Cornell University
Beneficial Insects
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.
American Museum of Natural History
Bio-Benefits
Kick-start a discussion of the importance of biodiversity with a colorful resource that touts the benefits of maintaining healthy ecosystems. The images stress the interdependence of all the elements of an ecosystem.
Curated OER
Pumpkin Time
Students visit a pumpkin farm and discuss the characteristics of a pumpkin and how they grow. They create a class story about the trip to the farm with each student supplying a sequence for the story.
Agriculture in the Classroom
Pumpkins... Not Just For Halloween
Celebrate fall with four pumpkin themed hands-on activities! After learning about pumpkins, scholars complete two activity sheets that reinforce estimation and word problems. They then plant pumpkin seeds and bake a pie in a bag.
Curated OER
Bursting Blooms- Create an Early Spring
Young scholars prune a tree. In this gardening instructional activity, students select a shrub or tree that has a lot of flower buds and use sharp pruners to cut sections of branches. Young scholars place the cuttings into cool water...
Primary Resources
Science - The Parts of a Flower
Here is what a PowerPoint presentation should look like! This excellent show lets students know what they will be learning about, takes them through nicely-designed examples, leaves room for discussion questions, has a built-in activity,...
English Worksheets Land
A Tale of Two Gardens
Gardening is fun, no matter what you're growing. A reading comprehension activity encourages learners to compare and contrast two gardens that grow different items.
Curated OER
Earth's Heavenly Treasures: Hummingbirds
Young ornithologists watch an informative video and use the Internet to gather data about the life, size, habitat, and migration of hummingbirds. The interdisciplinary lesson includes activities that target art, science, math, and...
Curated OER
Genetics Practice 1: Basic Mendelian Genetics
Six genetics problems are to be solved by junior geneticists. Empty Punnett squares are provided for them to plant the parents' alleles and determine the genotype, phenotype, and frequency of offspring. All of the problems involve actual...
Kentucky School for the Deaf
Levels of Organization within an Ecosystem
From tiny organisms to entire biomes, young scientists examine the interdependent relationships tying all living and non-living things together with this collection of ecology resources.
EngageNY
Posing Statistical Questions
Is this a statistical question? The opening lesson in a series of 22 introduces the concept of statistical questions. Class members discuss different questions and determine whether they are statistical or not, then they sort the data...
Curated OER
Native Beauty
Students plant wild flowers and maintain their garden. In this wild flowers lesson plan, students pick and prepare a gardening site, plant wild flowers, and maintain it everyday.
Curated OER
My Own Backyard
Scholars create a drawing of their own backyards. They will use a visualization technique to sketch their own backyard onto construction paper using oil pastels. Guiding questions are given along with materials for the project....
Curated OER
Seed Dispersal
Young scholars explore seed dispersal by designing their own wind dispersed seed structure. Using one piece of paper and a box fan, they construct a seed dispersal structure, record the distance their seed travels, and answer discussion...
Curated OER
Symbiosis: Help, Hinder or Destroy
Use background information and vocabulary to familiarize your students with the concept of symbiosis and the role agriculture plays in the shared relationship. They then write the vocabulary in their lab books or journals, and read the...
Curated OER
Species Interactions
Students research desert species to find where it lives, what it eats, and what species it interacts with directly. Upon completion of research, students construct a web of all the species as a class. This emphasizes the role each...
Curated OER
In the Company of Wild Butterflies
Students discover the life cycle of a butterfly and explain the different stages. In this exploratory lesson plan students watch a video and create insect art and they will get an opportunity to view live specimens of butterflies.
Curated OER
Bug Work
Young scholars explore the life cycles of insects and how they interact with each other in the prairie to create a healthy ecosystem and viable food chain. They list animals or insects in their own community that are similar to the...
Curated OER
Making Field Journals
Students follow a bookmaking format to create a book and use it as a garden journal. In this science journal lesson, students follow book making directions to create a garden and science journal.
Curated OER
Flower Power
Students explore the parts of flowers and how they reproduce. They dissect flowers and observe the reproductive organs. Students observe anthers and ovaries of Tiger Lilies under a microscope. They investigate how insects and other...
Curated OER
Profit From Pumpkins
Third graders cut open a pumpkin. In this math activity, 3rd graders complete the worksheet "From Seed to Pumpkin" and then clean out their pumpkins to see how many seeds are in it.
Curated OER
1st Grade - Act. 22: Retelling the Tiny Seed
First graders write sentences and illustrate ways seeds travel.
Curated OER
Honeybees are Vanishing
Students decide if they agree with a series of statements about the bee population, then read a news article about the disappearance of millions of U.S. honeybees. In this biology and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the...
Curated OER
Flower Power
Students explore parts of the flower. In this plant biology lesson, students dissect flowers and identify how the seeds are formed. Students take a nature walk to pick flowers for future dissections.