Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Terrariums: A Look at the Living and Nonliving World

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine life in a terrarium and relate it to life in a larger environment. In this terrarium lesson, 3rd graders examine how living and non-living things work together by examining the changes in a terrarium. They make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life Science Observations: Living vs. Non Living Things

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students investigate the difference between living and non-living things.  In this life science lesson, students discover the different characteristics of living things and the natural or human created non-living things....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living and Nonliving Things

For Teachers 1st
First graders distinguish between living and nonliving objects, and compare living organisms and nonliving objects.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Secrets to Healthy Soil

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore needed mineral nutrients for healthy soil. In this soil lesson, 4th graders investigate how living and nonliving elements combine to contribute to fertile soil development.
Lesson Plan
Pennsylvania Department of Education

Animal Classes and Their Ecosystems

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars 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. Young...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigate Science Using Crayfish

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scientists discover the importance of scientific investigation by observing live crayfish. They carefully observe the patterns of crayfish in different environments. Then they discuss their conclusions and define what all living...
Lesson Plan
Alliance Theater

The Jungle Book Post-Show STEAM Lesson

For Teachers 4th - 8th
An ecosystem is really just the flow of energy through many different living organisms. A study of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book leads to an environmental science activity in which learners study how various factors can affect...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life Systems- Zoo Central

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate the various aspects associated with living things while also concentrating on their basic needs. They explore the aspects of movement and growth in plants and animals. This is done through research and other...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interactions Everywhere!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine interactions within the environment and environmental engineering careers. They discuss and view photos of natural and manmade environments, explore various websites, create a web to identify interactions between living...
Unit Plan
Columbus City Schools

What is in that?

For Teachers 6th Standards
Invite your class to dig in to an engaging journey into the world of mining! Here you'll find the tools to equip young miners with knowledge of soil, rocks, and minerals, as well as types of mining operations. To round things out, the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scavenging the Sandy Shore

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students explore oceanography by examining a beach. For this living things lesson, students define the terms abiotic and biotic and practice identifying living and non-living things that have been previously found on a beach. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating Nonviolence: A Theatre of the Oppressed Approach to Things Fall Apart

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders analyze Ahimsa and complete activities for nonviolence. In this nonviolence lesson plan, 11th graders define violence and relate it to their lives. Students adapt prose into a dialogue to act out and analyze the violence...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Living Environment

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars explore the cycles of an ecosystem.  In this environmental science lesson, students work in groups to research the nitrogen cycle, the water cycle, or the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle. Young scholars prepare a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify renewable vs. non-renewable resources and comprehend why conservation of resources is important. They are asked what they think the words natural and resource mean. Pupils then put the words together to define...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living in the Community

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the differences between the four sectors of business. In this nonprofit business lesson, students give examples of needs met by businesses and the importance of the community nonprofit sector.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biodiversity

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Pupils complete activities to study the importance of biodiversity. In this biodiversity lesson, students find images to categorize into organism groups and illustrate their interconnections. Pupils use measurement tools to study a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Life?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners investigate living and non-living organisms/objects foudn around the school in this technology-based science lesson. Adjustments to the lesson can be made based upon technological limitations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plan, Do, Review...What's Bugging You?

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Learners explore insects through literacy, In this literacy lesson plan, students discover the characteristics of ladybugs and gain information from the text, "The Grouchy Ladybug". Learners go on a "bug hunt".
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Under The Sea

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders study how a tsunami is formed by underwater events such as earthquakes, volcanoes or landslides. They discuss what they knew about living and non-living things in the ocean.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Needs of Living Things

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students investigate the global food chain by creating a visual chart.  For this ecology lesson, students discover the elements needed for life to sustain itself, contrasting living things vs. non living things.  Students fill...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes a Dog a Dog

For Teachers 1st
First graders recall and verbally list the parts of a dog, or a chosen subject, based on observations using the senses. They discriminate between living and non-living subjects, and create artistic representations of the parts of a dog.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mysterious Plant Caper

For Teachers K - 1st
Students investigate the basic parts of plant and that plants are living things which require water, air, light and nutrients for survival. They do this through a series of scientific experiements and multi-curricular hands-on activities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insects A-Z!

For Teachers 4th - 5th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wastewater

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss what happens to their wastewater. They read about the wastewater treatment process. Students are asked what types of things get flushed down toilets or goes down drains in sinks and showers. They are taught what happens...