Lesson Plan
Curated OER

California Biodiversity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine several maps of California exhibiting features such as precipitation, topography, and vegetation. They look for patterns that might be the source of or influence biodiversity in different regions. They pay particular...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mount Everest History Lesson

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore Mount Everest. In this exploration lesson, students read "The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest," by Steve Jenkins. Students then respond to discussion questions and participate in a map skills activity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Diversity Ecosystems

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students work in teams to characterize their biomes and compare them to the biomes of the rest of the class. In this biomes lesson plan, students complete a bean activity, relate it to the diversity in biomes, and then research and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Food Web and Learning About Ecosystems

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the difference between a food web and food chain. They also examine the importance of the sun in a food web and food chain. Students understand what happens when you remove parts of the chain.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Basics:Life Science

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils explore concepts in life science using segments drawn from Discovery Channel. In this life science lesson, students participate in discussions about the food chain. Pupils create a poster to illustrate a predator and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Succession and Microclimate

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners compare the population of insects in different microclimates. In this biology lesson, students collect data using probes to tabulate temperature and soil data. They predict how certain parameters change as an area goes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animal Life Histories Derived From Morphology

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners learn the mechanisms of natural selection by deducing information from the physical appearance of the animal.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spinning the Eco Web

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students examine the components and relationships of ecoregions and ecosystem management. They define ecoregion and ecosystem, list ecoregions, and participate in a simulation that demonstrates the connections between parts of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Habitats"

For Teachers K - 5th
Students complete a unit of lessons on animals and animal conservation. They observe a square meter of ground outside the school, set up a model environment, analyze an owl pellet, grow bread mold, and explore various websites.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine & Aquatic Habitats -- Journey of a Drop of Water Through a Watershed

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students discuss pollution and the steps in the hydrologic cycle. They follow a drop of water through a watershed simulation. They discover the components of a water cleaning system as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geography of the Silk Road And the Tokaido Road

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the geographical features of the Silk Road and the Tokaido Road in this introductory lesson on Chinese geography. Small group learning is emphasized and encouraged.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Land Biomes Research and Presentation

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders work in cooperative groups to research an assigned land biome using various sources. Groups create either a book or a PowerPoint presentation of their assigned land biome.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies and Children's Literature

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students write a journal in response to literature. The story that is read is about prairies. The subject of prairies becomes an object for research. The culminating activity is the making of a map where prairies exist in the United States.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Identify agricultural products grown in each region of the country. Discuss how geography affects what is grown or raised in a particular area.1. Hand out a copy of the two activity sheets "Food From Sea to Shining Sea" to each student....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet of Plenty

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students examine a small piece of land to determine the diversity of life on Earth. They role play as visitors from outer space seeing life on Earth for the first time. They measure and observe their plots while working in small groups....
Activity
Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botanical Garden: Grassland Plants

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site from the Missouri Botanical Garden explores some commonly asked questions about the prairie and prairie plants.
Handout
Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botanical Garden: Grasslands

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Missouri Botanical Gardens provides general information about different kinds of grasslands and the plants and animals of that type of region.
Handout
University of Illinois

University of Illinois: Illinois Natural History Survey: The Tallgrass Prairie

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Illinois Natural History Survey provides a large list of grassland plants of the Illinois Tallgrass Prairie - some 851 species. You can find out the common name, scientific name, habitat, flowering period, fruits, and...
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: Grassland Biome: Animals and Plants

For Students 4th - 7th
Describes the characteristics, biodiversity, and the adaptations of the plants and animals of temperate and tropical grasslands.
Handout
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California Santa Barbara

Kids Do Ecology: Temperate Grasslands

For Students 9th - 10th
At the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, you can learn where temperate grasslands are located! Other information includes grassland weather, plants, animals, people, and more.
Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Grassland Biome

For Students 3rd - 8th
Learn all about the grassland biome including where located in the world, climate, flora and fauna, and soil. Good research site for middle years students.
Article
Other

Southern African Water Crisis: Some Grassland Facts

For Students 9th - 10th
Here you can read a fact sheet on South African grasslands. Content includes a look at origins, water supply, plants and animals, economics, and current conservation status.
Handout
Other

Hastings Natural History Reservation: Native Grasslands of Coastal California

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover the mysteries of the native grasses of coastal California. Content includes a focus on identifying, finding, and growing native grasses.
Unit Plan
The Wild Classroom

The Wild Classroom: Biomes of the World: Temperate Grasslands Biome

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn all about the Temperate Grasslands biome. Find out about plants, animals, adaptations, and conservation efforts.