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Learning the Causes of Extinction
Students are introduced to the five major reasons for extinction. In groups, they read scenarios and divide them into different categories. Using the internet, they identify which reason a certain animal became extinct. To end the...
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First Contact
Sixth graders have an opportunity to enhance their computer skills by using Internet as a resource tool and a vehicle for global interaction with other students.
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Corals & Coral Reefs
Students describe a coral reef, how it is formed and its inhabitants. They explain the ecological and economic importance of coral reefs and discuss its present-day threats. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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What is Cacao?
Students use the Internet to learn about the cacao plant. In this plants instructional activity, students complete a KWL chart on chocolate, learn about cocoa plants and discuss the parts of a plant. Students use the Internet...
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What Do We Learn From Fossils?
Students investigate what a fossil is and how it came to be. In this fossil instructional activity, students examine pictures of skeletons and identify characteristics that can and cannot be determined by a fossil. Students...
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Deserts: How Do You Define One?
Second graders identify what constitutes as a desert by reading a habitat checklist. In this environment lesson, 2nd graders read a nature website to discover facts about the desert and where they are located. Students...
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Building a Butterfly Garden
Students examine the habitat and life cycle of a butterfly. In this early childhood lesson plan, students identify the parts of a butterfly, as well as the stages of the butterfly life cycle. Students also plant a garden in which they...
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Rocky Intertidal Field Trip
Students investigate tides and the land submerged under them. For this intertidal field trip, Students visit the intertidal zone and observe the habitats and animals that live there. Students view the pools under rocks where...
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Descendants on Ice
In this animal worksheet, students use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast a prehistoric creature with an animal living today.
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Arthropods at Home: Spider, Isopod, or any Arthropod
Second graders observe, discuss, and record the requirements of a healthy environment for both arthropods and people by designing and maintaining an artificial habitat for an arthropod, and considering the requirements for a healthy body...
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Koala Bear Exhibit
Students visit the zoo and study the koala bears. In this habitat lesson, students take a field trip to the zoo and examine the habitat of the koala bears. Students watch videos about koalas and consider the needs of the koalas....
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Forces in Action
Young scholars investigate questions centered around force and motion by going through the scientific process and creating fair tests and experimentation. In this lesson about forces-in-action, students diagram their findings and explore...
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Friction
Students compare and contrast the movement of objects on different surfaces, experimenting with friction and forces of motion. This friction instructional activity has numerous online tools including worksheets and virtual activities;...
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The Lake Trip
In this pollution and animals worksheet, students read and discuss a short story on one families trip to a lake and their encounters with pollution and Eastern Blackbirds. Students then answer 6 short answer questions referring back to...
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For The Birds
Student make bird feeders and describe feeding behaviors. In this bird feeder lesson plan, students construct simple bird feeders. They then put them outside and observe the feeding behaviors of birds. Then they graph the number of birds...
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Designing an Underwater Habitat for Humans
Students consider the limitations of deep water oceanography and design an underwater habitat to support scientists while they complete long term studies under the ocean. In this engineering instructional activity, students are...
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Animals of Point Reyes
Seventh graders explore how disasters affect animals. For this animal habitats lesson students create an animal that will survive in Point Reyes habitats.
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Exploring Habitats
Students analyze the difference between the human habitat and the different habitats of animals in the six lessons of this unit. The students' imaginations and literature are used to explore important aspects of the living environments...
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Bringing Illinois into the Curriculum
Students of all ages are introduced to the geography of Illinois. Depending on the grade level, they participate in different activities which allow them to discover Illinois in the past and present. They examine the animals and...
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Sow Bug Habitats
Students conduct an experiment to determine what type of environment sow bugs prefer. They use petri dishes with partially wet paper towels to assess whether they prefer wet or dry habitats.
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Dive and Discover the Ocean
Third graders investigate the three zones of the ocean and the plants and animals that live in each zone. Projects produced are shared with classmates in a share circle where the unique features of the animal and zone selected are...
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Science: Why Animals Hibernate
Second graders investigate the reasons animals hibernate. They measure their own heart rates and compare them to those of a hibernating bear. In their journals, 2nd graders record facts about and characteristics of hibernation and...
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It's not just pretty - it's a survival method!
First graders write explanations for why certain animals can only live in certain environments. In this animal survival lesson plan, 1st graders take pictures of animals and place them into the right environment after a lesson on the...
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Animal Characteristics
Students investigate the characteristics of animals by creating a chart. In this animal life lesson, students create a KWL chart listing all the different animals a class can name. Students take a field trip to a science facility to get...