Curated OER
My Little Seed House
Second graders explore plant life by participating in a germination activity. In this botany lesson, 2nd graders read several books about seed germination including Sunflower House and Tiny Seed. Students identify the necessary elements...
Curated OER
The Discovery of Photosynthesis
Students explore how scientists discover photosynthesis. For this biology lesson, students identify the basic requirements for photosynthesis to happen. They recreate past scientists' experiments and record their observations.
Curated OER
Sedimentary Rocks
Fourth graders discuss the basic properties of rocks, the processes
involved in the formation of soils, and the needs of plants provided by soil. They write descriptions in their Science journal and identify and discuss each type of...
Curated OER
Classifying Living and Non-Living Objects
Students investigate living organisms and define the properties of a living species. In this life characteristic lesson, students examine plants in their class and discuss whether or not they are alive. Students create a living vs....
Curated OER
Learning From Leaves: From Observation to Inference
Young scholars examine the adaptation of plants to their environments. They analyze and observe the structure, shape, and internal structure of various leaves, and make inferences about the structures.
Curated OER
How a Seed Grows: And Who Grows It
Second graders explore botany by viewing video clips in class. In this seed growth lesson, 2nd graders identify the types of seeds that grow specific plants and what the optimal conditions are for growing seeds. Students view a video...
Curated OER
Wegener and Plate Tectonics: A Hands-On Lesson
Learners are introduced to and experiment with the basic concepts of plate tectonic theory as well as assess the history of the theory of plate tectonics. They explain and illustrate the basic concepts through diagrams and models of...
Curated OER
S-O-I-L Soil
Fifth graders research soil, its nutrients, and plant growth. In this soil lesson, 5th graders create soil journals, trace flowers, and include nutrient information on each petal. Students read an excerpt from "McBroom Tells the Truth."...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Animal Classes and Their Ecosystems
Students explore animal characteristics by participating in an environment identification activity. In this animal habitat lesson, students discuss a range of different wild life and the ecosystems that they are a part of. Students view...
Curated OER
Strawberry DNA extraction
Students study the basic function of DNA and then extract it from strawberries. For this DNA extraction lesson students examine DNA and see why the extraction of it is so important to scientists.
Curated OER
Habitat Preservation Project
Students demonstrate what happens when nature takes back land after humans have managed it. They find an area in the schoolyard, and mark it off with a boundary. Students build a simple fence with string and stakes. They put up a sign...
Curated OER
Learning From Leaves: Adaptation Scavenger Hunt
Students participate in an adaptation scavenger hunt at. They obtain various plant specimens, and sort the plants based on whether they came from a desert, tropical rainforest, or wetlands.
Curated OER
Plant Growth
First graders investigate how seeds are moved and how plants grow. In this plant growth instructional activity, 1st graders listen to stories, play a game, and view a PowerPoint about plant growth. Students examine various seeds and...
Curated OER
Look at Those Seeds Grow!
Students explore plant science by participating in a botany activity. In this seed growth lesson, students identify the necessary elements to ensure a plant grows well and prepare seeds for planting. Students plant their soaked seeds in...
Curated OER
Beyond the Tap
Students explain the basic properties of a watershed including how water flows from higher to lower elevations and how watersheds are interconnected. They comprehend how the placement of buildings, roads, and parking lots can be...
Serendip
A Scientific Investigation – What Types of Food Contain Starch and Protein?
You are what you eat, as they say! Are you more starch or more protein? Young scholars use their knowledge of each component to test different foods for their content. Using multiple indicators, individuals describe the protein and...
Curated OER
Where is Shirley the Elephant?
Young animal lovers engage in a lesson that's all about elephants. They access an elephant sanctuary website and read a story about Shirley the elephant. They perform a series of activities based upon that story, and also study about the...
Curated OER
Monarch Migration
Third graders investigate the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly. They experiment with various tools to simulate the mouth parts of insects, conduct research, record their observations of butterflies hatching, write a play, complete...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of the Mealworm
Fourth graders provide a habitat for live mealworms and observe their life cycle. In this animal life cycle and scientific inquiry lesson, 4th graders create a habitat for a live mealworm and observe and record related data as it grows....
Curated OER
Coloring Fabrics With Dyes from Plant Materials K-12 Experiments & Background Information
Students investigate the effects of acid and bases on dyes made with plant materials. In this chromatography lesson students predict color outcomes and complete a lab activity on color combinations.
Curated OER
Bioinvasion
Young scholars examine the role of organisms when they eliminate the native species of an area. They review cooperative and competitive relationships within an ecosystem.
Curated OER
Evolution
Explore the concept of evolution and cell biology; your class can work in groups to use the internet to view websites on evolution, take a quiz, and complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
Clay Hill Animal Sampling
Students create animal print casts from molds in the classroom. They use the cast patterns to identify animal prints on a field trip in which they locate animal tracks, identify the location with GPS and create field casts of the...
Curated OER
Learning From Leaves: A Look at Leaf Size
Students measure and analyze leaves from various environments. They discuss the environments, and make inferences about environmental variables that could have contributed to the differences in leaf size and texture.