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Hunting Invertebrate Fossils in the Classroom
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.
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No bones About It -A Mosasaur
Learners model a paleontologist's activities. They identify dinosaur bones and reassemble them into a skeleton of an extinct reptile.
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Biodiversity Study -- A Unit Study
Students sample a site with low human impact, one with moderate human impact, and a third with high human impact. Students chart the data for each site and then compare the sites and discuss.
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SeaWorld: Education, Entertainment, or Exploitation?
Students discuss SeaWorld, research marine animal biology, investigate one animal currently collected by SeaWorld, and decide whether they oppose or support SeaWorld's collection policy. Students then gather information relating to...
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Water Wonders
Students explore hydrology concepts. In this environment and biology lesson, students identify and describe macroinvertebrates using a variety of pictures and resources. Students observe and write about a classroom aquarium in which...
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Kids for Conservation: Animal Unit
Young scholars discuss animal needs and characteristics. In this animal mini-unit, students complete three activities studying different animals, their needs, how they have evolved, and how to protect them.
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Marine Life Research and Persuasive Conservation Pamphlet
Tenth graders examine conservation and research a type of fish that is under environmental stress. In this conservation lesson students create a pamphlet about the conservation of a marine organism.
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Making Cladograms
High schoolers construct cladograms (evolutionary trees), showing how shared derived characters can be used to reveal degrees of relationship. They interpret and analyze cladograms, and determine where unclassified vertebrates would fit...
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Araceli Solis Butterflies Unit
Third graders study the life cycle, eating habits, habitats, and migration patterns of butterflies in this series of lessons.
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Tracking Down Traits
Sixth graders list traits that all sixth graders share. They receive worksheets "Tracking Down Traits," working in groups to complete the chart. Students share results with the class and a class summary is tallied. Students discuss the...
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Lessons: Food Web
Students use an interactive web-based food web game to gain familiarity with tropic levels and interactions. They already understand that in an ecosystem there are four basic tropic levels: producers, primary consumers, secondary...
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Sumptuous Sprouting Seeds!
Third graders investigate the wonderful and wondrous world of plants. They examine the inside of a seed, explore the different parts of a seed, plant their own seeds, watch them sprout and then eat them! They describe, using their...
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Stella the Swan
Students analyze the telling of a story with props. They study similarities and differences between ducks, geese and swans, how wildfowl are adapted to life in water, how wildfowl move and feed, and wildfowl family life, how they nest,...
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A Year (a Day or a Week) In My Life as a Shorebird
Students describe the basic life history of one shorebird common to their area. They use the writing process which includes brainstorming, rough draft writing, peer editing, and re-writing to create a factually and grammatically...
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What Makes a Tropical Rainforest Special?
Students examine the characteristics of the tropical rainforest. Using a map, they locate the rainforests found around the world, continents and the equator. Using the internet, they research the various layers of the rainforest and...
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THE PEANUT WIZARD
Students read information about George Washington Carver and outline the information. They are given peanuts in the shell, students examine them and eat them. Students discuss the following questions: Why did George Washington Carver...
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Animal Signs
Young scholars discuss the many different types of animal signs that can be used to identify and track animals. They participate in an hands-on activity in which they examine tracks, trails, homes, territory markings, and even "scat"...
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Seed Dispersal
Students determine seed dispersal methods. For this life science lesson, students make predictions about how seeds might move, then look at seeds under micrographs or microscopes to analyze the seed coat and how this helps dispersal. ...
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History's Thermometers
High schoolers explain the concept of paleoclimatological proxies. In this oxygen isotope instructional activity, students interpret data and make inferences about climate changes in the geologic past.
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4th Grade Life Science Unit: Animals
Fourth graders classify animals. In this animal kingdom lesson, 4th graders research animal habitats and behaviors. Students connect to a zoologist via SKYPE and learn about animal classification. Students blog about preserving animal...
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Passing Notes
Students demonstrate the importance of sharing compliments. In this character education lesson plan, students write compliments on post-it notes to one of their classmates.
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Bahamian Terrariums
Sixth graders create a Bahamian terrarium. In this Bahamian ecosystem lesson, 6th graders watch a PowerPoint to see Bahamian biotic and abiotic factors. They bring in 2-3 items for their terrarium.
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Designing a Germination Experiment - Part 1
Students experiment with seeds and germination. In this natural science lesson, students discuss the stages of germination. Students engage in a 4 part hands on science activity to view the process of germination.
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Happy Face Spider Propagation
Students research genetic adaptations. In this chromosome lesson plan, students investigate dominant and recessive genes using spiders indigenous to Hawaii. Students create Punnett squares to determine the probability of passing specific...