Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Resources

For Teachers K - 12th
Students explore Iowa geography and topographic maps. For this geography and topographic maps lesson, student investigate maps, newspapers, Iowa flora and fauna. Students gain an understanding of how different landforms can be identified...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Dirt on Worms!

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders make predictions, observe, collect and record data. They investigate several soil and worm websites. Finally, 4th graders write a letter to The President which defends earthworms by explaining their value to the United...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Salt Water Connection

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
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Insect Pitfall Traps

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars ask testable questions, use the inquiry cycle to investigate, gather data and interpret the results, study the diversity of insects and other smallorganisms which live around the school; they can make an inventory...
Lesson Plan
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Hot Cans and Cold Cans

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students investigate the physics of heating and cooling through conduction, convection, and radiation. Working in groups, they determine the best way to cool a can of water and warm a can of water. Temperature is taken at five minute...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting to the Core of Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Young scholars investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pack Your Bags: Explore South Carolina

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate different counties in South Carolina. In this geography instructional activity, 3rd graders are assigned a county in South Carolina to research and identify important facts about the county. Students create a...
Lesson Plan
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Entomologists on Safari: On the Hunt for Mosquitoes

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research about the symptoms of West Nile Virus. In this health activity, students play the role of scientists investigating mosquito activity in a fictional community. They suggest ways to prevent West Nile virus infection by...
Lesson Plan
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Acid Rain in our State

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners conduct internet research on acid rain, a serious environmental problem. They examine the pH levels of rainwater for their state, collect data from their community and investigate the causes and solutions for acid rain.
Lesson Plan
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Triangle Inequality Theorem

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
High schoolers investigate the relationship between angle measures and sides of a triangle and the relationships among the three sides of a triangle. The use of technology (Cabri, Jr.) allows learners to make and test conjectures as they...
Lesson Plan
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...If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the concept of and reasons for immigration. They report on an immigrant group that moved to Illinois since 1700.
Lesson Plan
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Sports and Sir Isaac Newton

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders choose a sport to observe and capture pictures of Newton's Laws of motion in action within the sport. They import these pictures into Avid Cinema to create a multimedia project to go along with the written report and oral...
Lesson Plan
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Johnny Tremain for the 21st Century

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the American Revolution based on the novel, 'Johnny Tremain.' They define key vocabulary terms, develop a timeline, write a report on a colonial craft, make a colonial flag, and create a...
Lesson Plan
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Preserve is the Word

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate a list of archaeological ethical questions. They select a question/issue and design a 3-minute (maximum) PSA to persuade the public to agree with their idea. They conduct research or interviews with experts to be...
Lesson Plan
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Here Comes Winter!

For Teachers K - 1st
Learners investigate winter behaviors in animals. They describe winter and write about the characteristics of the season by drawing and labeling a winter picture. Students then conduct research on a chosen animal and create a chart. ...
Lesson Plan
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Endangered!

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students research endangered species.  In this ecology and literacy research lesson, students work with a partner to research an endangered species of their choice. Students choose from a variety of presentation methods and...
Lesson Plan
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Water Resources Engineering

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students illustrate the chemical differences between surface and tap-water. They investigate the common chemical and physical parameters relevant for water quality and gain hands on experience with water quality testing. They enhance...
Lesson Plan
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What on Earth is a Biome?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore organisms and their environments. They examine change over time demonstrate an understanding of physical positions on Earth. They survey earth's diversity, write a report, fill in a data table created on the...
Lesson Plan
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Cervical Vertebrae

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate the cervical vertebrae through models and diagrams. In this cervical vertebrae lesson plan, 8th graders use rice cakes, straws, marshmallows and thread to model the vertebrae. They simulate a cervical vertebrae...
Lesson Plan
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Meet One Picky Bird

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete a research project  In this endangered species lesson, students use the "Think, Puzzle, Explore" method to learn about endangered species. Students research and write a report on the red-cockaded woodpecker.
Lesson Plan
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Infusing Equity in the Classroom by Gender

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students investigate the idea of gender descrimination in the classroom. In this algebra lesson plan, students collect data in stereotyping, and gender bias in the classroom, school materials and activities. They graph and analyze their...
Lesson Plan
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Rain Forests

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate claims of medicinal plants found in the rain forest. In this research skills instructional activity, students examine the validity of Internet sources as they visit websites in search of information about...
Lesson Plan
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Understanding Oceans

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate how ocean currents affect our world. For this ocean currents lesson, students perform an experiment to show how cold water is near the poles and warm water is near the equator. Students use water, food coloring,...
Lesson Plan
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Graphing Systems at the Races

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Learners investigate systems of equations as they use the Ti-Navigator to explore scenarios about dog races and NASCAR races. Pupils determine the winner of the race and when opponents pass each other given a speed and distance.