Lesson Plan
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Carrying Capacity of Ecosystems

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Young scholars define population and carrying. For this algebra lesson, students explore exponential growth and decay based on animals and things that grow or decrease exponentially. They graph their findings and discuss their results as...
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Seashell Homes

For Teachers K - 4th
Pupils listen to a story about seashells. They discuss shelled animals. Learners describe the function of seashell. Pupils relate the function of a seashell to their own dwelling. They differentiate between shelled animals that make...
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A Wild Chain Reaction

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore habitats. In this habitat  lesson, students break into groups and are labeled as a part of a habitat. Students then do an activity with yarn that shows how all of the parts are connected and depend on each...
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Make a Refrigerator

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the concept of heat transfer as experienced in wearing winter clothing and analyzing the refrigerator.
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Measuring Exponential Growth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students reinforce math skills while learning about best practices for protection of water quality in the management of animal feeding operations. They make a table to show results of their calculations and compare and justify findings...
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Pesticides

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate the uses of pesticides and the pros and cons of their use. In this pesticides lesson, students observe simulations of the three classes of pesticides and the effects or actions each has. High schoolers answer 3...
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Discover a Pond Food Web

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students study the biodiversity of animal life in a pond. They investigate the interdependence between pond organisms by completing a pond dipping activity and completing a checklist.
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A Model Estuary

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students assemble a poster of an estuary showing the five communities of animals and plants that inhabit the estuary. They research the concept of an estuary and find photographs or diagrams of various estuaries to identify and see the...
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Life Science- Learning About Tadpoles

For Teachers K - 2nd
Learners investigate a frog's life cycle. In this tadpole lesson, students observe tadpoles in an aquarium and record results. Learners fill in a KWL chart as an assessment.
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Mountain Barriers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine geographical change. In this mountain barriers instructional activity, students conduct an experiment to discover how mountains affect surrounding land.  Middle schoolers draw conclusions on how change in...
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Endangered Species

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students watch video clips of endangered animals. They imagine a small garden in front of a house and describe the living and non-living things that could interact to make up a garden eco-system.
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Trout Are Made of Trees Crayon Mural

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students recognize that for a trout habitat to be ideal, several components must be present.  In this trout lesson, students explore what makes a healthy stream.  Students create paintings for a mural of a trout habitat....
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Kids for Conservation: Animal Unit

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars discuss animal needs and characteristics. In this animal mini-unit, students complete three activities studying different animals, their needs, how they have evolved, and how to protect them.
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Beautiful Soil

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners discover what are the components of soil. They examine how it is formed and it's importance. They engage in garden activities and processes. They hold a handful of garden soil and describe what they see. They take a...
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PICTURE PERFECT PYRAMID

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers create a model of the USDA's Food Pyramid Guide, using shoe boxes. They bring an assortment of shoe boxes from home. Students are given a copy of the "Food Guide Pyramid." They wrap boxes for the bread group in white,...
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Introduction to Coral Reefs

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students identify locations of coral reefs, both in the water and around the globe, identify relative depth of corals in the ocean by observing behavior of cold and warm saltwater, and create models of coral reefs.
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WHAT'S ORGANIC?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners explore how certain foods come to be certified "organic." They write the words "organic" and "synthetic" and given the definitions of each. Students are given dictionaries. They are asked: "What is organic food?" Learners grow...
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Lesson 1 - What Are Fossils?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students define and research fossils. In this fossil lesson, students access teacher assigned Internet sites to examine images of fossils. They determine the definition of a fossil and find out how fossils are formed. They also define a...
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Harry Potter Field Day

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students participate in a Harry Potter Field Day. In four groups, with each group representing one of the houses of Hogwarts, they fly brooms around cones, play Quidditch, create "Polyjuice Potion," use their "wands" to play tennis, and...
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What Do We Need In Our Environment To Survive?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Learners discuss and write about waste management to save the environment. In this environment instructional activity, students discuss what an alien coming to Earth would notice about the environmental needs of humans for survival. They...
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Exploring Forest Objects

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young scholars explore the forest. In this ecosystems lesson, students rotate through sensory activity centers, brainstorm, and read about temperate forests.
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DNA Extraction Lab

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students extract DNA and test for its presence from unroasted (raw) wheat germ using a prescribed procedure. They modify the procedure to provide a less expensive, easier method. They also extract DNA from different available plant,...
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Standard 4-Ecosystems

For Teachers 9th - 12th
In this ecosystem worksheet, students answer questions about energy pyramids, food chains, consumers, producers, decomposers, biotic and abiotic factors in an environment, natural selection and the importance of biodiversity in an...
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Birth of the Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine the major events that have taken place in the Earth's development.  In this Earth lesson students view a video and put major events in chronological order.