Curated OER
Habitat Hunt
Third graders read several nonfiction texts and practice finding the main idea for the text as well as learn about various habitats. In this main idea instructional activity, 3rd graders read several nonfiction texts and make habitat...
Curated OER
Plant Adaptations
Students identify parts of prairie plants. They sketch the plants indicating its adaptive parts and write brief descriptions of them. They present their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Striking a Balance
Middle schoolers demonstrate understanding of food chain by assuming roles of animals, playing tag, and simulating feeding relationships.
Curated OER
Butterflies, Butterflies, Butterflies
Transform your class into a butterfly museum! Research different types of butterflies, their habitat, and life cycle. Interactive components such as PowerPoint presentations, Claymation movies, and webpages add pizzaz to the museum...
Curated OER
Striking a Balance
Students participate in an activity that demonstrates the principles and dynamics of food chains. They discover that the sun's energy is captured by individual plants and transferred to animals.
Curated OER
Animal Habitat Bar Graph
In this graphing activity, learners examine a prepared bar graph and record which habitat their chosen animal lives in: desert, city, forest, ocean, prairie, or fresh water. There are no directions but it appears that a class could use...
DePaul University
Contrast and Evaluate Fact and Opinion
How can you tell when an author is expression an opinion or stating a fact? Use two short reading selections to emphasize the difference between a statement that you can prove and one that you can't. The first passage explains food...
Curated OER
Taming Wild Land
Third graders consider the habitat needs of living things and how extensive farming in an area can affect the plants and animals of a region. They participate in a simulation to show how changing the habitat in one area can greatly...
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Habitat Sunprints
Students recognize various habitats and where they are found. In this habitat sunprints lesson, students observe the contents of habitats and record what the sunprint might represent. Students use blueprint paper and small natural...
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Speedy Succession
Fifth graders investigate how a pond ecosystem can change into a prairie or grassland ecosystem. They observe a small pond ecosystem in a two liter soda bottle, and examine and record changes over a two-week period of time on a worksheet.
Curated OER
The Interdependence of Birds and the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem
Tenth graders participate in the "Checks and Balances" game. This game lets them experience the interdependence of oragnisms specific to the Great Salt Lake. They recieved informaton about food chains, food webs, trophic levels various...
Curated OER
Here Today. . .Gone Tomorrow
Learners observe that there are threatened and endangered bird species in Illinois, why they have been given this status and how it relates to endangered species on a worldwide basis. they participate in the Project WILD "Oh, Deer" or...
Curated OER
Bringing Illinois into the Curriculum
Students of all ages are introduced to the geography of Illinois. Depending on the grade level, they participate in different activities which allow them to discover Illinois in the past and present. They examine the animals and...
Curated OER
Make a Rain Stick
Students create a rain stick to imitate the nature sounds in a rainforest habitat. In this rainforest habitat lesson, students create a rain stick to mimic the cultural tools used in the South American rainforest. Students use paper...
Curated OER
Speedy Succession
Fifth graders identify how a pond can change into a grassland. An ecosystems lesson where learners identify pioneer and climax species, and recognize that ecological succession can take up to 100 years or more. Some excellent activities...
Curated OER
Fires and Fire Suppression
Learners examine their assumptions about forest fires. They explore the conflicts involved with the forest service's new strategy. in addition, they will study one case where a prescribed natural burn had a significant impact on a later,...
Curated OER
Dynamic Wetlands
Students construct and observe a model of two different types of wetlands. In this wetlands lesson, students create a model of a wetland with constant drainage and a wetland that maintains a well-saturated soil. Students observe and...
Curated OER
Biological Diversity and Conservation
In this conservation biology worksheet, learners will complete 9 short answer questions on the different strategies of conservation biology, including the Endangered Species Act and establishing protected areas for animals.
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Animals and the Food Webs that Love Them
Students study the animals that Lewis and Clark would have encountered. In this animals instructional activity students study the food web and how human populations have affected them.
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Planting a Monarch Butterfly Garden
Pupils raise money to purchase milkweed plants for their butterfly garden. In this gardening activity, students listen to the story Miss Rumphius to determine why it is important to plant milkweed for butterflies. Pupils develop a...
Curated OER
The High Plains: Land of Extremes
Students complete activities surrounding the study of groundwater movement, energy resources, wind energy, and riparian areas. They debate/role-play the viewpoints of different interest groups in considering whether the black-footed...
Curated OER
Sociology: What is life like for Gulf Coast rice farmers
Learners read 1 page about Gulf Coast rice farmers and then describe what rice farming in the U.S. is like in the United States. In this rice farming lesson plan, students tell why they would or would not want to be a rice farmer.
Curated OER
Explore the Food Web
Students identify plants and animals in the journals of Lewis and Clark's expedition. They describe the various animal habits. Students interpret the behaviors of the animals discovered on the expedition. They design a food web using...
Curated OER
Insect Biodiversity
Young scholars observe the process of transect sampling using insect nets, to get a chance to compare the presence of different species and populations in various vegetational areas. They study the different specimens caught and compare...