Fourth graders explore plant life by completing an Internet activity. In this botany lesson, 4th graders identify the types of plants that grow locally and the different soils they utilize to survive. Students read assigned text about...

Students study acidic and alkaline balance. For this acid and pH levels lesson, students read information about pH, the formation of acid rain and its impact on environments. Students then complete an experiment to learn about the...

Students investigate the characteristics of different soil samples. In this physical science lesson, students play the role of forensics solving a crime by matching soil from the suspect's shoes. They formulate a conclusion after testing...

Glaciers are the star of the show in this Earth science lesson. In it, learners gain an understanding of how glaciers are formed, how they move, and what types of landforms they create. This lesson plan is written in the classic format,...

Learners select one of the ideas for a science project reflecting their knowledge about coal. They then choose a catchy title to spark interest that describes their project. They use the scientific method to explain the process.

Students utilize maps/Atlases to find key spatial information, locate U.S. National Parks, characterize the geography of a specific region, and create a National Park brochure.

Students observe and listen to nonfiction books about the life cycle of pumpkins. They practice early reading skills in a shared reading related to pumpkins. They observe the life cycle of a pumpkin including growth and decay.

Middle schoolers examine the way that many place names in Arkansas came to be. By looking at Arkansas highway maps, they find names that come from the characteristics of each of the state's six geographical divisions. This interesting...

Learners discover that the answers to some of society's waste and clean-up problems may be no further than the soil beneath their feet. They perform a Gram stain on the colonies to determine some of their characteristics.

Middle schoolers discover soil and Earth movement by experimenting in class.  In this Earth Science lesson, students utilize a stream table, soil, graduated cylinder and water to create a re-enactment of a landslide.  Middle...

Students observe, measure, and graph a model of slow down slope movement representing soil creep. This task assesses students' abilities to collect, record, and organize data, set up graph axes, plot data points, draw line graphs, apply...

Students investigate the concept of caves by conducting an experiment. The lesson contains background information for the teacher. They collect data while making observations and write a review of the concept once the experiment is...

Fourth graders watch a video that describes the climate and vegetation zones of Hawaii. They describe the different physical conditions that create vegetation zones from the sea to the mountains. In groups, they create an illustrated...

Ninth graders study how cities affect the environment and design an ecologically-sound city. They focus their study on the benefits and constraints of life on the Northern Great Plains.

First graders examine different types of rocks and minerals. They create models of the rocks and minerals they find interesting. They discuss and explain three ways in which the earth changes.

Students are introduced to the process of stratification. Using the internet, they read about the Richard Beene archeological site near San Antonio. Using a map, they color code the different layers present at this site and answer...

Students look at the findings of a Hopi Indian dig site in order to reconstruct the sequence of events that occurred in the past. They examine the stratigraphy while making multiple hypothesis about the artifacts and their locations at...

Fourth graders explore holidays by participating in a pumpkin activity. In this vegetation lesson, 4th graders discuss the different uses for pumpkins, not just Halloween decorations. Students identify the nutrients pumpkins need to...

Students begin their examination of landforms. Using a map, they locate and identify the major landforms on Earth. They discuss how landforms affect the lifestyle of the community and determine which goods and services the community...

Fifth graders research physical and cultural features of a place. They practice skills in gathering information from various sources, using tools such as graphic organizers, word processing, multimedia, and use of the Internet.

Fifth graders brainstorm a list of ways the Earth's surface can change. As a class, they are introduced to the concepts of erosion and weathering and discover how wind and water cause changes to the surface of the Earth. To end the...

Learners understand the dynamics of acid rain and its impact on the living and non-living environment. They hypothesize how acid rain affects water pH levels in two lake systems with differing watershed features.

There is so much to learn about the different cycles, processes, and parts of the biosphere. Using a pretest as a formative assessment to see what your budding ecologists already know is a great way to figure out which important areas...

Students are taught how to format and enter data into an Excel spreadsheet. They make a graph, and interpret graphed data. Students discuss the possible impacts of zebra mussels on the Hudson river. They graph zebra mussel data.