Fifth graders investigate the nitrogen cycle and examine the concepts of decomposition and nitrification. Students participate in a class discussion about the creation of waste and ammonia compounds, then using nitrogen cycle cut-outs...

Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...

Students explore mechanical and chemical weathering at stations. They articulate some mechanisms of chemical and mechanical weathering through exploration in a lab. Students stations describe how chemical weathering differs from...

Students watch the teacher make a cloud. In this water cycle lesson plan, students discuss the water cycle and see the formation of a cloud. The teacher leads the discussion including the role of water vapor, smoke and air pressure.

Anytime you make concepts clear with role playing or hands-on experience, it's a win for the whole class. Ping-Pong balls are used to represent carbon in a carbon cycle role-play activity. In small groups, children first discuss what...

If tap water is more acidic than ocean water, why are we so concerned about ocean acidification? The third installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on carbon dioxide levels in...

Students explain that ants are an important element of nature's balance. Ants eat many insects and are food to other animals. They watch a video and conduct hands-on activities that give them an excellent overview of the ants role in...

In this biosphere learning exercise, students identify the different levels of organization that ecologists study. Students complete charts, sentences, and answer short answer questions.

Sixth graders create products that feature the importance of water conservation. In this environmental stewardship lesson, 6th graders explore the water cycle and conduct on water usage. Students also research water pollution and...

Fifth graders study the weather and water cycle of clouds. For this water cycle lesson, 5th graders read background information about evaporation, condensation, and the states of water.

Young scholars examine the carbon cycle while identifying its sources, sinks, and release agents. Using magazines and newspapers, groups of students design collages illustrating the carbon cycle. Finally, they write responses to...

Students observe what happens to water as it goes from a solid to a liquid.  In this exploratory lesson students gain an understanding for the water cycle while working in groups observing what happens to water as it changes...

Students explore the presence of carbon in the world. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students discuss the carbon cycle after they read assigned textbook pages. Students also discuss biomass content in different parts of the...

Students investigate picture taking techniques while visiting an estuary. In this picture taking lesson plan, students examine the "Magical Images of the Estuary" handout. They think of and list important picture taking techniques before...

Students examine the process of photosynthesis; its products and reactants, and the sequence of the process. They diagram the light reactions, record observations of plants, and discuss how difficult it is to measure plant growth as it...

In this drinking water worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle given 23 clues about drinking water purification, water content, contaminants, and softeners.

Pupils explore, predict, and create each major rock form (sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous) with colored modeling clay, discover cycle of rock formation, and examine important relationships of heat and pressure in rock development.

Students explore the differences in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. They discuss the rock cycle of the different formations. Students discuss how rock is formed into different shapes. They explore, predict, and create each...

Kim B. Foglia has designed a comprehensive series of AP biology worksheets. This one focuses learners on the progression of photosynthesis in plants. In this assignment, they identify structures and steps on high-quality diagrams, use...

Students evaluate art to enhance their core knowledge of fiction, American folk heroes, and the water cycle. In this art lesson, students complete a unit of activities to use art to study various topics of literature, history, and...

First graders discuss the book The Lorax and research what living things need. In this environmental lesson plan, 1st graders investigate how humans affect the growth of plants. Students conduct an experiment with sunflowers.

Forests, through sequestration, capture excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and store it, aiding in climate change. The third installment in a four-part series on how climate impacts forests explores carbon sequestration....

Pupils take a virtual trip to a Catfish Aquaculture Pond and analyze soil bacteria to determine how many nitrogen cycle bacteria are present. They graph the number of colonies present and use data to determine ammonium levels in the soil.

Students are provided with a physical description of the insect, in words and graphics, including body parts, special adaptations, color, and so on. They explore and report on all four elements of an insect's habitat: food, water,...