Curated OER
Designing a Germination Experiment
Students explore botany by participating in a seed experiment. In this plant nutrition lesson, students define several science experiment vocabulary terms like observation, treatment, and replicate. Students utilize soaked seeds in a...
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Class Field Guide to the Sloughs
Students explore how to use field guides to identify wildlife. For this nature lesson students construct their own plant field guide.
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Constructing Food Chains
Young scholars explore different habitats and the food chains within. In this food web lesson students construct food chains for different habitats.
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Plant and Animal Cells: Alike and Different?
Seventh graders create a mneumonic device and a graphic organizer about the parts of plant and animal cells. In this biology lesson plan students are introduced to the parts of the cells and then work in groups to create projects that...
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The Water Cycle: Transpiration
Young scholars identify and describe the stages in the water cycle. Using plants, they determine if they play a role in the cycle and measure the water the plants give off. They complete an experiment to determine if deciduous or...
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The Scientists’ Way
Students summarize the steps of the scientific method. In this life science lesson, students explain the importance of varying only one variable at a time. They analyze possible flaws in their experiment.
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Exploring the Plant History of Canyon de Chelly
Students research native and conventional plants in Canyon de Chelly and surrounding area. Students collect, draw, and write about a variety of plants through research. In the descriptive writings, students include a brief history of...
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In What Direction Do Seeds Grow?
Students predict and examine the direction seeds grow and thereby explore the effects gravity has on seeds and plants. They perform this inquiry in-class by keeping track of how beans grow.
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Classification of Animals
Third graders practice classiyfying items and identify three major characteristics scientists use to classify animals. They describe the differences between ectothermic and endothermic animals.
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Making a Human Tree
Students explore botany by defining the anatomy of a tree. In this environmental exploration lesson, students research plant vocabulary terms and discuss the uses of each word. Students create a "human" tree by role-playing as one of the...
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Nonlinear Models in a Data Context
How well does your garden grow? Model the growth of dahlias with nonlinear functions. In the instructional activity, scholars build on their understanding of mathematical models with nonlinear models. They look at dahlias growing in...
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Life on Mars
Young scholars research the feasibility of life on Mars and debate what it would need in order to sustain life. They work in teams to predict, research, infer, and explain their theory using models they build.
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...
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How Can Clear of Tress Destroy a Community?
Fifth graders brainstorm the relationship between trees and humans to determine how humans benefit from trees and how they benefit from us. They discuss oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange, soil stablization, animal habitat, shade, medicine...
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Microscopy Exercises
Students explore organisms and botany by utilizing microscopes. In this microscopic research lesson, students define many plant and organism related vocabulary terms such as conifers, moss and spores. Students view spores and other...
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Which Way is Up? The Tree of Life in Africa
Learners read a book titled This is the Tree about a baobab tree and draw a picture and label the tree. In this tree lesson plan, students also write a paragraph explaining why they drew that tree.
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Keeping Soil in Its Place
Fourth graders investigate erosion. In this Science lesson, 4th graders explore the role of weathering and plant growth related to erosion. Students define the components of soil. Students explore the history of the Dust Bowl.
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Plant Parts
Ninth graders identify plant parts by using different classification methods. In this plant lesson plan students observe and draw different types of leaves then classify them according to species.
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Will There be Enough Water?
Learners investigate water usage, water available, and water demand historically in the local area. They use projections of water usage, availability and demand up to the year 2050. Students use graphs to relate as well as compare and...
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Mini-Ecosystems
Third graders identify the living and non living things in a book read aloud and discuss the interactions represented in the book. Then, they research and include a list of food that each animal needs in an ecosystem. Finally, 3rd...
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Form and Function in the Marine Environment
Learners study the relationship of form and function in the marine environment.
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How Does Your Garden Grow?
Students complete activities to learn about the life cycle of a seed. In this plant growth lesson, students complete activities for the life cycles of seeds.
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Be Nice to Spiders Lesson Plan
Students share their own pages with the rest of the class while they learn about spiders. In this Be Nice to Spiders lesson plan, students learn how spiders are living creatures just like people.
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Next Year's Seeds
Sixth graders explore agricultural issues using math and probabilities. In this agriculture lesson, 6th graders investigate real world situations in agriculture using math and probabilities.