Curated OER
Tree of Life
Young scholars explore the importance of the tropical rain forest in different cultures. Through a cooperative game, they locate countries that are known for their forest resources. Students discuss the similarities and differences of...
Curated OER
What Parts Are There to a Plant?
Students identify and sort plant parts through hands-on activities and group discussions and then work with magnifying lenses and tape measures to document their observations on a student sheet.
Curated OER
Terrestrial Sequestration- Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Students examine the differences between cellular respiration and photosynthesis. In this cellular processes activity students complete a group lab activity to see how climate change affects their lives.
Curated OER
Land as a Valuable Resource
Students investigate why the soil is important to our lives. In this natural resources lesson, students have a farmer as a guest speaker. Students begin to understand how farmers use and protect our natural resource. Students write...
Curated OER
The Greening of Mars: The Changes Necessary to Sustain Life on Mars
Fifth graders discuss the currents conditions on the planet of Mars. In groups, they work together to develop a mechanism that allows for a balanced ecosystem to survive on the planet. After presenting their ideas to the class, they...
Curated OER
The Circle of Life
Fourth graders examine how the different organisms living in an ecosystem affect one another. In groups, they research a specific ecosystem and present their findings to the class based on the type of organisms found in it. To end the...
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Jr. Chef Club Super Snacks Lesson 6
Students explore healthy snacks. In this nutrition and cooking lesson, students observe and identify food groups on USDA's MyPyramid food guide. Students discuss how fiber helps our digestive system and follow a recipe using yeast to...
Curated OER
Salmon Life Cycles
Students list salmon life cycle stages in order, list three threats that salmon face throughout their lives, and examine important role native fish play in aquatic food chains throughout their life cycles.
Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Identification
Using a dichotomous key, pupils identify characteristics of fish who live in the Great Lakes and explain how these features help them survive. In small groups, class members discover what features scientists consider important and...
Curated OER
Taking Apart Owl Pellets
Students dissect an owl pellet. In this rodent and bone structure lesson, students work in groups to take apart an owl pellet. Students separate all the tiny bones from the fur and use the bones to reconstruct the rodent on a tag board....
Curated OER
Adaptations to Environments with Mammals
Fifth graders, after viewing a PowerPoint on different mammals, analyze what a biome is. Then they choose a mammal to research and go outside to feel the grass and leaves and hypothesize about which biome they live in as well as its...
Curated OER
Energy Efficient Buildings
Seventh graders create plans for an energy efficient addition to the school. They work in small groups with each group having responsibility for examining one aspect of the problem. They create working diagrams and a model of their...
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere (Pond Animals)
Second graders examine the characteristics of animals who live in a pond environment. In groups, they describe the various stages in the life of a frog and identify the characteristics of other pond animals. Using this information,...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Digestive System
Fourth graders simulate how the digestive system works. In this hands-on simulation, 4th graders complete six group activities that help students visualize how our body breaks down food into nutrients.
Curated OER
What Goes Around Comes Around!
Students create an ecosystem in a jar to show a model of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle. Working in small groups, they research and present orally the information they find on this cycle.
Curated OER
Different Types of Changes (1.2)
In this recognizing different types of changes learning exercise, students answer questions about such things as reversible change, irreversible process, climatic change, filtration process, physical change, and change in the state of a...
Curated OER
Sugar Solutions
Seventh graders study biological systems and how they reach equilibrium. In this system balance lesson students divide into groups and complete an osmosis lab activity.
Curated OER
Once Upon A Bear
Students study different types of bears, their characteristics, and habitats. They discuss what they know and what they want to learn before visiting a website to look at images and information about bears. They listen to teacher read...
Curated OER
Pair the Plants: An Introduction to Scientific Names
Learners examine why plants have both common and scientific names, then complete the activity by matching each common plant name with its scientific name. They finish by working in cooperative groups to create an ABC of Plants class book.
Curated OER
A Whole New World
Young scholars work in small groups to investigate statistics regarding the solar system and participate in a 'scientific conference'. They explore available information about the extrasolar planet and assess the importance of this...
Curated OER
Is It Slimy? Does It Have Fur? Is It Really a Bird?
Sixth graders identify the different types of vertebrate animals based upon their major characteristics, as they create collages in groups. Collages show pictures of vertebrate animals labeled with the appropriate structural...
Curated OER
Keeping our Water Clean
Second graders discuss how our actions impact the quality of water. For this environmental science lesson, 2nd graders watch a short film and discuss the problem of polluted water. Students are then divided into groups and record their...
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DNA-B-C's
Students review what they already know about DNA. After reading an article, they discover a new technique to map the course of evolution. In groups, they create ways to present this material to younger children and research DNA's uses.
Curated OER
Frog and Toad Are Confusing
Third graders are introduced to the similiarties and differences between a frog and a toad. In groups, they compare and contrast them and identify distinguishing characteristics of each. They watch a video on the animals and answer...