Curated OER
Light It Up
Students study day-lighting and other types of light bulbs that are used for energy efficiency. In this engineering instructional activity students study the light bulb parts and the light wavelength.
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Look At Those Leaves!
Students collect, measure and classify leaves. In this inquiry-based sorting and classifying lesson, students look at various types of leaves they have collected and measure them using a standard unit of measurement. Next, they relate...
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Earth Day...Comin Atcha!!!
Students explore the idea of consequence that every individual leaves a daily environmental footprint. They read articles about creative solutions to solid waste issues and then create an artwork from household trash.
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ROV Grid Search
Pupils perform activities to recreate the exploration of the sea bottom. They attach magnets to the bottom of the remote controlled car to see how many camouflaged objects it can pick up. As a class, students examine the results of...
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Champions Of The Land
Students write an abstract of a book concerning conservation. In this environmental activism instructional activity, students explore books such as Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Students choose a book about conservation from a...
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Make Your Own Trashasaurus Rex Sculpture
Students explore environmental awareness through reusing materials. In this environmental awareness lesson, students use trash to create a "trashasaurus," a large dinosaur sculpture made from waste. Detailed structure and papier-mâché...
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Oil + Water + Wildlife = A Real Mess
Middle schoolers conduct an experiment. In this environmental protection lesson, students explore how oil spills affect living organisms in an ecosystem. Middle schoolers work in groups to complete a lab activity and then discuss their...
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Save the Bay!
Students explore environmental protection by creating a presentation in class. In this Chesapeake Bay activity, students discuss the current threats from human beings towards the delicate balance of life near the bay. Students identify...
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Save That Water
Young scholars investigate water conservation. In this environmental lesson, students brainstorm ways they use water and discuss ways to conserve water. Young scholars illustrate and write about their method of water conservation.
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Local Environmental Issues: Pollution
Third graders discuss the ways in which human interaction with the environment and production of waste products contribute to pollution. Through a pollution demonstration, they explain how various groups of plants and animals can be...
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Groundwater Modeling
Students evaluate the effects of point and non-pointy sources of water pollution using a model. They assess human impact on water quality. Students build a model which represents an aspect of the hydrosphere and compare their model with...
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Functions and Statistics: International Space Station: Up to Us
Learners explore how the International Space Station was built and how it provides first-hand experiences with the space program. They view the NASA engineers discussing the major components of the International Space Station, their...
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Fish and Flowers
Learners read and discuss a research article that explains the unlikely link between increased fish populations and increased plant pollination. They answer reading guide questions to discover this ecological relationship.
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Construct And Test Roofs for Different Climates
Students investigate what types of roofs are appropriate for various types of climates and environments. They discuss and observe different types of roofs and housing, listen to the book "Houses and Homes," select a region, and design...
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Engineering Pop-Ups
Young scholars explore the art of paper engineering and pop-up-books. They listen to a teacher-led lecture on pop-up books, discuss the process of paper engineering, and plan, design and construct an original pop-up book.
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Forest Decomposition
Students explore decomposition. Students define and describe components of the decomposition process. Students make a composter in a terrarium. Students record observations and changes weekly, drawing conclusions about the results...
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Forest Canopies: View from the Top
Students examine the economic and ecological benefits of forest canopies. They read and discuss an article, answer questions, conduct research, draw field sketches of a canopy ecosystem, conduct a feasibility study, or prepare tourist...
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Natural Inquirer Ecosystem Article Lesson
Students discover new ways to preserve the ecosystem by completing graphic organizers. For this environmental lesson, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer in small groups and fill out a graphic organizer based on the...
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Renewable Energy in Connecticut - Softening Our Footprint through Sustainable Energy Use
Students explore energy conservation. In this environmental lesson plan, students will look at data showing the amounts of energy used, our carbon footprint, and will research a power source. This unit allows for a deeper understanding...
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Bridge Building
Learners design and build their own balsa wood model bridges. The technological development of bridges, the science principles that apply to bridge building, and the construction techniques and skills necessary for creating a bridge be...
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Life in the Rainforest
Third graders explore and study about a variety of life found within a rain forest. They choose three different animals to research from the tropical rain forest and identify one physical characteristic that helps each animal survive in...
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Investigation 1 - Wetlands, Forests & Deserts
Fourth graders examine surface terrain and how plants and animals are affected by the temperatures and precipitation that elevation and terrain creates. Then students predict what type of environment plants and animals live in.
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Rock Cycle
Students explain the processes involved in the rock cycle. In this earth science lesson, students identify the different kinds of rocks. They complete a worksheet during the activity.
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Amazing Bird Adaptions--Why Am I A Bird?
Fourth graders identify and classify birds found in Illinois. Using the internet, they discover how birds have adapted over time and how the adaptations have increased their life span. They compare and contrast the various adaptations...