A food web has no organism higher than a tertiary consumer because there wouldn't be enough energy left to sustain them. The fourth installment in a seven-part series begins with a nature walk to get pupils thinking about their...

Now it's time for all of the data collected in previous lessons to be applied to the design of a rain garden. This resource can only be used as part of the greater whole, since learners will need to rely on gathered knowledge in order to...

A well-designed lesson on the life cycle of the butterfly is here for you. In it, young scientists spend 45 minutes a day, for one school week, engaged in their study. They take nature walks, participate in activities in centers, listen...

Fourth graders explore landscapes. In this landscape lesson, 4th graders investigate different elements of landscapes. Students design a visual presentation using photographs taken during a nature walk.

A fiction and nonfiction text, The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry and I See a Kookaburra! Discovering Animal Habitats Around the World by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page begins a learning experience in...

Discover the Colombian rainforest through a presentation that follows a young girl named Chayo. Chayo describes her daily life, exploring the rainforest filled with plants and animals. After getting to know Chayo, scholars go...

The circle of life is all around us, from the black bears in the nearby mountains to the pile of dead leaves in the backyard. Encourage young scientists to take a critical look at the world around them with a set of lessons...

Do you hear what I hear? Encourage scholars to use their listening skills and participate in a series of activities that demonstrate how the sense of hearing is crucial to the human and animal world. Activities guide learners...

Hedgerows prevent soil erosion, capture pollutants running off fields, store carbon to help combat climate change, and provide homes for predators of many pest species. The biodiversity lesson begins with an activity that...

Watch out below! Future engineers come up with methods to ensure that a ball in a cup stays in the cup even after dropped from a given height. It might be prudent to include some kind of shock absorber in the cup. Parachutes are a good...

Biodiversity is essential for every habitat, but many species are at risk due to pollution and other factors. Explore several different species native to Illinois in a gallery walk with posters that learners have created after research...

Students explore parts of nature. In this environmental lesson, students discuss how their actions can affect the environment and design a plan to clean up a specified area. Students practice good hygiene during the cleanup project.

Students investigate living creatures that inhabit a pond and explore how various organisms satisfy their needs within their environments. In this life in a drop of pond water lesson, students examine microorganisms under...

Students use natural materials and yarn to create weavings. In this natural weaving lesson, students find large branches to act as the loom, use other natural objects to act as designs within the weave, and use fine motor skills to wrap...

Students survey their local forest conducting an inventory of tree species and analyzing data of local ecosystems. They design a nature trail, map the area and make a computer generated trail guide.

Looking for an insect unit that addresses multiple skill strategies? Young entomologists explore multiple life cycles of insects that go through metamorphosis. The brainteasers and mobile activity spark learner interest before guiding...

Learners sharpen their observation and inquiry skills. They participate in a guided observation process that helps them focus on plant characteristics as a way to enhance both their appreciation and their knowledge of plants, plant...

Soil scientists gain experience with an infiltrometer can to determine the infiltration rates at different locations on campus. If you are using the entire unit, the class has already analyzed water flow and soil types, so they should...

Young scholars examine nature by participating in an environmental art activity. In this imaginary creature lesson, students discuss the importance of a habitat when pertaining to wild animals or bugs. Young scholars utilize tree parts...

Students construct an art piece from nature. In this visual art lesson, students use objects from the environment (petals, leaves, and stones) to create a unique art piece.

Why not walk in the footsteps of Teddy Roosevelt and become a conservationist? After discussing issues and reasons for animal extinction, the class creates their own conservation plans. Each small group is given mock data regarding a...

Take your blooming botanists on a spring walk without activating any allergies with a wildflower WebQuest. The link to the "Spring Wildflower Walk" is broken, but the correct link is attached here. You could also try the activity in the...

Ninth graders conduct an environmental inventory on one ecosystem. They collect data, and write an environmental impact statement on that area. Students explain the interactions between different systems found within an ecosystem....

Students study tree identification. In this tree identification lesson, students design and assemble a tree tour booklet describing 5 trees found in their community. The booklet should feature common and Latin names of the species, a...