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Design a Reef!
Students design a functional model of a coral reef ecosystem. In this coral reef activity, students identify the energy sources and material cycles of a coral reef. They write an essay about their niche in their own ecosystem.
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Habitat Hunt
Students discover how hard it is for animals to find all the items needed in their habitat. In this habitat lesson, students play a game in which they pretend to be an animal, they discover that not all animals can find the food needed...
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Oh No! Oil Spills
Students discover the threats of an oil spill. In this ecological awareness lesson plan, students examine the effects of oil spills on animals and our oceans. Students get simulated oil on themselves and discover ways to...
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Basic Needs of Living Things-Lesson One
Fourth graders explore the basic needs of living things. They observe a variety of living things and identify the basic needs of each living item. Students create food balls of peanut butter and nuts to feed animals. They hang their food...
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Zones of the Rocky Intertidal Zones
Sixth graders predict intertidal zones for organisms. In this intertidal zones lesson, 6th graders analyze an illustration of an organism and a class diagram of the intertidal zones. Students research to locate the zone the organism is...
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Coastal Threat: A Story in Unit Conversions
Students convert measurements from one unit to another. In this math lesson, students study the environmental consequences of oil spills. They replicate an oil spill event by modeling and scaling.
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Can We Keep the Lake Clean?
Students are introduced to the water cycle. They help draw a picture of a lake ecosystem, adding human impacts that affect water quality. Students help fill in the components of a drawing of a water system. At the end of the lesson...
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Summer Camp in the Classroom
Students explore wildlife plants and summer activities. In this natural science lesson, students identify plants and animals and create a scrapbook of their findings.
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Panther Scavenger Hunt
Students research the Internet to fill out their scavenger hunt sheet. In this research instructional activity students search the Internet for answers to the questions on the scavenger hunt worksheet.
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Biodiversity in Illinois-Pond Habitats
Second graders construct a pond habitat in the classroom using a small swimming pool partially filled with water, real cattails, a tree log adjoining, and plastic animal life appropriate to a pond setting. They examine the frog in detail...
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Invent a Critter
Students create a living animal that could survive in at least one specific region and use the digital desert library to gather information. In this invent a critter instructional activity, students draw a picture of their animal, ...
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Feeding in the Flow
Young scholars examine current flow and describe ways in which it may effect food of reef building corals. In this coral lesson students identify two environmental factors that may affect the morphology.
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Seas Of Life
Learners brainstorm examples of predator and prey that are featured in a video they watch. In this investigative lesson plan students will research an animal from the video and explain if it is a predator or prey and how it helps...
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Understanding Interactions Among Local Species and the Local Environment
Young scholars examine the differences between biotic and abiotic factors, explain the difference between habitat and niche and compare how organisms get their nutritional needs. In this local environment instructional activity...
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Dirty Mud
Students examine geological information to study benthic marine habitats. In this watershed project, students examine wetland habitats and land uses in a watershed. They will use geological information to discuss the impact of pollution...
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What is Cacao?
Students use the Internet to learn about the cacao plant. In this plants instructional activity, students complete a KWL chart on chocolate, learn about cocoa plants and discuss the parts of a plant. Students use the Internet...
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Hunt for Habitats
Learners review components of a habitat and go on a hike around a pond and woods exploring different habitats and the plants and animals that use them. They examine mammal pelts and discuss the life histories, adaptations, and positions...
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Please Help!
Sixth graders examine the prairie food chain while designing a rescue strategy for an endangered species. They compare their strategy to that of a professional conservation expert.
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Where Are the Bugs?
Students trap, collect and identify arthropods in a newly created desert tortoise preserve area over a period of one school year. They determine the rate at which various arthropods take up residence in the newly landscaped area. Data is...
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Conservation in Small Spaces: Conservation
Students define conservation, identify actions that conserve habitat and those that reduce habitat, and generate ideas about how one can practice conservation in everyday life.
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Habitat
Students explore the attributes of animal habitats. In this habitat lesson plan, students examine animal habitats as they conduct a scientific investigation to create an animal habitat that provides food, shelter, and space.
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Animals of Louisiana
Students investigate animal behaviors and habitats. In this Louisiana animals lesson plan, students research animals and take a trip to a wildlife refuge. Students create booklets that include photographs regarding the experience. The...
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Grzimek's Animal Life: Polar Bears
Students examine the physical adaptations of polar bears. In this animal adaptations lesson plan, students access interactive resource pages on the Internet, discovering the habitats of polar bears and their physical attributes. Students...
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Animal Diversity
Students explore the outdoors. In this animal diversity lesson, students observe nature and identify various species of animals, both small and large. Students discuss animal habitats and how humans influence their living conditions.