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River Research
Students use the internet to research the streams and rivers found in Illinois. Using the information, they identify and describe the rivers and streams along with the physical characteristics of a river ecosystem. They share what they...
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Biosphere
Students examine the basic biosphere and its components. In this ecology instructional activity students complete several experiments including designing a system that is balanced to sustain life.
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Animal Movements
Students discuss the behavior of different animals and how they move. They explore the ways that this helps them live and find food in their environment. They participate in a game that requires them to mimic the ways in which animals move.
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Desert Tortoise Tale
Students listen to a reading of the "Desert Tortoise Tale" and complete a maze that highlights the different threats the baby tortoise faces along the way. They discuss the reasons the Desert Tortoise is becoming endangered.
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Reclamation and Recycling
Students learn the importance of plants and animals, ecosystems and habitats... and see how these factors guide mining reclamation projects. They then discover the importance of recycling, and the difference between manufacturing with...
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It's For the Birds
Fifth graders examine how anatomical adaptations make it possible for a bird to survive in various habitats. They discuss and list birds and their unique characteristics, and create an imaginary bird, illustrating the environmental...
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Riparian: The Guardian of the Waterways
Students become educated on what a riparian is, the need for riparian, and how a riparian corridor (forest, habitat) can protect waterways. Students construct dioramas depicting riparian habitats.
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Reclamation and Recycling
Students examine the many uses of mined lands after reclamation has been completed and discover the importance of recycling finding the difference between manufacturing with recycled materials and newly extracted materials.
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Needs and Wants
Students demonstrate responsible consumer choices. In this social studies lesson, students read The Lorax and discuss wants and needs. Students discuss how to save natural resources by making informed consumer choices.
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Creature Features
Students examine why certain animals live in only specific places throughout the world. Using animals, they classify them based on their characteristics and identify their basic needs. They also observe and compare the life cycles of...
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Create Your Own Animal
Students design and create their own hypothetical animal. In this biology lesson, students identify the factors organisms need to survive. They classify their animals according to its correct phylum.
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Wildlife
The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...
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Boom and Bust
Students investigate commercial fishery. In this fishery lesson, students describe stages in commercial fishery, interpret data and predict when a fisher stock is showing signs of overexploitation.
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Environmental Problems and Solutions
For this environmental problems and solutions worksheet, students are given a list of 25 environmental problems. They match them with a given solution and paste the matching pairs to a piece of construction paper.
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Standard 4 Review-Human Impact
In this human impact on the environment worksheet, students fill in the blanks to complete sentences about how humans have negatively affected the environment. They complete sentences about the actions taken to reduce and repair the...
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Exploring Forest Objects
Students explore the forest. In this ecosystems lesson plan, students rotate through sensory activity centers, brainstorm, and read about temperate forests.
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Monk Seal Research Expedition
Students study data. In this seal research lesson, students act as scientific researchers observing Monk seals in their habitat. They work in small groups to record data from a video and when through they share a piece of information...
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WET Science Lesson #3: Comparison of Aquatic and Terrestrial Plants
Elementary life science explorers compare and contrast aquatic and terrestrial plants (elodea and soybeans) in a Venn diagram. Some background information is provided to support direct instruction, and general instructions are provided...
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African Savanna
First graders are introduced to the ecosystems of savannas throughout the world. Using new vocabulary, they identify and describe the characteristics of a savanna and the animals that live there. They also describe the Earth's physical...
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Rock-a-bye Babies in a Wetland
Students review the way human babies grow and what type of care they need. Using the internet, they are introduced to five different wetland habitat animals and how their babies grow. They discover how they are born and what the...
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Camouflage, Protection, & Adaptations—Who am I?
Learners explore ocean animal adaptations. In this animal adaptations activity, students examine how different ocean animals use adaptations other than camouflage to protect themselves.
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Digging Up The Facts
Learners research environmental issues. In this environmental lesson, students use the Internet to research an environmental problem and list ten facts about it. Learners write a summary of facts.
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Sonar Simulation
Students explore how a side-scan sonar can help locate underwater objects. In this hands- on lesson students compare side-scan sonar and other methods used to search for underwater objects by creating their own "simulation" of a...
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Birds of Wisconsin
First graders explore the job done by ornithologists. They role play identifying the characteristics that make a bird a bird. They discuss what makes each bird species unique. Students are introduced to Wisconsin's most common and rare...