Curated OER
Dependence and Interdependence
Third graders explore the dependence and interdependence that plants and animals in every environment have on one another. They examine how plants and animals depend on each other for survival. Students complete a variety of experiments...
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Forest Sustainability
High schoolers study major forests and their history. They see what sustainable forestry and silviculture is and discuss the topics on the attached worksheet.
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Wild Dog Debate
Students participate in a mock conference addressing the possible extinction of African wild dogs. In this wild dogs lesson plan, students state their arguments and ask questions about the issues they have researched.
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Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Here's a fine instructional activity on renewable and non-renewable sources of energy for your 5th graders. In it, learners list a number of natural resources on the board, then try to sort the resources into appropriate categories. This...
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Exploring Ecosystems
Learners examine the relationships between plants, animals, and the environment in ecosystems. They sort animal cards, collect natural materials from the schoolyard, and record an ecosystem web in the form of a poster.
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Who Takes Care of the Maya Forest Corridor?
First graders explore the work of conservationists and how they make sure animals and people are safe in their habitats. They identify the rules, laws, jobs, and people who help them feel safe and keep them healthy. Students explore who...
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Bioethics
Pupils are introduced to the issues surrounding bioethics and begin to discover how some of these values can influence decision making. The exciting part of this instructional activity is the constructivist method used to engage students...
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Aquatic Exotics
Students identify and describe the aquatic exotic species found in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the species origins and discover their effects on native species in the area. They discuss how appropriate it is to introduce...
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Urban Ecosystems 4: Metabolism of Urban Ecosystems
Cities are compared to living, breathing, metabolizing organisms. Fourth in a five-part series of lessons, this one focuses on the flow of materials through a city. Links to interesting websites and images make your delivery of...
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Use of the Forest in the Economic Evolution of Oakville, Pennsylvania
Students explore forest usage and the ways which it affected the development of Oakville. They identify the technological advances that shaped forest based industries, and the current challenges facing the community of Oakville.
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Prairie Scavenger Hunt
Here is a simple lesson plan for young learners on the plants, animals, and flowers found in the prairie environment. There are worksheets embedded in the plan that pupils use once a teacher-led discussion and demonstration has taken...
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Prairie Scavenger Hunt
Students search for a variety of items while visiting a Listening to the Prarie exhibition.
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Message in a Bottle
Students acquire a pen pal in a foreign country and write letters at least twice a month throughout the year to exchange with them. At the end of the year, they write an essay that compares one important difference and one important...
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Volcanoes A-Z
Students examine terminology related to the study of volcanoes, geology, or the ecosystems that surround them. They make note of key words while reading exhibits, interpretive signs, or labels, or hearing them from each other, their...
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Scientists Write!
Students use a journal to record observations. They make notes about what research may be needed to answer questions that have come up in the field and sketch or make connections in the curriculum. They research bioinformatics and...
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Information Reports
Students practice essay skills. In this essay skills lesson, students select an essay subject and take notes for their topic. Students create a web for their essays. Students organize, write, revise, and publish their essays.
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Population Biology
Students define the following terms: predation, competition, carrying capacity and population. They can explain the patterns of growth and the limitations of growth. Students explain the difference between density-dependent and...
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Learning About Watersheds
In this learning about watersheds worksheet, students answer 15 questions using links to web resources about water use in their community. This page includes numerous links to helpful websites.
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It's Just a Barn
Investigate Pennsylvania Barns. Have your class consider the elements common to Pennsylvanian barns and why they are significant to the food production process. They write summaries of Frederick Watts and his impact on agriculture.
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I See a Coyote
Students role-play coyotes looking for natural resources. In this natural resources lesson, students examine the relationship between animal life and the environment. Students play a game that demonstrates how natural...
Michigan Sea Grant
Wetlands
Wetlands may not sound particularly ornate, but they are as important as any habitat! With a hands-on activity, young scientists build a wetland model and observe its many functions in action. They discover the importance of wetlands to...
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Forest Food Webs
Learners consider the interdependency of life in a temperate forest by studying selected organisms from an Asian temperate forest and creating a food web.
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Eco Points Score Card
Students play a game in which points are assigned to daily activities which require fossil fuels or electricity. They compare the impact their energy and transportation choices have in everyday life.
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The Salt Water Connection
Students investigate the various factors that influence the Pacific Ocean and Monterey Bay, California. They watch a video about Monterey Bay and take notes, and conduct research and write a report about a specific organism living in...