Curated OER
What is Weather?
Students identify different types of weather and explore the weather for each season of the year. They complete a class seasonal weather chart, listen to the book "Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today?," and create a magazine...
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Birds on the Move
Students observe the migrational path of the Swainson's Hawk from northern Minnesota to the southern portion of South America. They study the migratory path of the hawk and observe how the vegetation in a particular region of the earth...
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Autumn
Take a walk through the forest as the leaves change color and fall from the trees, making way for a new ecosystem cycle to cycle through. An inquiry-based lesson plan examines how the process of decomposition eliminates tons of...
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Penguins Nesting Know-How
Young scholars maintain a field journal as they follow penguin parents raising their chicks during the breeding season. They formulate testable questions. Students reflect on animal behavior in the field related to survival and chick...
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Falling Into Leaves
Students investigate why leaves change color. In this chlorophyll lesson, students examine how chlorophyll effects the color changes in leaves. Students take pictures of changing leaves, and create a class quilt showing the changes of...
Curated OER
Follow the Sun
Students use a simple model of the Earth and Sun as seen from space to explore the sun's apparent movement across the sky over the course of a day and year. They consider the apparent direction of movement and changes in the sun's angle.
Curated OER
Weather Whys
Second graders experiment with a thermometer and water samples of varying temperatures. They examine the effect different colors and different fabrics have on retaining heat. They examine snow samples for water and dirt content. They...
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Length of the Day
Students investigate how the Earth's rotation affect the length of day. In this earth science lesson, students construct a sighting apparatus and record their observations over a few days. They analyze data collected and formulate a...
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My Tree Book
Students "adopt" a tree and throughout the year record and examine its characteristics and the changes that it goes through.
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Look At Those Leaves!
Students collect, observe, sort, and measure leaves. In this leaf instructional activity, students take a walk to collect leaves. They bring the leaves back into the classroom to observe, sort, and measure them. They visit a website to...
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon
Students explore why when you examine the moon depends on its location in relationship to the sun and Earth. The moon never goes away or changes shape-we just see a different fraction of sunlight being reflected from the moon to Earth.
Curated OER
Migrate, Adapt, or Hibernate
In this migration and hibernation instructional activity, students read a 2 page informational excerpt about animals who adapt to changing seasons by migrating or hibernating. They then use the information they learned to answer the 15...
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What Can the Wind Blow?
Students observe math and science concepts no matter which way the wind blows. In this early childhood problem solving instructional activity, students will develop science, math, and observation skills as they learn about the wind.
Curated OER
Tree-Ring Dating
In this tree-ring dating worksheet, students use activity sheets to determine a tree's age and to observe changes in climate from the tree-rings. Students investigate how archaeologists use tree rings to date evidence and they answer 5...
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Planting Pumpkins
Learners plant pumpkins. In this agriculture lesson, students use pumpkin seeds, mulch, and shovels to plant seeds from a pumpkin. Learners observe the changes during each season.
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Dynamic Wetlands
High schoolers 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. High schoolers...
Curated OER
Autumn Crossword Puzzle
In this online/interactive crossword worksheet, students read clues and solve the puzzle using words about the autumn season. Students type 21 word answers and check them by observing the color of their answers-yellow indicates a correct...
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Here Comes Winter!
Learners investigate winter behaviors in animals. They describe winter and write about the characteristics of the season by drawing and labeling a winter picture. Students then conduct research on a chosen animal and create a chart. ...
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Seeds, Miraculous Seed
Students investigate relationships between plants and animals and how living things change during their lives. In this life cycle lesson, students split different types of seeds apart to see the beginning life stages of future plants.
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Global Change- Time and Cycles
Young scholars study trees and their growth. In this investigative instructional activity students work in groups to reconstruct a 50 year climatic history using a simulated tree ring.
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West Climate Change
Students read an internet article about hurricanes. In this hurricane lesson, students explain how they form and the damage they bring. They analyze the article and answer questions about it.
Carnegie Mellon University
Bathtub Model
Using a colorful infographic handout and a guide sheet, hold a class discussion about how a bathtub can serve as a model for the greenhouse effect created by Earth's atmosphere. Participants will understand that as energy or matter is...
Curated OER
A Walk in the Tundra
Discuss the environment of the Arctic tundra using this resource. The focus of this lesson plan is the story A Walk in the Tundra by Rebecca L. Johnson. The appealing illustrations are bound to captivate your class! After reading...
Curated OER
Getting Out on the Land
Young scholars explore seasonal change in the environment around their community. They investigate how changes in climate are affecting hunting, trapping, fishing and berry picking around their community. Students write about the...