Curated OER
Planetary Orbits
Students explore space science by completing a solar system identification worksheet. In this planets lesson, students discuss the different planets in our star system and identify their traits. Students complete an orbital system...
Curated OER
Richmond Nature Park Field Trip
Students identify different plants and their uses by attending a field trip. For this Canadian plant lesson, students explore the great outdoors of Vancouver, B.C. and discuss the uses of plants by the Native Americans that once resided...
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Disposable Diaper Comparison and Mystery Powder Identification
Students investigate which diaper is the most absorbent. In this chemistry instructional activity, students calculate how much water is absorbed by diapers. They identify an unknown powder based on physical and chemical properties.
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Modeling The Anatomy Of A Grass Plant
Young scholars explore the structure of a typical and generalized grass plant. They visualize the structures of a grass plant by constructing a paper model. In addition, they identify the names and structural relationships of the parts...
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Pollen Collection And Identification
High schoolers investigate plant reproduction, pollen collection and identification. They collect pollen samples over a twenty four hour period and examine them under a microscope.
National Park Service
Who Grows There?
More than 127 non-native species live in Glacier National Park in Montana and their infestations are growing! Pupils read about and gather samples of exotic plants. Participants create a master book of pressed plants and complete a...
Curated OER
Prairie Find Outdoors
Students take a field trip to a local prairie. Using identification books, they identify various forbs and grasses in the prairie. As a class, they discuss the importance of forbs and grasses to the ecosystem and review the various types...
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Soil pH & Plants
Students investigate the pH of the soil in which different plants grow. They design and carry out an experiment to determine the factors that affect the growth of a population of plants, identifying and controlling major variables...
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Identifying plants, animals, insects, reptiles, and birds on the prairie
Students identify all of the plant an animal life on the prairie. For this plant identification lesson students divide into groups and draw sketches of things they saw on the prairie.
Curriculum Corner
Coniferous and Deciduous Trees
What are the differences between coniferous and deciduous trees? Supplement your tree lessons with a set of activities that has learners describing, naming, comparing, and reading about deciduous and coniferous trees. The activities are...
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Rocks and Minerals in Our Lives
Young geologists discover the important role that rocks and minerals play in our everyday lives through this series of hands-on activities. Starting off with a lesson that defines the difference between plants, animals, and minerals,...
Curated OER
Parts of a Cell
Simplify the parts of a cell with this handout and brief activity. Learners read a two-page explanation of the parts of a cell that includes bolded vocabulary words. Using what they have just read, class members answer 19...
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GPS Treasure Hunt
Students practice using a GPS receiver and reading directions in an on-campus field trip. Students can identify a building stone, tree, or plant at each stop depending on which area of science is being studied.
Curated OER
Our School - Our Trees
Sixth graders observe school ground trees planted nearly 3 decades ago. For this ecology activity, 6th graders examine a group of trees planted near their campus and measure the diameter, circumference and growth of the tree compared to...
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Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)
Students study flavinoids and how they exist in the plant kingdom. In this pigment lesson students complete a lab activity to see how flavinoids move in substances then record their observations.
Curated OER
Teaching Kids about the Environment
Fifth graders identify the species of plants and animals found in an environment. They compare these findings to plant and animal species found in an unlike environment. Students acquire and compare soil samples from the two sites chosen.
Curated OER
Fossil Lab
In this fossil worksheet, students are given fossils and an identification key. They write their scientific names and common names. They also answer questions about fossils.
Curated OER
Bellwork for Week 5-Minerals and Experimental Design
In this minerals and experimental design worksheet, students answer questions about variables in experiments, identification of minerals, mining and properties of minerals.
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Tree Rings
Fourth graders explore tree rings. In this plant biology lesson, 4th graders construct a KWL chart on tree rings and examine real tree rings. Students identify the changes that happened during the tree's life and its actual age. Students...
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Forests of the Sea
Students read about and conduct experiments to learn about the vegetation under Monterey Bay. In this Monterey Bay lesson, students read about and look at brightly colored pictures of the different types of seaweed that grows in the bay....
Curated OER
Let it Grow!
Learners explain the relationship of plants and animals in the environment. They name the basic requirements for plant growth and define the terms photosynthesis, stomata, chlorophyll and xylem.
Curated OER
Lichens as Air Quality Indicators: A beginning lichen identification study (2003
Students use GPS and trees to explore lichens and air quality.
Curated OER
Create a Field Guide of Local Plants
High schoolers become familiar with making herbarium specimens as well as utilizing field guides to help identify the species which they gather. They use their herbarium collection to create personalized field guides with plants in...
Curated OER
Looking Inside Cells
Seventh graders analyze and identify the role of the cell membrane and nucleus. They create flash cards to help them review cell structures. They also compare plant and animal cells.