Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Human Impacts on Biodiversity
Have you always wanted to take your science class on an amazing field trip they will never forget? Now you can! Observe the wildlife in an African savanna through trail cameras with a five-part data analysis activity. Learners analyze...
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Adventures in Earth Day: Why Do We Care About Our Environment? - Biology Teaching Thesis
Students are introduced to Earth Day and the importance of this day. They make a collage, students can use articles, pictures, words, etc., in magazines or newspapers or online, that relate to Earth Day, the environment and environmental...
NOAA
Stressed Out!
Are our oceans really suffering due to the choices humans make? The sixth and final installment in the volume of activities challenges research groups to tackle one of six major topics that impact ocean health. After getting to the...
NASA
Space Station Research Explorer
Take a trip into outer space from the safety of your classroom. A great addition to the digital library of any science teacher, this reference offers a behind-the-scenes look at the research going at the International Space Station.
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Energy in a Clean Environment
Students examine the efficiency of each alternative energy source as well as what limitations exist in terms of extracting the usable energy. They determine which energy source is most effective to the economy and the environment in the...
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The Environment and Interactions of Living Organisms
Students study the environment and interactions of living organisms. They identify abiotic and biotic factors and create a foldable and vocabulary cards. They create a poster illustrating soil and watch a video to study symbiosis.
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Inquiry in Science Using an Animal Behavior Model
Young scholars observe a planaria without a microscope and with a stereoscopic microscope. They draw the planaria and describe its motion and eating habits. Students research planarias various body systems and behavior. They design an...
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Air, Air Everywhere! Lesson 2: Acid Rain
Middle school environmentalists record the pH of four different liquids, including two aerosol cleaning products. They liken the products to acid rain and speculate in writing which might affect the human respiratory system. Although...
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Using Abiotic and Biotic Parameters to Monitor Air Quality
Students identify the abiotic factors that influence a river or stream and the organisms that live in it. They measure several abiotic and biotic parameters to gauge water quality. Students examine the biotic environment by identifying...
National Academy of Sciences
Global Warming: Facts and Our Future
According to the United Nations, climate change affects every country on the planet. This research project encourages scholars to explore the factors that affect climate change from different perspectives: climate scientist, policy...
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Hawaiian Bird Beak Adaptation
Young scholars explore adaptation by participating in a lab activity. In this bird characteristics lesson, students discuss the different purposes birds have for their beaks and conduct an experiment testing which beaks collect food...
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Bugging Out
Students explore how insects behave in their natural habitats and build dioramas to create an Insect World in their classroom. They investigate various insects and the roles they play in the environment. They write creative short...
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Salt Marshes And Their Inhabitants
Students investigate the ecosystem of the salt marshes. This is done in order to develop an appreciation for this type of environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students are given samples of different organisms...
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Burning Up! A Look at Global Warming
Students investigate global warming. In this global warming lesson, students watch movies about global warming, discuss problems in their local community and see how communities have changed over time. Students realize the importance of...
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Investigative Case - Living in an Alkaline Environment
Students are shown many ways in which Mono Lake water and distilled water are different. They demonstrate that the survival of common soil bacteria declines as pH increases. Students examine the behaviors, adaptations, energy transfer,...
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An Introduction to the Marine Environment and Geology of City Point: A Model for Experiential Teaching
Students begin the lesson plan by researching the history of City Point, Connecticut. Using a map, they color areas they were asked to find and discuss why the areas are important to the community. As a class, they are shown recent...
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Succession in the Classroom
Students investigate their environment by growing plants in class. In this botany instructional activity, students discuss the lifespan of plants and animals and how they must be cared for continuously over time. Students grow a plant...
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Spineless - YES... Helpless - NO!
Young scholars distinguish between invertebrate and vertebrate organisms while examining the zoological classes of a number of invertebrates. They illustrate a food web of these organisms and investigate the impact of humans on the...
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What's in Our Woods?
Students observe their local forest and document the change that occurs over the school year. For this forestry lesson, students utilize a GPS to mark a certain area of the woods as their study area for the remainder of the year....
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Mining for Natural Resources
Students discover that mining for nonrenewable natural resources has a dramatic effect on our environment. They gain an understanding of the processes involved in harvesting a natural resource and the impact it has on the earth.
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Harvesting Energy from Food: How do Plants Help Humans?
Beginning botanists view slides of plant vascular tissue. They watch Magic School Bus Gets Planted, which you can find online, and then write a summary of what they have learned about plants. This lesson could be used with upper...
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Where in the World? Biomes of the Earth
Students research a biome. In this biomes of the Earth lesson, students discuss what they already know about ecology and view pictures of different biomes. Students work in groups to research a different biome. Students use the...
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BEETLES: The Coming Out
Students design an experiment to test the variables involved in the hatching of the Bruchid beetle.
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What Are the Layers of the Rain Forest?
Young scholars investigate the different levels of the rain forest by comparing it to an apartment. In this ecology lesson, students practice using forest related vocabulary words and complete a vocabulary data sheet. Young scholars...