Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adaptations/ The American Horseshoe Crab

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders engage in a lesson about the horseshoe crab. They investigate the various adaptations of the organism. Students also conduct research to find how the crab is used for manufacturing different medicines. They synthesize the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Plant Bartering System

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore plant characteristics by viewing a flower and seed presentation. In this environmental adaptation activity, 5th graders identify specific traits plants have in order to allow them to grow in different climates...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FBI

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experiment with compost. For this Science lesson, 4th graders begin a worm compost as well as an outdoor compost. Students discuss decomposition.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soak It Up

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students examine the various materials that make up their local soils. In groups, they record how each material is different and use cheesecloth to filter them into a bottle based on particle size. They use the soils to determine if...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating the Response of Worms to Soil Improvers

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, but do they care what soil is all about? Find out in an easy and fun controlled experiment. Have your young  biologists hypothesize, test, and draw conclusions about which type of soil worms...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genre Lesson: Autobiography

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Have your middle schoolers write a short story about themselves with an autobiography unit about Rosa Parks. They learn the difference between biographies and autobiographies, define the different types of autobiographies and determine...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fact and Opinion

For Teachers 6th Standards
Sixth graders discuss the terms "explicit opinions," and "implicit opinions," from a text. In this literacy lesson, 6th graders analyze the author's techniques to find explicitly stated opinions. Additionally, students complete a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

You Are What You Eat: Lessons from Alice Waters

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students view the AMERICAN MASTERS episode titled ALICE WATERS AND HER DELICIOUS REVOLUTION. They examine their own eating habits and determine how they can eat food that is both healthier and tastier. Through Guided Reading strategies,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Two Beets Or Not Two Beets—What Is Your Question?

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students use the scientific method to test an idea regarding the structures of a plant as it supports the biological evidence for life. In this growing roots lesson, students use organizing sheets to record their findings. Students...
Lesson Plan
Ocean Explorer

Easy as Pi

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Seamounts are large, extinct volcanoes that rise up from the bottom of the ocean floor. They are a relatively new landform in the scientific community, and this lesson plan invites students to learn about the amazing diversity of life...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Enhancing Our Outdoor Classroom Studies through Technology

For Teachers K - 5th
Combine science, math, and more using this resource. Learners use technology to share video and other information about their community with people throughout the state. They learn about the environment, identifying native plants, record...
Lesson Plan
Sea World

Ocean Discovery

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Immerse your young marine biologists in the world of marine animals. The lesson includes several activities that are age-appropriate for preschoolers and kindergartners, including coloring pages, gluing feathers and sand onto paper...
Lesson Plan
Sea World

Endangered Species

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Study different endangered species with several activities that incorporate math, science, language arts, and research strategies. A great addition to your activity on conservation or Earth Day.
Lesson Plan
Sea World

Marine Animal Husbandry and Training

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Step into the role of a zoo director with several activities about animal training and running a zoo. Kids calculate the amount of food each animal needs, design a habitat for penguins, decide how to breed bottlenose dolphins, and train...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Climate, Corals and Change

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Activities in A Science Classroom

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learning Through Games and Activities Make Staying On Task in the Classroom Fun
Worksheet
K5 Learning

Rhyming Animals

For Students 2nd Standards
Second graders read an informational text passage on animals, as well as a poem that incorporates rhyming words. Then, 2nd graders answer questions based on what they read. 
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Beneficial Insects

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
A lot of people think of insects as pests. But actually, some insects are beneficial because they get rid of pests! After learning about beneficial insects, class members research given insects to find out if they are pests or predators.
Lesson Plan
Sea World

Whales

For Teachers K - 3rd
A whale of a lesson is sure to intrigue your elementary oceanographers! Learn about the mammals of the sea with a series of activities about whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Kids complete worksheets about the anatomy of a whale, create a...
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Causes and Effects of Climate Change

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Wrap-up a unit on global climate change with a lesson that examines the causes and effects of climate change. Learners fill out a chart that represents what they think causes climate change—natural and human-based—and what they think...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fantastic Flower

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Here is a clever lesson on pollination of flowers for you. In it, learners study the anatomy of a flower, and play a game in which they simulate the process of pollination. This fine plan brings in elements of art, physical education,...
PPT
Pearson

The Chemical Context of Life

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An educational presentation includes atoms, molecules, the four major elements, as well as neutrons and protons. Additionally, slides focus on atomic number, mass number, atomic weight, polar and nonpolar covalent bonding, ionic...
Unit Plan
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Schoolyard Biodiversity Investigation Educator Guide

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
In 1980, in the tropical rainforests of Panama, scientists discovered 1,200 species of beetles living in and around just 19 trees, with most of the species new to science—that's biodiversity! In the activity, learners work in teams to...
PPT
Biology Junction

Mollusks

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Mollusks created every shell on Earth. Young scientists learn more about the phyllum mollusca in an informative presentation. It covers their characteristics, body plans, and relationships in the ecosystem. Then, it details each class of...