Curated OER
Should Soil Be Sterile?
Students determine if the sterilization of topsoil is beneficial to seed germination and plant growth. They grow plants alongside control groups, make and record observations of plant growth and measure plant biomass.
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Soil Permeability
Students discuss how soil permeability is affected by permafrost. In this soil lesson plan, students freeze soil over night, and discuss how the environmental conditions of freezing affect soil and further affect vegetation.
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Digging up the Dirt on Soil Microbes
Students are introduced to the idea of soil as a habitat for many different organisms. They are introduced to the links between the biological adaptations of an organism and the physical demands of its habitat. Pupils are introduced to...
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Soil pH Effect on Germination of Specific Weeds
Learners collect weed seeds from three varieties of weeds (knapweed, thistle, or toadflax, for example they may choose others in addition to the spotted knapweed.) They sterilize soil for thirty containers, plant seeds in sterile soil,...
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Dirt Life
Young scholars select and collect soil samples from a variety of locations (schoolyard, home, etc.). They do this lab after an interest-generating discussion about "dirt" and microbes. Students make a dilution in sterile water, plate...
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Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Learners conduct an experiment to demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down society's wastes exist in nature among the decomposers in a compost pile. They culture compost bacteria on starch agar to examine the...
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Plant Parts
Ninth graders identify plant parts by using different classification methods. For this plant lesson students observe and draw different types of leaves then classify them according to species.
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Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Students demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down--and therefore clean up-society's wastes already exist in nature among the decomposers. They select the best starch-munching organisms by altering the environment...
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Science: Conditions for Slime Mold Survival
Students perform experiments to determine the nutritional needs and physical space requirements for slime mold to survive. After formulating hypotheses, they seal the petri dishes and set up the experiment along with two controls. ...
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Dirty Worms
Young scholars examine the functions of earthworms and their effect on soil. They conduct an earthworm dissection lab, and complete a checklist.
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Bacteria
Students study the advantages and disadvantages of bacteria. In this bacteria lesson students draw and label the different types of bacteria.
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Seed Socks
Young scholars explore how seeds travel. In this seed disbursement lesson, students head outside in their bare socks. Young scholars walk around then before going inside they take the socks off and examine what their socks picked up. As...
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Causal Patterns in Ecosystems Section 3
Students design and create a worm and worm free compost tanks for observation of decay in ecosystems. They make predictions, care, and revist tanks using their journals for observation and data collection.
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Weedy Socks & Wheels
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of using socks in order to collect weed seeds. They conduct research in order to illustrate the ease of how weeds are spread from one area to another. Students conduct the...
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Settling The Wasterwater Problem
Students name models that are representations of larger objects. They suggest ways that industry, agriculture, and mining affect water quality. Pupils demonstrate the use of lagoons for treating wastewater. Students define the...
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Elegant Embryology
Students observe embryogenesis in action through early stages of development of eggs. They observe cultures with dissecting and compound microscopes. They draw their egg, record any details and observe for changes. They compare their...
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Spud Smear
Students study various samples of microorganisms in petri dishes. For this microorganism lesson, students place various samples of items in petri dishes and observe them after several days of incubation.