Virginia Department of Education
Classification of Organisms
Searching for the perfect indoor/outdoor activity that allows class members the opportunity to learn about organism classification? Here, pupils research organisms and categorize them according to domain and kingdom over the course...
Teach Engineering
Dress for Success
Dressing for success is not always about looking sharp. Sometimes it is about staying warm and dry. Present your class with an activity that challenges groups of pupils to design a layered material for blizzard conditions. The teams test...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Preparing for Project BudBurst
Plants take cues from the environment—change in daylight hours and temperature—to complete their seasonal life cycles. Lesson four in the series of six has classes collect phenology data on plants. After taking initial observations,...
Curated OER
Developing a Child's Sense of Place
Learners develop empathy with the natural world; visual and aural senses of spatial awareness; and initiate sound and space awareness, movement, indoor/outdoor, map-making and nature activities that correlate with a child's sense of play.
Curated OER
Toxic River
Learners explore environmental safety by participating in a class game. In this toxic chemicals lesson plan, students discuss the effect chemicals have on our environment and how to best protect against their dangers. Learners...
Curated OER
Invading the enemy
Students participate in a physical outdoor activity in order to develop individual and group trust. In this interpersonal relationship lesson, students play attempt to find hidden objects in the dark. Students must trust their...
Curated OER
Sliding Games (Marbles)
Young scholars play a game of marbles outdoors on an iced area. They begin by playing a warm-up game of tag and proceed to sliding their marbles on an iced surface into holes. They attempt to gain points by sliding the marble into holes...
Curated OER
Teaching with Nature
Students participate in a nature walk to learn about their natural environments. In this nature study lesson, students brainstorm a list of things to look for on their nature walk. Students go on the nature walk and locate objects they...
Curated OER
Climate And the Greenhouse Effect
Students demonstrate the greenhouse effect. They recognize that relatively small changes to our environment can stimulate significant climate changes. They determine that the "scientific method" is a process of testing hypotheses and...
Curated OER
Extreme Weather and Mapping
For this environment worksheet, students read an article about extreme weather conditions and mapping it out. They respond to 10 multiple choice questions about what they read. Then, students explain how droughts can occur and the...
Curated OER
In My Own Backyard
Learners explore the soil and vegetation found in their home and/or school environment and map a familiar area. Each group is assigned a section of the schoolyard. They draw maps of their assigned places and gather soil and vegetation...
Curated OER
Investigating comparative biodiversity of wetland and schoolyard sites
Fourth graders participate in an activity dealing with the environment.
Curated OER
Supermarkets, Sustenance and Sustainability
Learners investigate jungles and the people who depend upon them. In this sustainability lesson, students research wild life conservation and discover the importance of a jungle to Amazonian people. Learners create a group...
Curated OER
Arbor Day
First graders study the importance of trees to our environment. they make their own version of the story by completing the following sentence and then completing an illustration for their writing. "A tree can be ______."
Curated OER
Science: Where the Worms Live
Young scholars build mine-earthworm habitats to discover their niche in them. They make predictions about what the niche looks like in a week and draw a picture of it. Students notice the tunnels in the soil and how the sand and dirt...
Curated OER
Educated Action
Students review what they already know about birds. Using the internet, they discover major issues involved with birds in Illinois. In groups, they determine what they can do to help them and contact a local agency.
Montana Natural History Center
Studying Grassland Ecosystems
At first glance, grassland ecosystems might seem dull and uninteresting, but once you start to explore it's amazing the things you'll find! Through this series of engaging lessons, activities, and experiments, elementary students examine...
Curated OER
In the Wild
Third graders examine the concept of ecology and how animals are suited to their habitats. For this animal adaptation lesson, 3rd graders identify a variety of plants and animal species that live in a Beech forest.Students create a food...
Curated OER
Guidebook
Students create a guidebook page about a plant on the school grounds. In this life and plant science instructional activity, students identify plants around the school, then research the plant and write a narrative about it. Students...
Curated OER
Environment: Natural and Invasive Plants
Students examine a parcel of open land to collect data about the native and invasive plants found there. By monitoring the area, they prevent the spread of weeds through early detection. Students create posters describing the monitoring...
Curated OER
Picnic Possibilities
Fourth graders plan a picnic using weather data. Using accumulated weather data from various sources, they create a graph of the weather conditions in their region for a given period of time. Students interpret this data to predict the...
Curated OER
Movement of Air Mind Map Activity
Students explore the movement of air. For this air lesson, students discuss and give examples of air ventilation. Students compare outdoor and indoor air quality. Students create mind maps as a visual representation of...
Curated OER
Water Conservation
For this environment worksheet, students look for the facts of how to conserve water and help the environment. They complete the activities as part of the unit.
Curated OER
Weather or Not!
Students are introduced to the different climate regions of Canada. In groups, they discuss ways in which people are affected by the weather and how it limits their outdoor activities. They use artwork by Robert Harris to predict what...