Lesson Plan
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Wildlife Needs

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students identify the wildlife needs in a specific setting. In this wildlife needs lesson, students identify and illustrate the four stages of forest succession. Students list the natural habitat and food for a given species. Students...
Lesson Plan
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Frogs: Fact or Folklore

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars discover how frogs are adapted to their environment. They view and discuss a Discovery Channel video on frogs and the myths surrounding frogs. In small, groups they compile data on frogs from the internet to create a...
Lesson Plan
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Illnois River and Lake Mussel Habitat Diorama Activity

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Learners identify the environmental elements of river and lake mussels. They compare the elements to the time before settlement and during industrialization. They also participate in a field trip to a mussel exhibit.
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Chewin' in the Chesapeake

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine a web page on food webs and select a habitat to research.  In this research lesson students identify the organisms found in the food web and present their findings to the class.
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It's all Interconnected

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students participate in a number of activities to investigate the food web, species extinction, predators and prey, and biological diversity.
Lesson Plan
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Web of Life Game

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students participate in a web of life game. After reviewing new vocabulary, they play each round of the game and discuss the changes that occured in the last round. They are to survive in the game as long as possible given the...
Lesson Plan
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Water Pollution, Stream Ecosystems

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students participate in a series of simulated activities designed to demonstrate the interconnectedness between the environment and the organisms that live there. They explore how polluting one element of an environment affects the...
Lesson Plan
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My Habitat Address

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders draw a habitat and write about what they would need to survive in the habitat. They define the input of items such as materials, energy, and information, and what goes out of the habitat. They play a "Habitat Address" game,...
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What's Dancing in the Water?

For Teachers K - 6th
Young scholars learn about watershed, as well as the different forms and uses of water. In this water forms lesson plan, students brainstorm water sources and uses. Young scholars read the book Water Dance and discuss water examples....
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Wild Waters Downtown

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate how wild animals living in urba settings also need sources of clean water. They discuss the open water issues of West Nile Virus and what happens to urba animals as these poolings area are cleaned up. ...
Lesson Plan
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Oceanography

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify saltwater and freshwater habitats and the resources found in them. They compare and contrast the two habitats and discuss their findings. They discover the resources bodies of water can provide.
Lesson Plan
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Mother Nature's Laboratory

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students research how various plants and animals adapt over time to specific habitats and for specific purposes. Students produce a pictorial report on an example of an animal or plant's adaptation.
Lesson Plan
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Wildlife, Wolves, Endangered Species

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use the Internet to research wildlife and conservation efforts. They examine pictures and graphics to research endangered species and humans role in their lives. They also use math to measure areas of habitats and add the number...
Lesson Plan
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Pond and Pond Organisms

For Teachers K - 7th
Students explore pond ecosystems.  In this pond organism activity, students will use pond water and a plastic bad in order to locate and identify freshwater organisms.  The activity is designed for younger grades, but...
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Forest Food Web

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students explore the elements of a forest ecosystem. They examine the elements needed to form a forest food web. Students construct and describe food webs that include nonliving elements of the ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
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Blue Planet: Open Ocean

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research facts about animal species.  In this ocean lesson  students view a video, prepare illustrated cards and create a food-web display.  
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More Than a Campground

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders participate in a class disucssion on the term "habitat". The class brainstorms on what makes a national park special. In small groups, they research a a national park and create a mural depicting those factors that make...
Lesson Plan
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Force of Habitat

For Teachers K - 1st
Students examine the Nevada state quarter and discuss the Great Basin and the desert habitat. They draw a desert animal and write a sentence about its attributes and how they help the animal to survive in its habitat.
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Critters in the Classroom

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students investigate with sea urchins. In this ocean habitat lesson, students observe sea urchins and other ocean grazers. Students work with lab equipment to examine the anatomy of these creatures.
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Can We Keep the Lake Clean?

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students are introduced to the water cycle. They help draw a picture of a lake ecosystem, adding human impacts that affect water quality. Students help fill in the components of a drawing of a water system. At the end of the lesson...
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Seas Of Life

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students brainstorm examples of predator and prey that are featured in a video they watch.  In this investigative lesson students will research an animal from the video and explain if it is a predator or prey and how it helps...
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Habitat Lap Sit

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Young scholars examine through role play interdependence of animal and man in their search for the proper arrangement of food, water, shelter and space in the same regions. Students then discuss necessary components of suitable habitat.
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Desert Tortoise Tale

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students listen to a reading of the "Desert Tortoise Tale" and complete a maze that highlights the different threats the baby tortoise faces along the way. They discuss the reasons the Desert Tortoise is becoming endangered.
Lesson Plan
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Investigation 1 - Wetlands, Forests & Deserts

For Teachers 4th
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.