Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students observe and discuss what happens when water turns to ice and when ice turns into water. In this freezing and melting lesson plan, students observe ice and water and complete hands on activities that change their properties.
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water and how it changes forms. In this investigative lesson students participate in an activity that shows them how water changes form and what it looks and feels like.
Curated OER
Grass as Biomass
Students explore energy properties by listening to a sustainability lecture in class. In this biomass instructional activity, students identify what biomass is, how it can be transformed into a usable energy and how it complements the...
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Amazon Food Chain
Explore food chains in the Amazon Rainforest using this resource. Learners discuss the predator vs. prey relationships in the food chain. Then, they create a food web to describe this relationship. This is a simple and effective way to...
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Costa Rican Food Chain
Discuss the animals and plants in the rainforest food chain using this lesson. Learners talk about and do research on the top predators from the Costa Rican region and create a model of one of them in class. They also make a visual model...
Curated OER
Air Pollution
Students seek solutions to environmental problems. They discover how to conserve and protect natural resources. They examine the role of acid rain on plants and discover how to filter pollutants.
Curated OER
Making Weather-Tracking Tools
Students build tools to help track the weather. In this weather activity, students follow directions to build a rain gauge, barometer and hair hygrometer.
Curated OER
Photo Synthesis and Transpiration
Middle schoolers germinate pea seeds and plant the seeds. They experiment with different amounts of light and darkness on the plant growth.
Curated OER
Watering Our Prairie Farms
After reading an article about irrigation on Canadian farms, learners participate in a discussion. They individually write an opinion paper about the surrounding issues. A lesson plan like this can be used in an earth science class when...
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Leach Out and Touch Someone
Students discuss how groundwater becomes polluted. In groups, they design and create models of groundwater pollution sources. They demonstrate to the class how the water may become contaminated from local and nonlocal pollution sources.
Curated OER
Wildlife Conservation I
Focusing on the wildlife in their area, learners identify endangered and threatened species and what these animals need to survive. While this lesson involves animals in the Long Island area, it could be adapted for use with any area.
Curated OER
Franklin Mountains
Students review the steps of the rock cycle. In groups, they identify the natural forces that cause weathering and erosion. They describe how sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks might be formed in nature to end the lesson.
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Soils are the Pits!
Students dig soil pits in order to observe soil features and the factors of soil formation and soil forming process. Students also examine the relationships among different soils in a series of soil pits.
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Caterpillars To Butterflies
Students observe the life cycle of a butterfly. They read butterfly/caterpillar themed books. They sequence the lifecycle from eggs on a leaf to an adult butterfly. They release their butterflies into a natural habitat after singing and...
Curated OER
Learning To Look
Sixth graders investigate a flower plant and the plant cycle. They extend observational skills when looking at a tree by observing, questioning and sharing ideas. They observe a living and nonliving flower and compare and contrast how...
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Water Reflections:
Students analyze data from monitoring activities . They summarize, post, and present the data from activities. They tell others in the community what they've learned about local water quality.
Curated OER
Migrate, Adapt, or Hibernate
In this migration and hibernation activity, students read a 2 page informational excerpt about animals who adapt to changing seasons by migrating or hibernating. They then use the information they learned to answer the 15 questions on...
Curated OER
Ziplock Chemistry
Students investigate various chemical reactions when creating mixtures in ziplock baggies. In this chemistry lesson plan, students will recognize various chemical reactions and cite evidence. Safety and assessment strategies are included...
Michigan Sea Grant
Food Web II
A food web consists of complex food chains and the more complex the web, the better likelihood of survival. Learners compare and contrast food webs and food chains and discuss concepts like the predator-prey and consumer-producer...
Curated OER
Now You See It, Now You Don't
Students explore organic and inorganic objects. In this environmental activity students perform a composting experiment using flowers in different soils. Students record their observations.
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Applied Science - Technology (5A) Lab
Fifth graders explore electromagnetic waves and light. In this light instructional activity, 5th graders draw the parts of a wave of the electromagnetic spectrum. They compare a flashlight to a laser to see how the light looks when...
Curated OER
Cell (Biology)
Students conduct a series of activities to explore the nature of cells. In this biology lesson, students observe plant and animal cells under the microscope and compare them. They differentiate osmosis and diffusion.
Curated OER
Biology: Plants - The Fiber of Life
Students, in groups, examine and list the varieties of plants and how they relate to man and the environment. They create plant books complete with leaf samples with sketches and information, grow beans in plastic baggies, and role-play...
Curated OER
Caterpillars To Butterflies
Students gain an appreciation of nature by teaching them about the life cycle of the butterfly. They set up a terrarium so they can observe the changes a caterpillar goes through.