Rainforest Alliance
Climate Educator Guide
Climate change is a hot topic in the news. Class members examine carbon dioxide data to analyze trends of our atmospheric makeup over time. They also discuss climate and climate change, and determine how these changes are affecting life...
Curated OER
Break the Tension
Learners experiment with the concepts of surface tension. They participate in a number of different experiments that introduce them to surface tension. They work in a small group in order to conduct these experiments.
Prince William Network
The Incredible Journey
Divide your school gym into breeding grounds and non-breeding grounds so that your zoologists can play a game simulating the seasonal migration of shorebirds. Players pick one of the included game cards and follow its directions, which...
Michigan State University
In Search of Life
Explore the habitats around you with an activity that takes kids out of the classroom to learn about the local variety of habitats and the living things that call them home. In small groups, scholars investigate their surroundings,...
Rainforest Alliance
Forests of Guatemala
With 90 percent of its land area covered in forests, Suriname, a country in South America, contains the largest percentage of forests throughout the world. Here is an activity that brings classmates together to learn about the...
Curated OER
A World of Feathered Friends
students will learn to
respect the nature around them. This respect is vital because ignorance of surrounding
nature can lead to carelessness when curiosity goes awry. A perfect example of this
wayward curiosity took place at our school...
Curated OER
Prairie Scales and Prairie Smoothies
Sixth graders explore the animals that live on the prairie and identify differences between amphibians and reptiles and the adaptations each have made to live on the prairie.
Curated OER
Habitat Happenings
Students examine the characteristics of the Prairie Creek Habitat in Illinois. In groups, they travel between various stations writing haikus and reading brochures. They identify what occurs in each habitat and identify the animals...
Curated OER
Animal Poetry
Fourth graders write poems that use local wildlife as their inspiration. After a class discussion which produces a list of wildlife that pupils have seen in their town, a review of three types of poetry ensues. They look at how haiku,...
Curated OER
Life Cycle: Diversity in a Balance
In this life cycle workbook, 3rd graders complete several different activities in which they analyze different invertebrates, identify arthropods, examine human biology and plants, and study natural environments. 20 different activities...
Curated OER
What's Your Classification
Learners classify animals. In this animal groups lesson, students watch a video on animal groups and review the six animal groups. Learners practice classifying animals using stuffed animals.
Curated OER
Caterpillars To Butterflies
Students observe the life cycle of a butterfly. They read butterfly/caterpillar themed books. They sequence the lifecycle from eggs on a leaf to an adult butterfly. They release their butterflies into a natural habitat after singing and...
Curated OER
Butterfly Adventure
Students in second grade are paired with fifth grade computer research buddies. They observe the characteristics of caterpillars, and identify the four stages of the caterpillar to butterfly life cycle. They graph the number of...
Curated OER
Caterpillars To Butterflies
Students gain an appreciation of nature by teaching them about the life cycle of the butterfly. They set up a terrarium so they can observe the changes a caterpillar goes through.
Curated OER
What's in Wetland Soil?
Students examine the organic and inorganic components of soil. In this environmental science lesson, students identify the factors that influence soil formation. They collect soil samples, conduct tests, and analyze the results.
Curated OER
Who Are the Aliens in Our Inland Seas?
Students work in teams to research specific landforms in Great Lakes Watershed, compile information into data table, and write legend explaining landform for children's book. Students then research area surrounding landform, compile...
Curated OER
Guetemala's Changing Forest
Eighth graders compare their local ecological zone to the tropical rainforest. In this natural ecology lesson, 8th graders complete an activity about the differences in ecological zones. They compare their biome to the Guatemalan...
Curated OER
Wonderfully Wild Unit the four L's of Wildlife
Students appreciate the natural environment. In this "four L's" lesson, students observe, reflect and appreciate unique ecosystems and how they help sustain life. Students create posters with the four L's.
Curated OER
Too Bee Or Not To Bee
Students recognize that bees are important in the reproduction of plants and to the survival of animals. In this bee lesson plan, students become familiar with the parts of bees and how those adaptations help them pollinate plants....
Curated OER
The Buzz on Bees-How Bees Make Our World a Little Sweeter
These lessons can help students learn about the important role bees play in the ecosystem.
Curated OER
Frogs, Frogs, And More Frogs
Third graders review the life cycle of a frog. They use the computer to research specific information about their frog and write a descriptive paragraph using the information obtained on the computer. They access websites imbedded in...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Stream Consciousness
Fourth graders study how environmental engineers monitor water quality. They use environmental indicators to determine the quality of stream water in their area. They count the number of macroinverabrates and use the information they...
Curated OER
Observing Mealworms and Earthworms
Fifth graders examine the lifecycles of earthworms and mealworms. In groups, they make sketches, measure, and read about mealworms and earthworms. They travel between stations to examine a different part of their lives. To end the...
Curated OER
School Yard Park/Ecosystem
Fifth graders observe and categorize different sections of a park and it's ecosystem. For this categorizing lesson plan, 5th graders collect different facets of nature from a nearby park (without disturbing the ecosystem). They map,...