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Natural Selection: Exploring the 'Ohi'a Common Garden
Seventh graders examine natural variation by visiting the Ohi'a Common Garden in Volcano, Hawaii. In this natural selection lesson, 7th graders study background information about phenotypes, genotypes, and phenotypic plasticity before...
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Enrichment Activities - "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH"
Fifth graders read the novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH." They discuss the various characters in the book, and the different types of conflict that take place within the book. They also research owls and rats to make comparisons...
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Winter
Students examine how animals adapt to the harsh New England winter. They discuss articles they have read on the subject.
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Puerto Rican Parrot Paradise
Students investigate the environment of the Puerto Rican Parrot. They visualize the ecosystem with and without information. They conduct research to find information and participate in classroom discussion to demonstrate comprehension of...
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PROTOPLAST PRODUCTION
Pupils are allowed to strip away the cell walls of plants cells (using enzymes) and then observe the resulting spherical protoplasts (plant cells minus the cell wall). They see that plants cells indeed have a plasma membrane in addition...
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A Fishy Twist on Adaptations
Pupils examine the relationship between specific fish adaptations and their function for survival. They design a fish based on certain adaptations and then decide to which habitat their fish would be best suited. Individual students...
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Bird Migration
Students watch a short movie on bird migration and answer short answer questions about it. In this bird migration lesson plan, students fill out a worksheet.
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Group Foraging
Students explore co-operation by researching ocean life. In this fish science activity, students identify many vocabulary terms associated with oceanography and discuss what group foraging means among fish. Students utilize paints and...
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Bat Fact Page
Third graders investigate unusual bats and draw their own interpretation of the bat. They use rhyming words to write a creative story about bats. Facial features of microbats and megabats are observed and then classfied in groups.
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EGG-STRA, EGG-STRA LEARN ALL ABOUT IT
Students explore how animals produce young by watching age-appropriate videos on the subject. They watch as chicken eggs either hatch or not in an incubator.
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Where the Red Fern Grows: A 4th Grade Literary Focus Unit
Fourth graders explore the human and animal connection along with the idea that death is a part of the life cycle. They read "Where the Red Fern Grows." Students examine the feelings and emotions surrounding death and they discover the...
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Cranes, Crosswalks, and Big Gulps
Students watch a video and answer questions based on wildlife jobs. In this wildlife lesson plan, students learn that biologists don't just play with animals but that there is a lot of study involved.
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Life Science Review for Grade 4
In this life science review for grade 4 worksheet, 4th graders answer 25 multiple choice questions in standardized test format about life science.
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Michigan Ecosystems: The Web They Weave
Young scholars examine the forest ecosystem and how all life in the forest depends upon itself. In this ecological lesson, students participate in a personal connections activity where someone pulls on a string and everyone feels...
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Leonardo's Machines
Learners explore Leonardo da Vinci's ideas about design and machines.
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What Lives Inside Your Mouth?
Young scholars explore the mouth's environment and realize that there are bacteria in everyone's mouth.
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Have You Ever Seen a Sea Monkey?
Fourth graders observe brine shrimp over several days. They create drawings showing the growth and development of the shrimp. They research web sites to find out where brine shrimp fit on the food chain and what makes the shrimp unique.
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Understanding Cause and Effect using A Sound of Thunder
Students listen to a short story, A Sound of Thunder, and retell parts of the story which is about time travel. They respond to the story by writing cause/effect outcomes about the ecosystem using a handout.
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Water Pollution, Stream Ecosystems
Pupils 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 entire...
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Mussel Anatomy Lesson Plan
Students identify the parts and functions of a mussel. They explain how its physical adaptations help it survive in its habitat. They label the parts as a quiz to complete the lesson.
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Wildlife Study Comparison
Students compare/contrast two studies that examine the effects of environmental contaminants on animals. They read an article, identify the components of a research study, summarize the article, and complete a matrix.
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Lesson #5: Symbiosis and Coral Anatomy
Fifth graders examine the basic structure of corals and the concept of symbiosis. They watch a Powerpoint Presentation, develop an original pair of organisms living symbiotically, and create an edible model of a coral polyp.
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Prey or Pray? Could YOU Escape a Cheetah?
Tenth graders estimate the size of an adult cheetah by research and measurement of a picture. They determine the approximate distance and speed of the cheetah from a filmed chase and compare that to their own running speed.
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Biome-Ecology Unit with a "Design a Zoo" Extension
Students participate in a three part unit about biomes. Part one, students research the biomes of North America and part two consists of research on zoos and a field trip to a zoo. While part three ties together the first two when...