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Deserts: How Do You Define One?
Second graders identify what constitutes as a desert by reading a habitat checklist. In this environment lesson, 2nd graders read a nature website to discover facts about the desert and where they are located. Students...
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Interactive Journeys
Students investigate environments and animals through the use of technology while on class field trips. The lesson plan is highly adaptable and can work with any field trip in many subject areas.
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Fish Farm: an open ended, student centered laboratory activity
Students are contacted by a fictitious company which raises tropical fish to do basic research for them so that they might keep their production costs down. They need to know the optimum salinity in which to hatch the brine shrimp that...
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Maine Black Bear Research and Field Study Activity
Students participate in a field study of Maine Black Bears. They first do academic research on the Maine Black Bear. Following extensive research and discussion, students go out into the field with Maine State Biologist to observe bears...
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Surveying and Assessing the Environmental Compatibility of a Building Construction Site
Students examine an area of land and assess its suitability for construction purposes. This project requires a vast amount of hands-on experimentation, data analysis, community involvement, and job shadowing/career awareness.
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Genetics the Easy Way
Students use recyclable trash to construct a Recycle Critter family. They calculate the probability of the phenotype of the offspring that two heterozygous parents produced.
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The Behavior of Ants
Students use the steps of the Scientific Method to develop and test their own ideas through experimentation with ants.
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Design a Paper Airplane
Students study examples of paper airplanes and then create their own paper airplane models.
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Pumpkin Investigation
Students examine pumpkins and make a book depicting and describing the inside and outside of a pumpkin.
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Decidedly Different
Fifth graders inquire as to why scientists use observable characteristics, how they sort the characteristics, and why they do so. They write journal entries to be used throughout this unit.
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Metals or Nonmetals? The Families of Elements
Fourth graders, in groups, compile information on groups of elements. They study Alkali Metals, Alkaline Earth Metals, Halogens, and Noble Gases.
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Outdoor Observations
Fifth graders attain data using their senses. They record information. They develop observation skills and explore how to investigate. They gain appreciation for nature through their observations.
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Eruption!
Learners role-play as villagers, the governor, volcanologists, or the press in a simulation about the possible threat of a nearby volcanic eruption.
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Saving An Endangered Species
Second graders participate in a fundraiser for an endangered species. They evaluate websites for animal adoption/sponsorship, select an endangered species, and develop, advertise, and implement a fund-raising plan for their selected...
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Island Survival
Students participate in a simulation of life on a deserted island. They work with their group to develop an island survival plan and summarize it in a journal. Students use a worksheet and challenge cards to earn points. They will be...
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Island Survival
Students participate in a simulation of life on a deserted island. They apply their critical thinking skills and knowledge of oceans and islands to "survive" and ultimately return to safety. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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Operation Genesis
Students, while working in groups under the Operation Genesis project involve fictional elements of role playing to grasp geographic concepts concerning human/environment interaction. They create the physical features of a fictional...
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Rainforest Relationships
Young scholars provided with opportunities to explore the animals and plant life that coexist in the various layers of the tropical rainforest. They appreciate the diversity of life in each layer. Students write a report on a particular...
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Reuse, Reduce, Recycle Paper
Young scholars experiment with recycling paper. In this paper recycling lesson, students conduct an experiment in which they dissolve newspaper in water and cornstarch to make new pieces of paper. They add color or flowers to the new...
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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Learners read about weather and create a computer log about weather. In this Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs lesson, students listen to the story and discuss different weather patterns. Learners develop a list of weather...
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Big Cats
Young scholars study what a niche is and its role in a community. In this cats instructional activity students research the Internet for information on big cat species.
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Proud to Live in New Jersey
Students explore New Jersey. In this New Jersey social studies lesson, students define vocabulary and participate in activities centered around the agriculture, geography, industry, history, and culture of New Jersey. Students construct...
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KWL Chart and Background Article
Students discuss an ecosystem. In this coral reef lesson, students fill in their own KWL chart and contribute ideas to a whole class KWL chart. They read an article as a class to spark ideas for facts they can add to the "K" part of the...
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Phases of the Moon
Students read "The Moon Seems to Change" and conduct an experiment with oranges to demonstrate the phases of the moon. They write about the experiment and describe each phase of the moon.