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Exploring Forest Objects
Students explore the forest. In this ecosystems lesson, students rotate through sensory activity centers, brainstorm, and read about temperate forests.
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Vincent VanDuca
Students create art with the Manduca by placing gel on their body and letting them walk over colored paper. They discover what their footprints and movements are like. They create a piece of art by using the Manduca markings.
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Plant Diversity and Distribution
Students construct a defined plot on school grounds and observed patterns in plant life. They count trees, shrubs, cacti and record on a data sheet. They compare data and generate a plant diversity overlook for their school.
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In the Company of Wild Butterflies
Learners discover the life cycle of a butterfly and explain the different stages. For this exploratory lesson students watch a video and create insect art and they will get an opportunity to view live specimens of butterflies.
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Germs and Your Body
Students study germs and ways your body fights against disease. For this germs lesson students complete an activity that demonstrates where germs can get into your body.
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I Wonder What Would Happen if Lots of Manduca Lived in a Small Place...
Students discuss the reasons why humans fight and look for similiarties in animals. They make predictions on what they think will happen when they observe insect crowding. They make conclusions about their predictions to end the activity.
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Biomanipulation
Young scholars explore the effects of aquatic trophic relationships on water transparency. They observe and explain the effects of reducing nutrient inputs on agal density on water transparency.
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Where's My Mummy: Preservation Techniques
To observe preservation techniques firsthand, learners dry a flower in sand and compare cucumber slices soaked in salt water for a week with slices left out to dry in the open air. Video resources (not attached) include one about mummies...
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Digestion Simulation
Pupils study the human digestion system and the functions of the stomach and small intestines. In this digestion lesson students view a demonstration on the process.
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Manduca
Pupils investigate the basic survival needs of both hornworms and humans. They compare and contrast the them by making a class list.
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Artifacts 1: What Can We Learn From Artifacts?
Sixth graders are introduced to artifacts and explore an online archaeological site to connect clues about how people once lived. In this deductive reasoning lesson, 6th graders participate in the stratigraphy game on Kids Dig...
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Kernels of Wisdom: Investigating Natural Variations in Corn
Here is a brain-popper! Corn, or more appropriately, maize, was intentionally domesticated by humans around 9,000 years ago and over a period of hundreds to thousands of years! Genetics and botany researchers have collaborated to find...
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The Wonderful World of Slugs
Examine a slug? Of course, what else would a 2nd grader do with it? Pupils use clues and go on a slug hunt, read a slug story, or make a cooperative group mural of a slug's habitat. While older learners catalog slugs, go on a slug hunt,...
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Illinois Biodiversity
Students examine the amount of biodiversity in the state of Illinois. They practice using new vocabulary and listening to stories about animals. After given time to reflect, they write their own haiku. They work together to create a...
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The Root Show
Students investigate plant roots. In this plant lesson, students discover the function and structure of plant roots. Students plant a plant in a milk carton with a clear section cut out in order to observe the roots of the plant.
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Survival Zone: The Intertidal Zone
Students determine water level tidal predictions for a given place for the next month, current status of the area and the local weather. Links are provided for the information. Students answer questions based on the information found,...
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Garbage in the Garden
Students create their own compost. In this soil lesson, students fill a bag with waste and soil, in order to create a mini compost bin. Students observe the baggies over a 6 week period, they record their findings and collect data...
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Bacteria
Learners study the advantages and disadvantages of bacteria. In this bacteria lesson students draw and label the different types of bacteria.
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Inviting Butterflies to the Schoolyard
Pupils create a butterfly garden. In this butterfly garden lesson, students plot a garden with plant species that will attract butterflies. Pupils learn about the specific plants and items that will help butterflies use the garden.
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Understanding Waves
Pupils examine the physical properties of waves to explore the word crest and trough. They use toys to study waves in air, water and light.
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Bird Seed Mining
Students search through the seed mixture and separate out our "mine" beads, sunflower seeds, and other grain products, making piles of each. students count up the number of gold, silver, and blue beads, and sunflower seeds from their piles
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Let the River Run
Students explore the environment by reading a story in class. In this water formation instructional activity, students define environmental terms such as rivers, streams, gulf, oceans and lakes. Students read the story A River Ran Wild...
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Snacks 'R Us
First graders experiment with fat content by analyzing snack foods. They learn what makes up a nutritious snack.
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Minnesota-China Connections: Chinese Flavors
Students discuss the foods which are typical of a Chinese diet. They find recipes and observe and sample various Chinese foods. They record their opinions about what they taste and experience in a journal entry.