Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Needs of Living Things

For Teachers K - 5th
Students watch video clips of animals and plants in their natural environment, to gather evidence that all living things have basic survival needs. Students draw pictures of real or imaginary pets eating, drinking, breathing, and taking...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Migration

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the uses of herbal plants. They read the book Pharmacy in the Forest and discuss the vocabulary words that pertain to the structure of a plant. Students create a summary of what they have read and watch a video on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fruits and Vegetables

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the differences between plants with seeds and seedless.  In this fruits and vegetables lesson students examine some vegetables and nuts that are really fruits.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plant Parts with Sequencing Cube

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders listen to the story, Jack's Garden by Henry Cole. They learn the parts of the plant by looking at live plants.
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 lesson, 5th graders identify specific traits plants have in order to allow them to grow in different climates whether...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Riparian Zones Grades 4-8

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine and analyze the Riparian Zones found on the edges of streams and lakes. They assess why those are such valuable ecosystems and then conduct actual field research on riparian zones and conclude by drawing conclusions from...
Activity
Wild BC

Maple Trees and Marmots

For Teachers K - 3rd
Kinesthetic activities simulate animal activity as the seasons progress in a lesson that introduces climate change to primary pupils. The kids role-play maple trees collecting what they need to survive, but as each year comes...
Lesson Plan
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Rainforest Alliance

My Forest or the Rainforest?

For Teachers K Standards
The differences between tropical and temperate rainforests range from animals and flowers to climate and landscapes. Kindergarteners compare and contrast characteristics of their local forest to a tropical rainforest.
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Climate and Forest Ecosystem Services

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Forests, through sequestration, capture excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and store it, aiding in climate change. The third installment in a four-part series on how climate impacts forests explores carbon sequestration....
Assessment
Science Matters

Post-Assessment

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Twenty questions make up an assessment designed to test super scientists' knowledge of ecosystems. Scholars answer multiple-choice and short-answer questions about organisms, food chains, energy flow, and more.
Worksheet
Rhythm Rhyme Results

Whatʼs the Same and Whatʼs Different?

For Students 6th - 8th
Learn about radiation, convection, and conduction with a multiple choice worksheet. Each question prompts kids to decide what is different about each form of heat energy transfer, and what is the same.
Activity
Orlando Shakes

Native Gardens: Study Guide

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
A study guide for Native Gardens, a dramatic play, introduces theater lovers to a set of a neighbors and the problems they face. Discussion questions in the guide tackle themes of racism, ageism, and classism.
Lesson Plan
1
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Nature Walk and Ecosystem Introduction

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
A food web has no organism higher than a tertiary consumer because there wouldn't be enough energy left to sustain them. The fourth installment in a seven-part series begins with a nature walk to get pupils thinking about their...
Lesson Plan
3
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California Academy of Science

Sustainable Water Solutions: Weighing the Pros and Cons

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
Switching indoor water fixtures to low flow reduces water usage by more than 45 percent. This and other solutions to reduce water usage have both pros and cons. Scholars view videos of different solutions, discuss them in small groups,...
Lesson Plan
1
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University of Colorado

Punnett Squares with Piebald Deer

For Teachers 5th - 10th Standards
Explore the science behind Earth's amazing diversity of life with this lesson on genetics. Looking at specific traits in piebald deer, carnations, and roan cattle, young scientists use Punnett...
Activity
1
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Curated OER

Designing a Hiking Trail

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Put your students' map skills to the test with this engaging cross-curricular project. Given the task of developing new hiking trails for their local community, young cartographers must map out beginner and intermediate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning From Leaves: From Observation to Inference

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the adaptation of plants to their environments. They analyze and observe the structure, shape, and internal structure of various leaves, and make inferences about the structures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seed Structure and Seed Dispersal

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders plant seeds. In this seed structure activity, 3rd graders identify parts of a seed and plant a lima bean seed.  Students discuss and reflect on the process in their journals. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seed Diversity

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Learners explore agriculture by researching different seeds. In this seed identification lesson, students collaborate in small groups to analyze a package of different seeds. Learners utilize a magnifying glass to examine each seed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roxaboxen

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders discuss the story "Roxaboxen." In this reading comprehension activity, 3rd graders discover new vocabulary words, discuss the story using story mapping, and take a reading test. Students investigate safety in the desert and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biotechnology: An Agricultural Dilemma

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the types of genetically modified crop plants there are and the benefits and risks of such plants. The agricultural needs in developing nations for this biological knowledge to resolve societal issues is also...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Save the Earth: It's Everyone's Home!

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students complete activities to become more aware of environmental issues and the effect on plants and animals. In this environmental issues activity, students use a globe to discuss issues with the environment. Students then take a trip...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plant Reproduction

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Students investigate seeds and plant life by creating a germination chamber.  In this botany lesson, students investigate the relationship between flowers and the fruit they produce while examining the structure of the flower. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Bees Eat

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students consider the concept that plants and animals are dependent on one another and role-play the interaction between bees and flowers. They identify crops that are dependent on pollination by bees.