Curated OER
Phytoplankton in the Gulf of Maine
Students use satellite data to see the correlation between sea temperature and sunlight in the Gulf of Maine.  In this phytoplankton instructional activity students use Excel to analyze data. 
NOAA
A Laboratory Simulation of Ocean Surface Currents
Stimulate interest in ocean currents with a simulation. The first installment of a five-part middle school series teaches future oceanographers about the forces that interact to cause ocean currents. A simulation shows how wind and...
Curated OER
Wetland Metaphors
Students describe the characteristics of wetlands and identify their ecological functions. They inspect items and use them to create metaphors about wetlands.
Curated OER
Cloud Reading
Middle schoolers identify the biomes of the Earth and their characteristics. They discuss their favorite seasons and the weather. They share their favorites with the class.
Poetry Class
Tackling Climate Change
Get your kids thinking about climate change with a series of activities that include creating a ditty box poem for the planet, a poem that identifies concepts or objects they would want to preserve.
Curated OER
Natural Selection
Kids act as scientists and preditors in this short natural selection activity; they collect and analyze data, then apply their new knowledge to real-world examples of natural selection. The layout of the worksheet is easy enough to use...
Curated OER
Aquaculture Production in the Classroom
High schoolers study the basics of aquaculture and how to successfully raise aquatic plants and animals.  In this water lesson plan students perform water quality tests on fish tanks, record and graph their results. 
Curated OER
Water Quality and Temperature
Young scholars are led through three activities to explore the effect of temperature fluctuations on the growth and survival of aquatic plants, clams, and shrimp eggs.
Curated OER
Math and Science in a Wetland
Learners describe safe practice when doing field and lab investigations in a estuary or wetland. They create a model of an estuary and describe their value and function. They participate in field study in which they collect and analyze...
Curated OER
Pond Water Web
Students identify the different organisms in the food web. In this biology lesson, students create food chains using the information on cards. They explain what happens if an organism is removed or added in the web.
Curated OER
Wastewater
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...
Curated OER
Life Cycles
Using computers, Students work in small groups and progress through the roles of Explorer, Researcher, Designer, and Evaluator as they study the life cycle of plants, insects, butterflies and frogs.
Curated OER
Mini-Ecosystems
Third graders identify the living and non living things in a book read aloud and discuss the interactions represented in the book.  Then, they research and include a list of food that each animal needs in an ecosystem.  Finally, 3rd...
Curated OER
Sea Scape
Students learn about and make models of coral reefs. In this reef ecosystem lesson, the class locates a number of coral reefs on a map. They learn how a coral reef is a balanced ecosystem that depends upon all of it's plant and animal...
Curated OER
A River Ran Through It
Students research how water is used to generate electricity.  They investigate water's potential-to-kinetic energy transfer in hands-on activities about falling water and waterwheels.  They take measurements, calculate averages and graph...
Curated OER
Learning From Leaves: Adaptations To Differing Light Levels
Pupils, in groups, examine plants with different light levels. They are given plants from a tropical and desert region. They write a hypothesis at the beginning of the experiment.
Curated OER
Plant Reproduction
Learners investigate seeds and plant life by creating a germination chamber.  In this botany lesson, students investigate the relationship between flowers and the fruit they produce while examining the structure of the flower. ...
Curated OER
"Julie of the Wolves"
Fifth graders research life in Alaska and compare life there to their lives in this lesson.  They read "Julie of the Wolves."  They research through the novel and other reference books facts about the Alaskan climate and geography.  They...
Curated OER
Martha Who?
Learners explore how the number and types of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and on abiotic factors, such as quantities of light and water, a range of temperatures, soil composition. They are...
Curated OER
Changing Weather: Comparing Climate from Voyageur Times to Today
Fifth graders compare climates. In this weather lesson, 5th graders observe and record weather observations and discuss the impact of weather on people. Students also discuss the concept of global warming and determine how weather...
Curated OER
What Are We?
Students describe different types of water pollutants. They complete experiments in which they observe the affects of water pollution on algae. They also brainstorm and list three causes of each water pollutant.
Curated OER
Introduction To Floral Morphology
Students create a model of the four basic whorls of flowers using a water bottle, construction paper and Q-tips.  They then examine fresh flower specimens to see how the basic structure can vary in different species of flowering plants.
Curated OER
Winer Survival
Students study how animals need water, food, shelter, and space to survive. They also study what animals need to survive in the winter. They play the part of animals and winter "threats" in a game of tag to reinforce concepts.
Curated OER
Changing State
Pupils identify the changing states of water, water vapor and ice in the water cycle They investigate how each of these stages can be reversible. Students complete a worksheet describing the water cycle.