Curated OER
Mini-Ecosystems
Students use plastic bottles to create terrariums and plant Venus Flytraps. They observe the plants and the terrariums for illustrations of the water cycle and species' adaptations to a specific environment.
Curated OER
Autumn
Students examine the cycle of nutrients in a forest. They research the concepts of decomposing and recycling within a forest.
Curated OER
Demonstrating That Light is Dissipated as Chlorophyll a Fluoresces
Young scholars examine the concepts of light and chlorophyll. They participate in an experiment in which the chlorophyll shows as a red ring on the test tube. They answer discussion questions to end the lesson plan.
Curated OER
Using A Winogradsky Column to Analyze Microbial Communities
Young scholars use easily obtained materials to study ecological succession in a microbiological community. They collect water samples from outdoor sources in plastic bottles to observe and record changes.
Curated OER
Plants Under Attack
Third graders will identify the four needs for plant survival and gain skills and confidence in using scientific measurement tools, probes as well as the spreadsheets and graphing capacity of a computer to represent and analyze data.They...
Curated OER
Carbon Dioxide: The Heat is On
Students examine the greenhouse gases affecting the atmosphere. In groups, they participate in activities in which they examine the effects of heat on the atmosphere and phytoplankton. They research how the phytoplankton differ in warm...
Curated OER
Life In Extreme Environments
Students work together to design and participate in experiments to determine the rate rotifers eat. After completing their experiments, they record and analyze their data and identify any challenges faced during the procedure. They...
Curated OER
Planting the Seed
Middle schoolers plant their seeds and collect and organize their own materials for planting. They also set up their planters with wicks, fertilizer, potting mix, and seeds. Finally, students write their names on planter markers with a...
Curated OER
Thinning and Transplanting
Students identify and observe one plant per section in their quad and to transplant the surplus seedlings to empty quads and interpret why this is important. They then discuss the purpose of thinning and transplanting. Finally, students...
Curated OER
Observing the Growth Spurt
Pupils notice a growth spurt in their Brassica plants and closely monitor this growth by measuring their plants and predicting the next day's growth based on the pattern of their data. They also read and highlight the objectives in each...
Curated OER
Plant and Animal Cells - Are they Different?
Young scholars observe the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells. In this cell activity, students use microscopes to observe self prepared slides of animal and plant cells.
Curated OER
What's Special About Nonfiction?
Students examine the difference between nonfiction and fictional writing. They identify the characteristics of nonfiction literature and examine how a nonfiction textbook organizes information.
Curated OER
Prairie In A Bottle
Second graders observe images of prairie ecosystems and discuss the needs of living things. They create a prairie habitat in a closed jar to observe the water cycle and plant growth.
Curated OER
Prairie Math
Students work together to build models of prairie plants. Using the model, they estimate the height and then measure them using metric and standard units. They write a fraction to represent their part of the whole set and compare and...
Curated OER
Biogeochemical Cycles
Students research an assigned biogeochemical cycle. For this cycle activity, students need to determine that all cycles need energy to continue. The students will look at a given cycle to describe it, research and draw an assigned cycle,...
Curated OER
Here Comes the Sun
Third graders watch a video on the solar system and examine the role of the sun. As a class, they complete a KWL chart and make different color temperature pockets to use during their experiment. In groups, they make predictions about...