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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Diversity of Trees

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the uses of trees, In this trees lesson plan, 4th graders discover the uses of trees and how we use them everyday. Students collect items and decide if they are made from trees, have a scavenger hunt for wood...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Backyard Blitz

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students create a landscape design using shapes, colors and textures. A key is created with hyperlinks to information reports pertaining to the plants, trees and shrubs used in the design. Explore design principal utilizing a variety of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"HOW I USE PLANTS" COLLAGE

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students create a collage that depicts the different ways they, as individuals, use plants. They describe ways in which humans use plants for food, shelter, and clothing and ways in which humans can protect natural areas to maintain...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Make a Meal: A Study of Oats

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students investigate the history and health benefits of oats. In this food history and nutrition instructional activity, students describe the origin of oats in America, define nutrition related vocabulary, and read and follow recipes...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Egg Hunt

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers make detailed qualitative and quantitative observations. They are introduced to the process of developing repeatable procedures. Students practice collecting data. They review measurement skills. Middle schoolers...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Class Field Guide to the Sloughs

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore how to use field guides to identify wildlife.  In this nature lesson students construct their own plant field guide. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Colour Me

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students 'see' nature differently. They look closely to find the rainbow of colors found in a superficially-green dominated landscape. They find as many different colors as they can- selecting a color chip and matching it as...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fish Morphology

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students identify the various parts of a fish. They describe the concept of fish morphology and relate shape, form and structure of a fish's parts to function.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mouthpart Madness

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the basic biology of a pest. They identify the four major kinds of insect mouthparts and explain how they work. Students examine the specific mouthparts and how they can limit food resources and in what environment an...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Big Cat Classification

For Teachers 1st
First graders discover the different names and classifications of big cats by using word processing applications.  In this animal life lesson, 1st graders investigate one big cat and create a database of facts about it using an word...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insect Food Chain & Camouflage

For Teachers K
Students use art work to demonstrate their understanding of the insect food chain and their ability to camouflage themselves. In this insect food chain and camouflage lesson, students determine what type of animals feed on insects. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mined or Grown?

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders differentiate between raw materials that are cultivated and those that are mined. They collaborate with their eighth grade peers to learn more about the mining complexities at the end of their mineral identification unit.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Color Crazy

For Teachers 1st
First graders create their own brightly colored animals. In this animal adaptations instructional activity, 1st graders create an animal that is brightly colored but can blend into it's environment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nature Art Exploration

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Young scholars draw a nature landscape using watercolors. In this life science lesson, students share their personal experience on the beauty of nature. They create clay models of different native animals.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

HyperStudio Animal Project

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create a HyperStudio project on an animal of their choice. They discuss the animal's habitat and adaptations. They also identify any interesting facts about their animal.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glacial Geocaching

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders measure strike and dip of given land features and explain the difference between them. They also look at rock and mineral samples for indentification, along with calculating the density. Finally, information is analyzed...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Bridge Going Up and Down

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students recognize the purpose of the Michigan Avenue Bascule Trunnion Bridge. They examine photos of bridges and sing a song about Chicago's famous bascule trunnion bridge to investigate how moveable bridges work.