Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Chains

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study food chains, producers, consumers, and decomposers. They play a food chain game and create food chain mobiles or posters. They take a nature hike around the school and observe various parts of a food chain.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching about the Effect of Photosynthesis and

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students demonstrate the effects of photosynthesis and respiration. They decide which variables to analyze in a microcosm study. They produce a written paper, oral presentation, poster, or multi-media presentation
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Need Some Help Here!

For Teachers 1st
First graders describe what help seeds need to grow, including light, water, good soil, and warmth, observe and discuss what happens when seeds do not have help, and state similarities and differences among seed growth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Now You See It, Now You Don't

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explore organic and inorganic objects. In this environmental activity students perform a composting experiment using flowers in different soils. Students record their observations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quick Breads (Banana Muffins)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers review what they know about quick breads and bananas. In this art lesson, students discover two different recipes for Banana Muffins off of the computer. High schoolers prepare a recipe for Bananas Muffins carefully and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Formation and Value of Temperate Grasslands

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Young scholars study the Temperate Grasslands biome of North America. They explain that it is an endangered ecosystem because the rich soils have been converted to farming in most areas. They view videos imbedded in this plan, then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nitrogen Fixation, OR What a Gas!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students gain skill in the design, implementation, and reporting of a scientific research project using the scientific method. They set up an experiment to determine the effect of adding the Rhizobium bacteria to one group of legume...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Global Change- Earth as Home

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students create their own environment. In this environmental protection instructional activity, students pretend they are the owners of a tropical island. They create jobs for the citizens and develop the island as a model environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Zoo Poo

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students use Internet research to determine the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit energy for biomass and coal. In this alternative energy lesson, students research to find out how much energy and carbon dioxide several coal and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Much Is an Ecosystem Worth?

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students examine the value of ecosystems. They read and analyze an article, evaluate ecosystem services, research the benefits of biomonitors, and design a public service announcement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Web of Life Game: Trout

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars explore the concept of food webs.  In this food web lesson, students demonstarte the connection between species.  Young scholars use a ball of string show how the food web works, then have a class discussion. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Project Wetlands

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Pupils develop a joint undertaking designed to solve an environmental problem in their local community. They tackle the problem of erosion of banks and chemical run-off into a nearby lake, which is within walking distance of school.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Surface Socratic Questions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the ways Earth's surface is shaped by hydrologic, climate and tectonic forces by participating in a whole class discussion. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the relationships between...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Learners conduct an experiment to demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down society's wastes exist in nature among the decomposers in a compost pile. They culture compost bacteria on starch agar to examine the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Pupils demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down--and therefore clean up-society's wastes already exist in nature among the decomposers. They select the best starch-munching organisms by altering the environment in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Consider the Issues

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students develop and express opinions on personal and societal issues in biology through journal entries (written and other forms), oral position statements and group discussions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree Friends

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students are introduced to tree structure and use. They identify their special tree using all senses except sight. Students identify six different internal parts within a cross section of tree trunk (bark, phloem, xylem, cambium,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dirty Decomposers

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders design and conduct experiments to determine what environmental factors favor decomposition by soil microbes. They use chunks of carrot for the materials to be decomposed, and their experiments are carried out in plastic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From One Seed Grow Many Seeds

For Teachers 1st
First graders practice identifying plants by singing a song.  In this plant life lesson plan, 1st graders sing the song "Parts of a Plant" which is based on the anatomy of sunflowers.  Students discover agriculture techniques...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sun Seeking Plants

For Teachers K - 1st
Students investigate the story "The Tiny Seed" by Eric Carle. This story is used to introduce the children to the concept that seeds change and grow into plants when conditions in the environment including temperature, light, water and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Create An Ecosystem

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders create ecosystems in a jar which they observe over the course of the school year.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Campus Nitrogen Budget

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students are given guidelines to college level nitrogen budgeting. Students brainstorm the campus links to nitrogen budget. Students pick topics or subtopics for individual or group research. Students develop research plan, keep good...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gardening for Beauty, Food, and Enjoyment

For Teachers 1st
First graders create their own garden. In this plant lesson, 1st graders discover the essential elements for a plant to grow. They planted their own garden and read the amount of space needed and the sunlight preferred for each plant. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Global Impact of Insect Borne Diseases & Agriculture

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the global impact of insect borne diseases, the appropriate use of pesticides, and the concept of human interrelations on a world wide scale. They examine how to safely apply a pesticide, according to the label.