Students investigate live insects. In this insects and spiders lesson, students work in groups to explore the outdoors and capture insects. Students observe, discuss and record information about the insects they discover. Students...

Students study multiple land uses and their effects on one another. They assess multiple land uses in National Forests and Grasslands and evaluate the effects of each use on all other uses. They develop a comprehensive list of human...

Review the steps for preserving wildlife tracks and then take ecologists outdoors to create plaster casts. This lesson is best used at an environmental or outdoor school situation since wildlife footprints aren't easily located within a...

Learners are introduced to Gaia theory of natural homeostasis. They graph Earth's temperatures over time, construct terrariums or monitor the outdoor environment. Related videos titles are suggested, but may be outdated. The objectives...

Second graders participate in a soil activity.  In this soil lesson students complete a worksheet describing  different soil types and the organic and inorganic things found in them. 

Students use water to paint pictures outdoors. In this water painting activity, students paint pavement and observe how water evaporates. They compare painting in sunny versus shady locations. They also use sponges to observe the...

Young scholars recognize various California native species by their physical appearances and characteristics. They recognize the adaptations that plants make to their surroundings and how humans make use of plants.

Students identify the cause of indoor air pollution. In this indoor air pollution lesson, students list, group, and label sources of indoor pollution. They brainstorm a list of all of the indoor pollutants they can think of before...

Students build mine-earthworm habitats to discover their niche in them. They make predictions about what the niche looks like in a week and draw a picture of it. Students notice the tunnels in the soil and how the sand and dirt are now...

Though this is meant to be second in a two-part lesson plan, the two are not dependent on each other. Pupils play the roles of visible light rays, light or dark surfaces, and carbon dioxide molecules. They interact and react according to...

High schoolers use this outdoor sensory activity as a self-guided or as part of a facilitated programme. It encourages individual observation and exploration in the forest. Students can choose to work as an individual or work in pairs....

Here is a fine biology lesson that introduces youngsters to reptiles. They study their feeding habits, their habitats, and the adaptations they must make to survive in their environments. The outstanding lesson includes two excellent...

Third graders practice using classification techniques to identify local trees.  In this plant life instructional activity, 3rd graders discuss how trees differ from other plants and what characteristics are unique to trees alone....

Did you know light can decrease visibility? Light pollution absolutely makes it more difficult to see stars. Scholars build a simple magnitude reader to determine the magnitude of stars. They use these data to estimate the impact of...

Students investigate house structures by examining photographs.  In this architecture lesson, students read the book Houses and Homes, analyzing the different structures and materials.  Students utilize mud to create model huts...

Students explore the benefits of staying active by going on a hike.  In this physical education lesson, students discuss the concept of a hike, where a good place to hike is and what types of foods are necessary to stay nourished....

Students analyze art as a cloud pattern activity. In this cloud and art lesson, students view April Gornik's painting The Back of the Storm and make connections between science and art. Students observe cloud patterns for one week and...

Strict habitat requirements are needed for the survival of fish populations and fish variety in the Great Lakes. Young scientists become experts in the basic needs of fish and understand how survival necessities can vary with different...

Students observe pictures of farm animals and name the animals. They match the animals to their offspring in a number of matching activities.

Birds help other birds find food? Scholars are placed into one of five groups of different birds. Each group then "feeds" on letters of paper in a field and gather five pieces per person. As each group plays, more food is exposed,...

Students race to keep these balls rolling. In this early childhood physical education instructional activity, students experiment with cause and effect as they work with different heights of cardboard tubes.

Students explore their outdoor environment, looking for varieties of color. Color samples from the outdoor environment are collected and used to create a sample page of colors that students label.

Your junior highers will learn about which objects are natural and classify objects as abiotic or biotic. Your class will trace human products to their natural resources using matter cycles and then create their own definition of nature.