Curated OER
Life, Death, Dirt, & Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was a composter? Certainly the cycle of life and death he describes in "Leaves of Grass" parallels the processes going on in a compose pile. The interdisciplinary approach detailed here could be used to foster a deeper...
Curated OER
Using Walt Whitman¿¿¿s Poem ¿¿¿Leaves of Grass¿¿¿ And Takamri¿¿¿s Girl And Boy As Inspiration for Writing a Celebration of Self
Learners read and analyze Walt Whitman's poem, "Leaves of Grass." They compare/contrast Whitman's style to artist Takamori's style, and write an original poem about their childhood and fond memories.
Curated OER
Fall is All Around Us
Young scholars develop and create a production company and produce a fall event that demonstrates what they have learned in various subject areas. STudents create stories, complete a venn diagram comparing fall and summer, graph and...
Curated OER
"ART ZOO 'Blacks in the Westward Movement', 'What Can You Do with a Portrait', and 'Of Beetles, Worms, and Leaves of Grass'"
Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and investigate their natural environment. This humanities lesson provides a text that can be used to teach lessons in black...
Curated OER
Growing a Lawn
Students research plant growth. In this plant growth activity, students explore the needs of plants. Students compare and contrast grass and broadleaf plants and grow a miniature lawn in a cup of soil. Resources are provided.
Curated OER
Where's the Grass
Students participate in a grassland game. In this grassland lesson, students simulate the impact of grazing animals and invasive weeds on grasslands.
Curated OER
Grass as Biomass
Learners explore energy properties by listening to a sustainability lecture in class. In this biomass instructional activity, students identify what biomass is, how it can be transformed into a usable energy and how it complements the...
Curated OER
Read The Roots
Students experiment to determine the best watering schedule to use when growing grass. In this grass watering instructional activity, students examine rye grass seeds and discuss the role roots play in keeping grass healthy. They grow...
Curated OER
Camouflage
Here is a instructional activity which incorporates ingenious hands-on activities that simulate how many animals use camouflage as a survival technique. This instructional activity clearly outlines how to implement the activities and...
Curated OER
Learning To Look
Sixth graders investigate a flower plant and the plant cycle. They extend observational skills when looking at a tree by observing, questioning and sharing ideas. They observe a living and nonliving flower and compare and contrast how...
Curated OER
Very, Very, Simple Decorative Papers
Elementary schoolers gather flowers, leaves, fiber, ribbons and newspapers to expand studenT awareness of their environment. They use these to make printmaking papers, cards, book covers, picture frames and photo mats. Beautiful results...
Curated OER
Pen and Ink Drawing
Learners hone their drawing techniques to create a nature-inspired piece of art. They practice hatching, cross hatching, stippling, and shading. They discuss how each method is better suited for creating specific elements in nature such...
Curated OER
Compost Lesson
If you are looking for how to introduce elementary environmentalists to the process of composting, here is a comprehensive outline for making it happen. The plan is to set this up at the beginning of a school year in order to observe the...
Curated OER
Fall Cubism Collage
Fall is an amazing season and leaves are fantastic subjects for artists to examine. Young artists use leaves to create fall collages using the rubbing technique.
Curated OER
What is Soil?
Students study living and non-living materials that are found in soil. They study the things required by plants and animals to remain healthy. They design a collage of sand, stones, leaves and other natural items.
Curated OER
Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...
Curated OER
Playground Greenup
Students document changes in the playground vegetation during the year by making drawings or taking digital photographs of grass, trees, bushes, weeds, and other vegetation. They study how the color of vegetation changes during different...
Curated OER
Feeling the Heat
Students investigate the urban heat island effect. In this urban heat island effect lesson, students learn how trees, grass, asphalt, and other things on the school grounds effect temperature. They use the information to generalize it to...
Curated OER
Smile...you're on Insect Camera!
Students study insects. They go on an outdoor insect outing and look for insects in a variety of places--in the air, under rocks, on leaves, in water, etc. They record information about the insects they find, including habitat, weather...
Curated OER
Plant a Seed of Kindness
Students perform acts of kindness. In this character lesson, students cut out seed shapes and write down their acts of kindness on them. Students place the seeds on a bulletin board where they "plant" them below the grass line.
Curated OER
Building An African Compound
Students construct a model of an African compound. In this African culture lesson, students describe the neighborhoods that can be found in Africa. Students use construction paper, glue, dried leaves, and a cardboard box to construct a...
Polar Trec
Permafrost Thaw Depth and Ground Cover
The thaw depth of tundra creates a positive feedback loop with both global warming and the carbon cycle. Scholars sort photos and develop a hypothesis for ground cover and permafrost depth. Then they review the data and measurements...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Preparing for Project BudBurst
Male deer growing antlers to begin the breeding season is an example of a phenological event. First in a four-part series is an activity requiring individuals to collect phenological data on their campus. Classes discuss phenology, the...
Curated OER
Adaptations to Environments with Mammals
Fifth graders, after viewing a PowerPoint on different mammals, analyze what a biome is. Then they choose a mammal to research and go outside to feel the grass and leaves and hypothesize about which biome they live in as well as its...