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A Snap at Geometry
Learners study geometric images and polyhedrons. In this geometry lesson, students complete several activities to learn about geometric shapes and classify polyhedrons from polygons. Learners watch a video, complete a web-directed...
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Classification of Animals
Third graders practice classiyfying items and identify three major characteristics scientists use to classify animals. They describe the differences between ectothermic and endothermic animals.
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Sort It Out
Students study classification systems by sorting Legos and determining how the different pieces are classified. They list as many attributes as possible to use for sorting.
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Classification of Materials
Students classify photographs into a two-way classification system. They practice with pictures of people who are young and old, male and female, then they use pictures of animals to create their own two-way classification system.
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Pesticide Prevalence
Students investigate the prevalence of pesticides in their communities by
searching their homes, visiting local stores and talking to extended family and friends. They conduct their search by classifying pesticides based on the pests...
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Permeability of Earth Materials
High schoolers observe and classify the permeability of a variety of materials.
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Into the Pond
Seventh graders use a pond to explore macroinvertebrates and other organisms. They use a dichotomous key to classify the organisms and maintain a journal recording their findings.
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Five Senses
Students listen to the book "My Five Senses." They work together to classify fifteen objects by the sense that they affect. They discuss the sense organs and complete a chart. Finally, they sort mystery items from a bag which the teacher...
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Animal Kingdom: Phylum Chordata
Students use a dichotomous key to classify various vertebrate jar speciments into classes. They examine the speciments for general characteristics of each class and fill in a corresponding chart and then complete a few final assessment...
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Where Should We Place Archaeopteryx?
Students classify Archaeopteryx using pictures of actual fossils and scientist representations of how the animal might have looked. They compare Archaeopteryx's characteristics to those of the five extant vertebrate groups to...
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Collecting Field Trip
Learners identify and describe each marine habitat. They name organisms that can be found in each habitat and discover ways in which to protect them. They participate in an activity to complete the lesson.
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Nuts & Bolts: is Classification, Arbitrary, Or Not?
Learners, in groups, classify furniture, share their categories and rationales, then note how their different schemes vary, perfectly logical and useful, but completely arbitrary.
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What is a Pest?
Students investigate whether rabbits should be considered pests even though they make good pets. They extend this to determine what, when, and where other organisms are considered to be pests, and examine why the concept of a pest is a...
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Ecology: Adaptations
Eighth graders identify different types of adaptation in organisms. In this biology lesson, 8th graders explain how adaptation help organisms survive. They complete a worksheet at the end of the lesson.
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Choosing an Appropriate
Students use the classified ads of a local newspaper and read descriptions of people's goals, interests, experience, and skills, then find an appropriate employment ad for that person. Next, they find an appropriate ad for themselves.
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Creative Classification
Students create an animal by using physical characteristics to classify that animal in the Linnaean Classification System. This lesson plan is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life.
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People and the Physical Environment of Illinois
Learners read about the settlement of Illinois from statehood to the present. They categorize different areas of need such as survival, economic and social. Students make a list of ways people used the physical environment in Illinois...
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Invertebrate Classification
Students discuss the recent disovery of the "furry lobster" to peak interest in the animal kingdom. They classify various speciments using invertebrate dichotomous keys, identifying major animal phyla and classes. Thy the complete the...
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Variation in Human Skin Color
Students classify themselves according to the six skin types. In this biology lesson, students explore the causes of human skin variation. They present their findings in class.
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Interactive Food Pyramid
Young scholars participate in the game, "Talking Food Pyramid." In this nutrition instructional activity, students recognize the organization of foods in to five groups. Young scholars conclude by physically classifying a selection of...
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Science Excursion: Cover Mapping Land
Students study remotely sensed images and topographic maps to classify land cover types in their watershed area. They take samples in the watershed area to interpret the images.
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Fossils-Where Should We Place Archaeopteryx?
Students explore an interactive computer activity that provides the opportunity to look at features of various groups of animals and determine where an extinct organism might be classified.
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Five Senses-Introduction
Students explore the parts of the body that are used to develop the five senses. They conduct a nature walk. Students identify the things they see, hear, smell, and touch. They create a graphic organizer to organize their answers.
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Investigating Earth's Materials
First graders compare and contrast water from different sources. After collecting water from various sources, 1st graders create a list of observable properties of the water. Students then pour the water into a filter and observe the...