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The Big Circle
Students explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this concentric ring lesson plan, students utilize a poster board, string and markers to identify their current location within the entire world. Students write about...
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Who Says Plants Can't Move?
Students discover how plants spread their seeds using other plants and animals. In this plant activity, students role play different plants and how their seeds travel. Students then have a class discussion to ensure their understanding.
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Track Traces
Learners explore animal characteristics by participating in an animal anatomy activity. In this animal tracks instructional activity, students identify the differences between specific animals and the shape of their footprints. Learners...
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Mature Forest Mime
Students come to understand vocabulary words through pantomime. In this vocabulary lesson, students first review several vocabulary words and their meaning, then they work in groups to pantomime the definitions.
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Up the Down Tree House
Students investigate the decomposition process. In this ecology lesson, students participate in a play, "Up the Treehouse" where the main idea focuses on a decomposing tree and how food chains are effected by decomposition. After the...
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Meet A Tree
Learners explore different types of trees with their senses. In this nature lesson, students play a game in which pairs use their senses to explore trees, blindfolded. Learners then must find the tree they found when blindfolded.
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Puzzle it Out
Students study the Earth's climatic system and construct a puzzle that names all of the pieces of the components involved. In this Climate lesson, students draw a picture on a puzzle piece depicting a specific component. Students then...
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Carbon Cycle Capers
Students examine the carbon dioxide cycle in the atmosphere. In this element lesson, students discuss the relationship between carbon dioxide on Earth and the plants that store it. Students play a game to ensure their understanding.
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Predicting the Future
Students examine how scientists predict the effects of global climate change. In this environmental science lesson plan, students participate in a discussion about using computer generated data to create climate predictions. Students...
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Sculptured Landscapes
Students research glaciers, how they are formed and what kind of landforms they carve out of the rock they pass over. They organize their findings into a mock newscast in a presentation for the class.
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Who Eats Who?
Students recognize that some animals eat plants, some eat meat and some both. In this who eats who lesson, students chart animals in a food chain. Students research information from reading articles. Students chart what animals eat on...
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Goldilocks and the Real Bears
Students participate in a comparison lesson where they compare fictional bears to real life bears. In this science/language arts lesson, students read Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Students observe characteristics of these fictional...
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Landscapes of Alpine Glaciation
In this glaciers worksheet, students use Google Earth to look for examples of different glacial landforms and phenomena. Students complete 2 short answer questions.
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Old Growth Forest Mural
Students explore the four characteristics of an old growth forest. In this forest lesson, students research old growth forests and their inhabitants. Students work in four separate groups and create a mural for their characteristic of an...
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Climate Mime-it
Students pantomime new climate vocabulary words. In this climate lesson, students go over new vocabulary words and their meanings. Students form groups and pantomime these word's definitions.
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Carving Mountains
Students explore geography by participating in an illustration activity. In this land-form lesson, students define vocabulary terms associated with glaciers and forests. Students utilize pens, cardboard and pottery clay to draw and...
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Wolves: DNA Pawprinting
Students explore and research the most widely distributed terrestrial carnivore, the wolf. They critique the true mystery of this animal and then form an opinion about this creature. The restriction-site analysis of mitochondrial DNA is...
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Track Stories
Students identify animal tracks. In this animal track lesson, students look at "track stories" and identify the animals that made the tracks. Students discuss if they believe the animals are predators or prey.
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Which Bear?
Students study bears. In this science lesson, students compare black, grizzly and polar bears. Students measure the bear tracks and compare the bear habitats and diet.
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Changes at Log City
Students draw three different murals of a rotting log. In this science lesson, students draw a rotting log including organisms found, one with the decomposers left behind, and the third predictions as to what they log will look like....
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Habitat Hunt
Students discover how hard it is for animals to find all the items needed in their habitat. In this habitat lesson, students play a game in which they pretend to be an animal, they discover that not all animals can find the food needed...
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Life in a Log
Students identify insects living in rotting logs. In this decomposition lesson, students observe pieces of a rotting log, they look at the insects that have inhabited the log and create a chart that shows their findings.
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What's That Habitat?
Fourth graders explore the environment by researching animal characteristics. In this habitat identification lesson, 4th graders utilize paper and crayons to illustrate their own habitats or homes and discuss what it contains that is...
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Beaver Succession Mural
Students explore the concept of beaver pond succession. In this succession lesson, students discuss what succession is and how it works. Students create a mural to present their understanding of this concept.