Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Family Tree

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students make a family tree. In this family lesson, students brainstorm what the word family means, interview their family members and grandparents, create a family tree, list their family's favorite foods and write an essay describing...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree Cookies

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students identify heartwood, sapwood, and a tree's annual rings, infer from a tree's rings what damage or stress might have occurred in its life, and make a time-line of human history that coincides with a tree's rings.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Tree is a Friend

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discover the value of trees in our society.  In this ecosystem instructional activity, 5th graders read the book, A Tree is Nice, and discuss with classmates how trees are essential to our existence due to creating...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

So -- What's Happening Here? On this Old Christmas Tree Farm

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students take a field trip to an old Christmas tree farm near their school. In groups, they gather data at the site and analyze the data in an attempt to discover what happened to the area. They identify human activities that led to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Outdoor Observation

For Teachers K
Students examine their outside environment. They use their senses to make observations of the four seasons. They keep a chart of all of the data they have collected.
Lesson Plan
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Channel Islands Film

Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 2

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Why are Torrey pines only found in La Jolla, California and on Santa Rosa Island? Class members examine images of Torrey pines from these two locations, noting the similarities and differences, and then develop a demonstration model that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Night Tree

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore the book, Night Tree, by Eve Bunting. They read and discuss the story, identify what the tree did for the animals, create a food chain for animals to hang on a tree, and decorate a tree at school.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Selecting Trees for Urban Environments

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars consider the best place to plant a tree. In this environment lesson, students identify urban locations that are compatible with particular tree types. Young scholars decide what trees would go where and why they would...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies: Class Citizenship Tree

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders discuss citizenship and the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. On poster board, the teacher draws a tree and students draw their citizenship ideas on paper or clip pictures from magazines and glue them to the tree.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

So -- What's Happening Here, On This Old Christmas Tree Farm?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students review their prior knowledge on biomes and ecosystems. At a local Christmas tree farm, they work together in groups to identify the changes occuring in the area. They participate in solving a mystery in which they determine the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree-ring Dating

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars complete activity sheets and participate in discussions while they study dendrochronology. They determine a tree's age and recognize how the climate varied over time.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Apple: Seed to Tree

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students grow seeds of an apple and learn about Johnny Appleseed. In this apples lesson plan, students map Johnny Appleseed's travels, learn how he got his name, compare different Johnny Appleseed books, and grow apple seeds themselves.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fall Lesson Plans

For Teachers Pre-K
Students participate in various fall activities. In this fall lesson, students take a trip to a farmers market and purchase the ingredients needed for vegetable soup. Students paint fall scenes and create a fall story. Students discuss...
Lesson Plan
Peace Corps

Introducing Culture

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Growing up within a culture leaves a lot of ideas and values unspoken. Take a closer look at the cultures in which your learners live with a discussion activity that addresses cultural identity and traits of those living within the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's In A Name? British Surnames Derived from Places

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students study how British surnames were derived from locations. They observe that some of the more common names are still prevalent today.
Lesson Plan
Youth Outreach

Connecting the Separate Powers

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Scholars demonstrate what they know about the separation of powers through role play. Two individuals act out a skit as the remaining class members discuss and decide whether the interaction they observed is an appropriate example...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Be a Geography Observor and Recorder

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the human and physical features of their school neighborhood. They observe the physical and man made features outside, make illustrations of their observations, and develop a class list of their observations.
Activity
Curated OER

Wind Observation

For Teachers 7th - 12th
In this activity, students will make a wind gauge and observe how the wind affects the things around them.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Changing Times of The Future

For Teachers 1st
First graders share their wishes for the future and discuss changes that have taken place. They observe a puppet who describes life in the future and identifies positive and difficult challenges he may face. Individual students draw a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seasons

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate the four seasons of the year. In this seasons lesson, 1st graders identify the correct order of seasons, discover different climates, and examine how to dress appropriately for each season. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather "Whys" Lesson 2 Seasons

For Teachers K - 1st
Students explore seasons.  In this cross curriculum weather and seasons lesson, students identify characteristics of the four seasons and sequence related pictures. Students listen to poems and stories about trees in different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A School Yard Journal

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create journals with explicit descriptions of objects found on the school yard.  In this descriptive writing lesson plan, 4th graders read some of Lewis and Clark's journal entries before they explore the school yard,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Family Photos

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders bring in a family photo from home. They compare their photo to the Rawding family photo. Students share their conclusions orally. They use Venn Diagrams to organize their thoughts and observations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Collecting Leaves with Lewis and Clark

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders collect data on leaves collected, observe different species of leaves, and implement different methods of leaf preservation.