National Wildlife Federation
The Tide is High, but I’m Holding On… Using ICESat Data to Investigate Sea Level Rise
Based on the rate of melting observed from 2003-2007 in Greenland, it would take less than 10 minutes to fill the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium. The 17th lesson in a series of 21 has scholars use the ICESat data to understand the ice mass...
Curated OER
Where's the Water? Stream Side Science
After a whole-class discussion of water reservoirs, ten liters of water are given to each lab group to represent Earth's total amount of water. They divide the water into smaller containers, each representing one of those reservoirs. The...
Curated OER
Building A Solar Still
Students investigate the water cycle by viewing an online video. In this drinking water lesson, students create solar stills at their campus in order to purify water that is tainted. Students view a video on their computers...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Impacts of Climate Change
Scholars become experts on the eight major impacts of climate change through a jigsaw and grand conversation. They then research and present what they learned about effects specific to their region.
Curated OER
Those Who Have Come Before Me
Class members are transformed into explorers as they work in groups to locate hidden items and map their journey along the way. They then leave clues for other groups of students to follow, and ultimately discover how past explorations...
Messenger Education
Exploring Exploring
The reason people first began trading was because of their desires for objects other societies possessed. In the activity, classes discuss why exploration has been a common thread in all societies and where these desires have taken...
Curated OER
Building for the Big One
Students build and test structures that can best withstand earthquakes. They create their structures from playdough, cornstarch, grape-nuts and popsicle sticks and place their structures on a "shake table."
NOAA
Ocean Zones
How can organisms light up in water? Bioluminescence is light produced in a chemical reaction that can occur in an organism's body. First, learners determine what happens to light/color as you move into the deep ocean. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Plankton in the Air
Here is a lab activity adequate for use with any full lesson on environmental factors that shape animal adaptations or marine animal characteristics. Pupils will discuss the role plankton plays in the environment and filter-feeding...
Curated OER
Regions of the US: Gulf Stream, States and Their Capitals
Fifth graders identify one way of dividing the US into geographical regions and then consider alternate ways of doing the same. They locate each of the fifty states and their capitals on a map. They research the Gulf Stream region.
Curated OER
SIRS Discoverer - Narrowing a Search
Students discover how to obtain precise information during an internet search. They work in pairs to develop skills in using SIRS Discoverer to find an article on a specific topic. They evaluate the article on relevance to the topic...
Curated OER
Early Exploration of North America
Third graders "travel" from Europe to North America as Columbus did. They organize the information into chronoglogical order.
Curated OER
El Nino Lesson
Young scholars compare graphs of weather occurrences. In this environmental lesson plan, students will being using the website to gather weather related information for a certain time period. The young scholars will then graph the data...
Curated OER
Earth Systems
Ninth graders investigate biological systems. They summarize relationships between systems. Students determine how systems relate within the biosphere. They analyze the carbon cycle.
Curated OER
Where Am I, and How Do I Get Where I am Going?
Students describe geographical places through art, music, writing, and math. They compile information in booklets which may be published.
Curated OER
Aquatic Exotics
Young scholars identify and describe the aquatic exotic species found in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the species origins and discover their effects on native species in the area. They discuss how appropriate it is to...
Curated OER
Follow a Fish
Students choose a fish from anywhere within the Ocean Center. They observe it for a given time, recording its behavior. Students comprehend the concept that living things have individual characteristics that enable them to live in their...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics & Land Forms
Fourth graders discuss the different interactions of plates and the ways mountains are created. In this plate tectonics lesson plan students complete an activity in groups.
Curated OER
Mapping the Middle East
Students examine how the countries of the Middle East were created. They explore the influence of various political and geographic factors in their creation. They list the things they should consider in deciding how to draw new borders...
Curated OER
Meet the Corals
Students investigate the types of coral. For this oceanography lesson, students access the Fisheye View Cam Website and create their own coral garden by using various art supplies.
Curated OER
Seaworthy Presentations
First graders research ocean animals and plants on the web. In this ocean habitat lesson, 1st graders prepare a multimedia presentation. Students will work on their presentations in pairs and every group should have its own...
Curated OER
Early Explorers
Fifth graders investigate the routes taken by the early explorers. For this explorers lesson, 5th graders use interactive notebooks, discussion and maps to discover the routes taken. Students get into pairs and label maps, and create...
Curated OER
Sea Ice: Unscrambling the Egg Code
Students determine sea ice thickness, concentration, and floe size by reading egg codes. In this sea ice conditions lesson, students color code a map based on prescribed criteria and use the maps to identify changes in sea ice...
Curated OER
Life Underground
First graders build a terrarium in order to observe animal and plant life dynamics. In this biology lesson, 1st graders compare how organisms survive in different environments. They write their observations and analysis in their journal.