth, its cycles, and how humans have impacted the planet. Images, diagrams, and...

What a terrific lesson! Learners discuss the animal kingdom, and classify them as vertebrates and invertebrates. They also identify them as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. There is even a taxonomic breakdown of popular...