Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hunting Invertebrate Fossils in the Classroom

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students acquire a general knowledge of fossils and paleontology, the study of evidence of life in the past and identify the major invertebrate groups (phyla) commonly found in the fossil record.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Biodiversity

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify the basic components necessary for biodiversity, the critical and countless benefits of habitats, as well as the serious present and future threats to their ongoing existence.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Digging into the Past

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discover how fossils are found and how they help scientists reconstruct the past. They examine how they shed light on what kinds of animals and plants lived over the years, when they lived, and under what environmental conditions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How To Make a Mummy

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students explore the process of mummification through a British website. They read about why the process began and how it is done. They can follow along in the process in how to make a mummy as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The African and the Pequot in Colonial America

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students determine that the lands the English settled on were owned and inhabited by 70,000 Indians. They consider that the London Company sold land charters to the English, which gave them illegal title to lndian land and that the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Digging Detectives

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students experience exploring an archaeological site utilizing various archaeological methods and techniques to help them synthesize multiple aspects of past life and culture to today. They explore what an archaeologist can learn from an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dinosaurs 1: Where Are the Dinosaurs?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students study dinosaurs. In this dinosaur lesson plan, students watch a web based video about dinosaurs before discussing what they liked about the dinosaurs, telling about the sounds they heard, and explaining what the Earth looked...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native American Three Sisters Gardens

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students investigate companion planting. In this  communtiy gardening lesson students explore the tradition of the Native American Three Sisters gardening approach. Students act as botanists, anthropologists, folklorists, and curators.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crinoids: Flowers f the Iowa Seas

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students study the rocks and fossils associated with the geologic landscape of Iowa. In this rocks and fossils lesson plan, students examine fossils that would be found in the Iowa landscape that show evidence of marine invertebrates...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Endangered Species !: Why Are Species Endangered?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore the various issues and problems faced by endangered species globally. They research the plight of endangered species, create a poster of a selected animal, and present their poster and research to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Landfills: A Solid Waste Management Plan

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers are able to list the types of household waste that they produce daily. They are able to describe some other types of waste that are produced by industry or agriculture to help maintain their lifestyles. Students are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environment: The River Classroom

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders engage in hands-on experiments and activities dealing with rivers and greenways. They also observe lectures and demonstrations by experts in water and river restoration. Students and teachers participate in canoe trips...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Teeth Tell Us

For Teachers K - 4th
Students view pictures of a variety of animals. They examine the animals' teeth and discuss the differences in them. They experiment with staple removers (carnivore teeth) and two flat rocks (herbivore teeth) and determine which are most...
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Prescription Pain Medications

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students study different pain medications and their side effects.  For this drug usage lesson students read articles and complete a worksheet. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plant Disease Identification and Classification by Using Sterile Techniques

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders identify how to use sterile techniques when identifying plant pathogens.  In this plant diseases instructional activity students complete a lab activity in which they see how plant diseases are identified and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

After the Garbage Can: Where Does Our Trash Go?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore how waste disposal has changed over time and what the current issues are.  In this disposal instructional activity students collect data and create graphs.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Understanding Newton's Laws

For Students 4th - 6th
In this physics activity, students investigate Newton's Three Laws. In this multiple choice, matching, and short answer activity, student answer eleven questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Greatest Show on Earth: The World's Smallest Animals

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students create instruments to capture different types of insects. In this The Greatest Show on Earth: The World's Smallest Animals lesson, students compare the attributes of certain insects and record the data on a chart. After catching...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

'O'opu Life Cycle

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Learners investigate the life cycle of the 'o'opu also known as Hawaiian gobies.  In this amphidromous living lesson plan, students discuss the reproductive cycle, create props and an obstacle course to demonstrate the importance of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pair the Plants: An Introduction to Scientific Names

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Candy Bar Subsurface Geology

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are introduced to drawing and interpreting topographical maps. They each cut through there Jell-o mountain at regular height intervals, and trace around the shape of the Jell-o cut off at the height, overlaying the different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes a Cat a Cat?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the lives of pets by videotaping them.  In this animal life lesson, students videotape a cat and other pets using school cameras in a computer lab.  Students review the footage from the cat and other...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flight Dreams: Birds Flew First

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars observe how bird flight and machine flight are similar. In this aerodynamics lesson, students observe how birds fly and the shapes of their wings, and investigate how observing birds helped develop the concept of machine...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Ecology

For Students 4th - 6th
In this ecology worksheet, students read information about ecology and the nine ecology subdivisions and answer comprehension questions. Students answer ten questions in this matching and fill in the blank worksheet.