Curated OER
Creepy Crawlies
Second graders study the world of insects. They join Greenpatch Kids, an organization of young people who are interested in nature and want to protect our environment. In addition, the students assess use of technology as a valuable...
Curated OER
Inviting Butterflies to the Schoolyard
Pupils create a butterfly garden. In this butterfly garden instructional activity, students plot a garden with plant species that will attract butterflies. Pupils learn about the specific plants and items that will help butterflies use...
Curated OER
Who Am I?
Fourth graders identify and classify insects while working with a live insect. They collect an insect to study.
Curated OER
Forest Fires
Students discuss the benefits and problems associated with fire. They discuss the role that fire plays in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Students brainstorm ways that fire can be harmful, such as damaging homes, communities, and...
Curated OER
Monarch Migration
Third graders investigate the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly. They experiment with various tools to simulate the mouth parts of insects, conduct research, record their observations of butterflies hatching, write a play, complete...
Curated OER
Be A Bug Scout
Students perform outside activities to determine the amount of insects, flowers, or common weeds within an area. They predict the number of insects they will find within their square area. Using calculators, students organize the data...
Curated OER
What's Bugging You?
Students examine the effects of pests on other organisms, crops, and the environment. they construct an insect observation chamber and discover how some insects can be pests in some situations and beneficial in others. They write "pest...
Curated OER
Natural Gardening
Students study the effect of pesticides on plants and insects. In this gardening lesson, students discuss the importance of insects. They define pesticides, evaluate their effectiveness and the problems they might cause. Students...
Curated OER
Wetland Safari!
Pupils identify how humans, fish, plants, birds, insects and other wildlife benefit from wetland environments. They observe a wetland and its inhabitants, draw a migration map that represents how birds use wetlands in traveling long...
Curated OER
Crickets on the Hearth
Students investigate how crickets behave in cold temperatures. In this life science lesson, students explain the beneficial and harmful effect of pests. They research ways to properly manage them.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Make a Difference!
We are very dependent upon other life forms around us to survive. Here, scholars explore relationships in the ecosystem with the help of Auntie Litter and the pollution patrol. They imagine a world without grass, making connections to...
Captain Planet Foundation
Energy Flow in the Garden
How can you tell what an owl has eaten? Study the food chain and flow of energy in an ecosystem by dissecting an owl pellet and noting the bones found inside. Additionally, the instructional activity includes a game about consumers and...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Pumpkins... Not Just For Halloween
Celebrate fall with four pumpkin themed hands-on activities! After learning about pumpkins, scholars complete two activity sheets that reinforce estimation and word problems. They then plant pumpkin seeds and bake a pie in a bag.
Curated OER
Growing Garden Companions.
Students understand that some plants grow better with other plants. In this companion planting instructional activity, students observe the "three sisters" growing system used by the Native Americans. Students understand that small...
Curated OER
Arthropod Data Collection
Students describe the life cycle of various bugs as well as their predators and feeding habits. The class participates in a discussion of the various methods scientists use to gather data including research and experiment. After...
Curated OER
Everyone Up!
Students examine various agriculture careers, both direct and indirect, related to crop production and distribution. In this food production lesson, students role play the processing chain in which crops move from producer to processor...
Curated OER
Rain Garden
Students build rain gardens. In this community service lesson, students study the effectiveness of rain gardens in allowing water to run off. Students build a community rain garden at their school.
Curated OER
Creating a Pollinator Garden
Young scholars build a pollination garden. In this pollination activity, students read directions and build a pollinator garden that will produce flowering plants for pollinator organisms to use in pollination of other plants.
Curated OER
Peek at the Chesapeake!
Pupils research organisms that live in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. In this science lesson, students choose an organism and research how it is affected by humans. Pupils create a presentation of their findings.
Curated OER
Bat Ecology
Students, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through their...
Curated OER
Toad Adobe
Students explore the importance of toads and the need for toad habitats in the environment. In this animal habitats instructional activity, students create an adobe habitat for toads by using a clay pot. Students paint their pots and...
Curated OER
Animals, Soil, Trees
Fourth graders describe the various kinds of soils and how plants and animals are affected by them. They describe the baic needs of plants, scoring at least a 3 or 4 on a 4-point rubic. Students are able to predict and/or infer what...
Curated OER
Bats and Boas Abound
Students investigate Puerto Rican boa constrictors and bats. In this animal science lesson, students read an article about the bats and snakes found in Puerto Rico. Students use various art supplies to create a diorama of the habitat of...
Curated OER
Busy, Busy Bees
Students role play bees finding nectar. they put on bee tails and antenna. Then 3 or 4 students at a time performed the dances bees do when one is communicating to the others that he has found nectar and the when they are close the...