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Living and Non-Living
Fourth graders are divided into small groups and collect 4 objects from the playground. They take 5 to 10 minutes to classify their groups and discuss their findings including the terms "living" and "non-living". As a class they discuss...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Carbon, Greenhouse Gases, and Climate
Climate models mathematically represent the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land, sun, surface, and ice. Part two in the series of four lessons looks at the role greenhouse gases play in keeping Earth warm and has participants...
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Living vs. Nonliving
Pupils explore the characteristics that distinguish living things from nonliving things. Students examine video clips and still photographs to gather evidence and develop criteria to decide if something is living or nonliving.
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The Martian and the Car
In this living things worksheet, students determine 5 things about a car that makes it seem like its a living thing and 5 things that prove it is not a living thing. This worksheet has 10 short answer questions.
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IDENTIFYING AND SORTING BEARS
Students study the difference between living and nonliving bears by classifying pictures of bears and placing them on the appropriate posterboard. Given pictures of bears, students recognize types of bears by placing the pictures correctly.
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Classifying Living and Non-Living Objects
Students investigate living organisms and define the properties of a living species. In this life characteristic instructional activity, students examine plants in their class and discuss whether or not they are alive....
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Who lives with Mallard?
Students explore how all living things have needs that are obtained from their surroundings. They identify the surroundings where an animal or plant lives is its habitat. Students identify that a habitat is a community of living and...
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Wild Thing!
Sixth graders view several segments of the video, "How Animals Survive." They discuss elements of survival. Students list living and nonliving things found in their backyards and schoolyards. Students work in groups to complete the...
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Making a Mini Worm Habitat
Students explore the process of converting organic waste into usable fertilizer. They observe how living and nonliving things interact with one another by making a mini-worm habitat.
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Bacteria: The good, the bad, the ugly
Seventh graders conduct an experiment. For this bacteria lesson, 7th graders list living and nonliving things and brainstorm the characteristics they share. Students are divided into two groups where they put samples of hand...
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Secrets to Healthy Soil
Fourth graders explore needed mineral nutrients for healthy soil. In this soil lesson, 4th graders investigate how living and nonliving elements combine to contribute to fertile soil development.
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Parts of Ecosystems
In this ecosystem worksheet, students brainstorm and write down as many living and nonliving things found in an ecosystem. This worksheet is a graphic organizer.
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Observing and Recording Biological Data
Students create their own definition of life. They identify the eight characteristics of life in organisms. They compare and contrast the characteristics of living and nonliving things.
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Living vs. Non-Living Things
Fourth graders describe the characteristics that determine if something is living, dead, or non-living. They determine the difference between living and non-living things. Students determine if an object is living or non-living and...
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The Living Environment
In this living environment worksheet, learners complete a crossword puzzle given 34 clues about the various species in the environment that produce, consume and decompose. Topics also include photosynthesis, respiration, glucose, organic...
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Water Quality and Environmental Pollution
Learners use litmus paper to begin to discover the qualities of acids and bases. They learn about pH by testing clear liquids for acidity with purple cabbage juice as an indicator. The video Streamkeeper, with Bill Nye, and other video...
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Color in the Garden
Third graders study color in a garden environment. For this color lesson, 3rd graders explore the colors of living and nonliving elements within a garden environment. Resources are provided.
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Cricket Wars
Third graders explore living and nonliving things in a garden environment. In this garden environment instructional activity, 3rd graders study the effects of crickets in a garden. Students explore the interaction between living and...
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Summer Scientists
In this instructional activity, students discuss and reocrd what makes an object living or nonliving. The students then chart the lists of living and nonliving objects. Teacher allows students oportunity to go outside and look for living...
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Characteristics of Living Things
Seventh graders identify the characteristics of living and non-living things. For this biology lesson, 7th graders define vocabulary words as they go through the lesson. They answer a crossword puzzle after class discussion.
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Three Worm Lesson
Third graders observe properties of three worms. In this living and non-living lesson, 3rd graders study characteristics of living and non-living worms. Students experiment to find how light, heat and moisture effects each of the worms....
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What on Earth?
Second graders investigate the different living and nonliving things they can find on Earth. In this life science lesson, 2nd graders record their observations as they dig into the soil. They examine them under the magnifying glass and...
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Waterdrops
In this science worksheet, students learn about water resources and watersheds by reading and answering questions in this 8 pages newsletter. Students learn about salt vs. fresh water, discover the protective role of estuaries, learn...
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It's Alive
First graders critically analyze living and nonliving objects, then develop a list of characteristics to classify objects on a science walk. They make a book to close out the lesson.