Lesson Plan
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Montana State University

Everest Extremes: Biodiversity

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
How many animals can live in a climate as cold as Mount Everest's? Find out with a science lesson all about biodiversity. Activities include research, presentations, group work, coloring maps, and a simulation of a food web.
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Amazing Grazing: Keeping Our Ecosystem Running

For Teachers K - 6th
Students discover the value of sustainability within our ecosystem. In this ecological lesson, students discuss the importance of a food cycle in our society, and how humans can improve the conservation of a healthy ecosystem. Eventually...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Edible Soil

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students model the soils layers using Oreo's. In this lesson students use their favorite food items to create a model of soil layers. A discovery lesson from a youth camp is adapted for classroom modeling and discussion of soil...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Web of Life" Game

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students relate members of an ecosystem by their interactions. In this ecosystem lesson, students toss a ball to other members of their group (each representing a member of an ecosystem) and tell how they are related to that member....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World Hunger - A Cultural Crisis

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explore the problem of world hunger and starvation. After a class discussion, students use a map to identify specific areas where populations are starving. In groups, learners research reasons for the lack of food. They prepare...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecotourism in National Parks and Wilderness

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students develop a plan for ecotourism after researching a nearby national park or wild area.
Unit Plan
Montana Natural History Center

Studying Grassland Ecosystems

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
At first glance, grassland ecosystems might seem dull and uninteresting, but once you start to explore it's amazing the things you'll find! Through this series of engaging lessons, activities, and experiments, elementary students examine...
Lesson Plan
Agriculture in the Classroom

Design 'Y'er Genes

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How do changes in DNA affect an organism? Scholars explore chromosomes, genes, DNA, and mutations by modeling the DNA of a strawberry. They build a DNA model, then manipulate it to show how changing the genes transforms the strawberry...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biodiversity on Ninepipe Reservoir

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders complete a unit about the biodiversity at the Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge. They view a video, conduct an interview with a tribal wildlife biologist and a federal wildlife biologist and compare the two, collect and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Non Native Species: English Ivy-Landscape Plant or Deadly Killer?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine an area overrun by English Ivy. They explore how invasive species affect an ecosystem. They also study about the lack of biodiversity and how to measure it out in the field.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Landfills: A Solid Waste Management Plan

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are able to list the types of household waste that they produce daily. They are able to describe some other types of waste that are produced by industry or agriculture to help maintain their lifestyles. Students are able to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Indian Flute and Math

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students investigate the Math behind Musical instruments in this cross-curricular Math lesson on the Native American Flute and waveforms. The lesson can be accomplished in 6 days and includes an extensive materials list for successful...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hypothermia: Temperature Changes Under Varying Conditions

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students conduct an experiment to determine what type of clothing would be most suitable for outdoor activities. They determine the temperature changes of the skin under various wet clothing materials and graph the temperature changes. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mammals: Mammals and Their Ways

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the difference between innate and learned behaviors. They observe the adaptations and behaviors of mammals in this series of lessons.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Time, Talent, Treasure, and Economics

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine and trace the origin of an item of clothing. They write, illustrate, and publish a book describing the trade flow that brought their item of clothing to the United States.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does Climate Influence Civilization

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers demonstrate their knowledge of the Earth's systems.  In this climate lesson students identify the climate of a chosen area and the effects it has on the lifestyles of those living there. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology in the News

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students discover the underlying scientific principles in common, daily events.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adapted to Fire

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore forest species' adaptations to fire by participating in a scavenger hunt and mapping a burned forest. Students create maps and explore how indigenous species adapted to living with fire.
Handout
Other

Natural Resource Information Center: Maps of Montana

For Students 9th - 10th
Resource contains 14 different maps of Montana in four different formats. Maps range anywhere from the county maps to the Indian reservation maps.
Handout
Other

Natural Resource Information Center: Maps of Montana

For Students 9th - 10th
Resource contains 14 different maps of Montana in four different formats. Maps range anywhere from the county maps to the Indian reservation maps.
Handout
Agriculture in the Classroom

National Agriculture in the Classroom: A Look at Montana Agriculture [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
What a terrific site to learn about a variety of aspects of the agricultural industry. You will find bulleted facts on the Montana climate, soil, crops, and animals.
Activity
Other

Montana's Official Website: Montana Is for Kids

For Students 3rd - 8th
MONTANA KIDS highlights facts about Montana, presents information about the state's history, natural resources, and tourist attractions. It includes games and activities to do when finished exploring this site.
Handout
NSTATE

The Geography of Montana

For Students 3rd - 8th
Here you will find a variety of facts about the geography of the state of Montana. Find out the geographic center, total area, elevations and much more.
Handout
Johns Hopkins University

The Johns Hopkins University: Montana State Maps

For Students 9th - 10th
At this site from The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, you can learn more about the topography of Montana through this informative website. These maps are extremely detailed.