Take a deep dive into Oregon's ecosystems, plants, and changes from the past to the future. Many hands-on activities in an environmental science unit delight scholars, including creating a field guide for a local park. The in-depth study...

You have just hit the lesson plan jackpot! This isn't just a instructional activity, it's a ten-day unit covering westward expansion, pioneer life, and the Oregon Trail. Activities include baking, model building, role-play, newspaper...

In 2003, there was an unprecedented decline in the population of Blue Mud Shrimp up in Oregon. This presentation gives many of the facts, and theories that were developed as to why the population took such a dive. Excellent photographs...

Students map data on employment in wood products manufacturing in Oregon counties. In this Oregon forest lesson, students discover the percentage of people employed in the forest manufacturing industry. Students create a box and whisker...

Students brainstorm list of possible highest locations in Oregon, identify and label places from list on map using color code, and discuss and identify causes of a rain shadow.

Students identify geographical features of different regions encountered by migrants on the Oregon trail. Students research how the Oregon landscape may have affected life and 19th century westward migration. Students write a narrative...

Students use data to determine if the climate in Portland has changed over the years.  In this weather lesson students complete line graphs and study long wave radiation. 

You've heard of "wildfire season," but what types of weather and conditions lead to increased wildfires? Young firefighters learn about common sources of wildfires, safe ways to clear debris near their homes, and the most effective ways...

Students explore prairie life. In this Oregon Trail instructional activity, students read literature regarding the move west and participate in cross-curricular activities. Students should take digital photographs of the participation in...

Explore Earth and her amazing layers with this lesson on planetary change. Students will research the ways in which Earth's layers cause change. They will complete a "Tectonic Puzzle" and use a worksheet to answer questions about Earth's...

Identify natural resources in the world and how they translate into economic development. In this global economy lesson plan, your class will utilize the Internet to view an Oregon Time Web which they research to examine the history of...

Students create a three column chart about working with wildlife and how different organizations help sea turtles. In this sea turtles lesson plan, students compare the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the Coast Guard, and Sea World and what they...

Students engage in a lesson to find the purpose for the forests of Oregon. The role of the forest is researched according to different geographic perspectives. The information is portrayed in graphs and presented by group members to...

Why do so many mountain ranges exist next to a desert? As part of a larger series, PBS 6-8 Weather and Climate answers this question. The presentation offers diagrams and photographs of the development of a rain shadow. From Oregon to...

Campfires are not the only way that forest fires start. In a worksheet and word matching activity, young campers learn about common fuel and heat sources that, when combined, can be the spark to a dangerous and harmful forest fire.

Students study the function and biological value of eelgrass beds. They discover the habitat requirements of the beds by reading a hand-out and completing a worksheet.

Students explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the lesson as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are linked to the topic.

In this coastal geology worksheet, students use Google Earth to locate the Oregon coastline. Students then complete 6 short answer questions based on coastal geology.

Scholars investigate levels of nitrogen dioxide in the Pacific Northwest by examining the role of nitrogen in air pollution and how remote sensing can be used to measure nitrogen levels. An Excel spreadsheet calculates the difference...

Learners investigate characteristics of Northeast Oregon wildflowers in order to create a database. Students use a drawing template to study the characteristics of wildflowers, and enter these characteristics into the database.

For scholars tired of reading the textbook, this unit includes nine hands-on lessons. Through group work, lab activities, experiments, and even one inquiry-based lesson, scholars apply knowledge about cells, genetics, and...

Middle schoolers will create a children's book on Keiko, the killer whale, that was rehabilitated and returned to the wild after living in an aquarium. In small groups, they conduct internet research to find out the history and current...

Fabulous! Your 5th graders should love this project. As an ongoing lesson throughout the year students use temperature probes to record outside temperature and then document their data using spreadsheets. They use their weather data and...

Through the analysis of paper chromatography to separate ink from the pen found at the crime scene, learners analyze the different stains and through calculations determine the thief.