Curated OER
Balls and Ramp
Students role several balls of different weights down a ramp and into a paper cup and record how far each ball made the paper cup move. They then answer questions that help them analyze their results and reinforce the idea that energy...
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Weather And The Seasons
Students illustrate characteristics of the different seasons using digital and pen and paper drawings. They creat captions for their drawings and present them to the class. Students compare and contrast their pen and paper drawing...
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Life Cycle of Butterflies
Students identify ways plants and animals make changes related to the seasons, specifically focusing on the life cycle of butterflies.
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Endangered Biomes
Students compare data from two proposed strategies on how ot best preserve the diversity of plants and animals. They complete a worksheet and share theirviews with the rest of the class.
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Exploring the Neighborhood -- Literature Jigsaw
Students compare and contrast domesticated animals and wild animals. They identify plants and animals that have adapted to different habitats. They discover it is everyone's responsibility to protect the environment.
BBC
Ourselves
Young biologists identify parts of the body, sort humans from other animals, and list the difference they see. Learners are split up into groups of three, and each group must find pictures in magazines of humans and other animals. They...
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Case of the Missing Pumpkin
Scientists define and discuss decomposition, and watch pumpkins decompose and return to soil in classroom experiment. They record the date the experiment began, chart changes in pumpkins on a calendar, count how many days it takes...
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Bird Brilliance!
First graders explore natural resources and search outdoors to find materials to create a bird's nest. For this bird's natural resources lesson, 1st graders listen to a book about birds and reflect on the various things birds use to...
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Where is Shirley the Elephant?
Young animal lovers engage in a instructional activity that's all about elephants. They access an elephant sanctuary website and read a story about Shirley the elephant. They perform a series of activities based upon that story, and also...
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Exploring Microclimates
Students compare the land cover and temperatures in different microclimates to begin to explain why organisms live where they do. While exploring microclimates, students record temperature readings and detailed observations.
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Exploring Biomes Lesson 1: Mapping Biomes
Environmental science learners examine satellite imagery of temperature, vegetation, precipitation, and productivity. They use these maps to understand how scientists divide the planet into major biomes. As part of a larger unit on...
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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...
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When Ants Fly
Here is a great lesson on constructing line graphs. Learners identify common characteristics of birds, ants common needs of all living things. They also write a story from the perspective of an ant or a bird that has lost its home and...
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The Five Kingdoms
An overview of the five kingdoms within the biological classification system is presented in this set of five slides. The first lists the objectives of the slide show, and the second gives general characteristics of plant, animal, and...
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Fun with Fossils
Second graders explore the geologic process of fossil formation. In this geology instructional activity, 2nd graders discuss the job of a paleontologist and make their own model of a fossil. This instructional activity includes teacher...
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Cell Theory, Plant And Animal Cell Comparison
Tenth graders study plant and animal cells. For this investigative lesson students draw their own animal cells and label them.
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The Wonderful Pigs of Jillian Jiggs
First graders compare fictional and real pigs. In this pig comparison lesson, 1st graders read a fiction text then a non-fiction text on pigs. Students complete a K-W-L chart and fill out a Venn Diagram.
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The Magic School Bus Gets Swamped
Students participate in an experiment that shows them how wetlands filter dirty water. They work in groups to accomplish this experiement with the help of supervisors. A bulletin board can be created to show the plants and animals that...
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Outdoor Explorations: Mystery Plot Vacant Lot
Students utilize observations skills as they work together in groups to solve a mystery. They discuss and perform strategies to solve mysteries that occurred on a vacant lot. Students use a field guide to identify plants and animals...
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Comparison of Snow Cover on Different Continents
Students use the Live Access Server (LAS) to form maps and a numerical text file of snow cover for each continent on a particular date and analyze the data for each map, corresponding text file to determine an estimate of snow cover for...
Cal Recycle
Conserving Natural Resources
Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.
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Global Greenup
Students utilize satellite images to track the life cycle of vegetational growth over a large area. Animal migratory patterns are compared to this cycle.
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Biomes of the World
In this biomes instructional activity, students read an article on biomes and answer 10 multiple choice, short answer or true and false questions relating to biomes.
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"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...