Science 4 Inquiry
Carbon and Climate
The carbon cycle is natural and has happened for millions of years, so can humans change it? Young scientists play the role of carbon as they travel through the carbon cycle. They complete two rounds, once before the industrial...
Curated OER
Spring Time Trees/Flowers
Plan ahead! Integrate science and language arts! Schedule your reading of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe to coincide with the arrival of spring. As pupils read Chapter 11 of the Lewis classic, they are assigned one of...
Curated OER
Evolution worksheet
Looking at evolution in detail, this thorough worksheet has complex questions requiring details and explanations of natural selection and diversity. Various examples of biological characteristics are available, and students choose the...
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Creating Biodiesel and Mitigating Waste
Biotechnology pros produce their own biofuel using waste oil and fresh vegetable oil. They test the quality of their product using titration techniques and pH analysis. They write their observations and report their findings. Be aware...
NOAA
Importance of Deep-Sea Ecosystems – What Killed the Seeds?
Most drugs used today come from nature, so the discovery of new ecosystems in the deep sea is exciting from a medical perspective. Scholars develop their own bioassay to test germination rates in seeds.
University of Minnesota
Manduca sexta: Caterpillar Dissection
Caterpillars have an amazing, yet tough job to perform in their short lives — eat much, avoid predators, and try not to let all those comments about being the unattractive stage of the life cycle get to them. How do they handle it all?...
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Jump, Glide, or Fly? Exploring Bird Evolution
How have birds evolved from prehistoric animals? With the three-part lesson, small groups first research different prehistoric animals and determine whether they are birds. Then, scholars explore different bird adaptations using the Flap...
Minnesota Department of Natural Resoures
Tree Life
The life of a tree is the focus of a packet consisting of several activities all covering a different subject. Second graders measure shadows, make pinecone critters, write poems, count rings, complete a word search, play tree tag, and...
Curated OER
Milk and Monarch Butterfly Mania Journal Entry
In this milk and monarch butterfly mania journal entry activity, students write a scientific journal entry about the milkweed plant, using the information from another linked website. This activity includes many links to other web...
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Life in a Drop of Pond Water
Students investigate living creatures that inhabit a pond and explore how various organisms satisfy their needs within their environments. In this life in a drop of pond water lesson, students examine microorganisms under...
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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...
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Brine Date
Have you been wondering what to do with that aquarium full of brine shrimp? This activity has teens sea monkeying around with measurement, observations, and hypothesizing about the mating behaviors of these little critters. If you do not...
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Water: Our Most Important Beverage
Third graders complete a KWL chart on what they already know about water and what they want to know. As a class, they participate in an activity in which they discover the amount of drinkable water on Earth and are introduced to the...
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Water Conservation
Students identify ways to conserve water. In this environmental lesson, students use a water use checklist to identify how much water they use in one day. Students analyze the data and brainstorm ways to conserve water.
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Meeting an Earthworm
Learners inspect the anatomy of earthworms. In this earthworm lesson, students participate in a hands-on experiment as they analyze the structure of earthworms. Learners demonstrate mastery through differentiated products. Lesson...
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A Matter of Pattern
Students explore how shapes can make patterns then make connections as to how elements in a pattern relate to one another. For this matter of pattern lesson, students create a multi-folded paper snowflake. Students engage in a...
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Why Do People Fall in Love?
Students discuss human behavior, sexual selection and the underlying genetic and evolutionary reasons for mate selection. The, in groups, they rate the attractiveness of certain individuals and measure facial features for symmetry.
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The Peppered Moth
In this evolution worksheet, students read about the changes the peppered moth went through over 100 year time period. Students complete 3 short answer questions based on what they read.
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Habitats and Adaptations
Young scholars research and describe the habitat and adaptations of a reef animal. After the student is assigned a habitat, they design and draw a cresture adapted to eat each food and to live in each habitat.
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Making Recycled Paper
Students explore the advantages of recycling paper. In this environmental lesson plan, students produce recycled paper by ripping up paper and putting it into a blender with water to create a mixture. Students use their recycled paper to...
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The Shape of Things
Sixth graders read and discuss information regarding the shape and attributes of an eggshell. In this shape of things lesson plan, 6th graders gather relevant information that pertains to the incubation and formation of an...
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Ranger Rick: Name Game
In this Ranger Rick worksheet, students observe birds in nature, draw them, make up names for them, and note their real names.
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Ranger Rick's Tracking Frogs
In this Ranger Rick's tracking frogs worksheet, students find a pond, observe and record what signs of frogs they can see or hear.
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Following Directions - Ndakinna Wilderness Project
Students draw a diagram of the steps used to camouflage a person. In this biology lesson, students watch and take notes on a video about using camouflage as a tool to observe nature. Then students follow instructions to...