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The good microbes
The question posed for the class to consider; What would decay and what would not? They read the short passage on decomposition and microbes, then mark the items that would decay after a two-week period. A scientific investigation idea...
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Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Learners conduct an experiment to demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down society's wastes exist in nature among the decomposers in a compost pile. They culture compost bacteria on starch agar to examine the...
NASA
Decomposers Get Energy From Dead Things
When life gives you mold, make penicillin. Scholars design an inquiry experiment to determine what causes rotting and mold growth. It also covers decomposers and the important role they play for other living things.
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F.B.I.
Students create a worm bin full of fruit and vegetable scraps wit paper and observe what happens over time. In this decomposers lesson plan, students observe that the fruit and vegetable scraps become new soil.
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Nature's Recycling Program
Young scholars identify what materials make up compost. In this science of recycling lesson, students explain the benefits of composting determine how compost is a good plant fertilizer.
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Autumn
Take a walk through the forest as the leaves change color and fall from the trees, making way for a new ecosystem cycle to cycle through. An inquiry-based lesson plan examines how the process of decomposition eliminates tons of...
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Mulch
Students conduct a series of experiments on mulching. In this earth science lesson, students discuss the benefits of mulching on soil. They explore how different types of mulch affect plant growth.
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Compost and Composting Experiments
Young scholars investigate the composting process through a variety of experiments. In this ecology lesson, students discuss the benefits of composting. They examine how compost affect plant growth.
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Microorganisms: Good Guys or Bad Guys?
Students discover the role microorganisms play in our lives. In this decomposition lesson, students examine decaying foods and plants in order to analyze the different bacteria that grows. Students discuss the good and bad of...
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Temperate Forest : Pacific Spirit Field Trip
Students examine nurse logs with hand lenses and identify animals. In this ecosystem instructional activity, students gain understanding of the rainforest by studying nurse logs. Students become familiar with vocabulary...
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Learning About Composting
Students can create a compost pile to learn about the decomposition process.
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Pollution Assessment: Is Wood Lake a Good Lake?
Students become aware of pollution in Richfield Minnesota's Wood Lake, identify sources of pollution in Wood Lake, learn to use variables, equations, spreadsheets and modeling software, and generate solutions for the problem.
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Fossil Formation Fun
Students compare the three types of fossils: preserved organisms, mineral replacement fossils, and impression fossils. They create a model of amber,
sponge fossil, and make traces of fossil.
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What Causes Tooth Decay
Students investigate oral hygiene. In this personal health lesson, students discover the parts of a tooth and how to best protect them from disease. Students examine the effects of acids on tooth enamel and calcium.
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Explore More About Bottle Construction
Students explore Green Construction. In this lesson based on the experiences of Peace Corps volunteers, students gain insight into alternative construction in Guatemala. They examine the pros and cons of using alternative building...
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Causal Patterns in Ecosystems Section 3
Students design and create a worm and worm free compost tanks for observation of decay in ecosystems. They make predictions, care, and revist tanks using their journals for observation and data collection.
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Learning About the Food Chain
Learning about the food chain opens a Pandora's Box of opportunities to learn about endangered animals and the environment.
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Microorganisms
Though there are seventy-seven slides in this PowerPoint, only small bits of information are presented on each. It outlines the roles microorganisms play in the environment and spends time listing characteristics of each four different...
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Mold
Students explore mold, the different types and the health risks that they pose. In this mycelium lesson students grow different molds and see which type of foods mold the fastest.
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Water Quality and Dissolved Oxygen
Students investigate the relationship between dissolved oxygen and organic materials and aquatic organisms. This is a 3-lesson series in which students explore dissolved oxygen and then design an experiment testing the effects of changes.
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Bugs in the Woods
Second graders identify insects and plants in the forest ecosystem in a structured field trip with stations and activity booklets. In this bugs lesson, 2nd graders explore the ecosystem of the forest, complete the booklet and play...
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Chemistry In Plant Nutrition And Growth
Students investigate different factors that affect plant growth. They research the effects of water supply, radiant energy, air temperature, and soil temperature. Students also gather facts that influence plant nutrition that include the...
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Classroom Composting
Students discover the benefits of composting. They identify the steps of decomposition as well. They are read a book and discuss what items decompose.
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De-composers - Terrarium
Learners explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. In this rainforest analysis lesson, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's rainforests....