Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drought

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students gain knowledge about the impact of drought in agriculture. They investigate soil types, water flow, and various erosion conditions which occur during a drought and see how farming practices changed after the 1930's.
Worksheet
Curated OER

What Do Soils Have to Do With Me?

For Students 2nd - 3rd
In this identifying ways we use soils every day worksheet, students investigate their houses, home environment, clothing labels, and foods to see what was made from things grown in soils. Students write 5 short answers.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Can You Test Your Soil?

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students investigate chemicals in soil samples. In this soil science lesson, students test local soil to measure the pH, nitrate, phosphate, and potassium content.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigation 7 - Plants In Soil

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explain how the components of soil effect plant growth. They brainstorm different kinds of materials that plants could use for structural support. They design an experiment to show that plants can grow without soil.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sustainable Livestock

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Learners investigate healthy eating habits by researching livestock. In this food sustainability lesson, students research the negative impact factory farming has on our environment due to pollution. Learners define agricultural...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Soil Separator

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students investigate botany by creating a soil separating device.  In this plant life lesson, students identify the needs of plants and how important the right soil is in the growing process.  Students define different soil...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measuring Permeability of Soil, Sand and Gravel

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the different materials in their environment.  In this geology lesson, students collaborate in groups to examine the differences in sand, soil and gravel.  Students utilize a magnifying glass or microscope...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating the Soil

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the Earth's crust by researching pH levels and acidity. In this environmental safety lesson, students identify the pros and cons of acidity within soil and how it affects plants. Students collaborate in a pH level...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plant Needs

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the needs of plants.  In this plants biology lesson, students work in groups to perform an experiment with tomato plants.  Each group records observations in a journal, takes pictures, and interprets the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Erosion Mountain

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate the erosive impact of water. In this erosion instructional activity, students research the impact of water on terraced and non-terraced hillsides. Students create an erosion model to have a hands-on experience with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecosystem Services - Water Purification

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students see that ecosystems provide services to people that are essential to life as we know it. Reporters (drops of water) could interview the trees and soil in the surrounding ecosystems for news stories on how they helped keep the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unit Lesson Plan Template

For Teachers 1st
First graders listen to the book The Story of Sand and make predictions about an investigation based on soil, sand, and silt. In this sand lesson, 1st graders work in groups to discuss their observations about sand and answer higher...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where Do Birds Live? Cavity Nesters of the Watsonville Wetlands

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students compare and contrast primary and secondary cavity nesters. In this life science instructional activity, students explore the different types of nests that birds make. They play a team game to apply what they learned.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking a Micro Hike

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate organisms by searching soil on their school ground.  In this insect life lesson, students utilize field guides to help identify the organisms found in a rotting log on their campus.  Students photograph any...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sense Of Place

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars study ecology, listen to speakers and research conservation topics.  In this investigative lesson students discuss wilderness resources, learn about Native Americans and participate in activities that help them to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Detecting Magnetic Materials in "Martian" Soil

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Pupils simulate some of the Pathfinder experiments by devising methods of collecting and measuring magnetic substances in pseudo-Martian soil. The efficiency of each of the methods used to collect materials is evaluated in this lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Air?

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students investigate air by participating in a class experiment. For this matter measurement lesson, students identify air as a gas which consists of mass. Students utilize a windsock or balloon to measure oxygen and explore it's true...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitat Art: Florida Panthers

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students discover the lifestyles of a Florida Panther by investigating its habitat.  In this wild animal instructional activity, students utilize the Internet to research the habits of a Panther and what their habitat is....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Summer Nature Activity: Carrots! Carrots!

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Young scholars investigate reading, cooking, and planting activities that teach that a carrot is the root of a plant. In this early childhood science lesson, students explore the world around them as they read The Carrot Seed and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Are the Layers of the Rain Forest?

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students investigate the different levels of the rain forest by comparing it to an apartment.  In this ecology lesson, students practice using forest related vocabulary words and complete a vocabulary data sheet.  Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Disposing Garbage

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Young scholars explore environmental cleanliness by completing a worksheet in class. In this waste management lesson, students identify the technological advances in society and how they increase waste production our planet is unable to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Richmond Nature Park Field Trip

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Pupils identify different plants and their uses by attending a field trip. In this Canadian plant lesson, students explore the great outdoors of Vancouver, B.C. and discuss the uses of plants by the Native Americans that once resided...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigation 2 - Classifying Rocks

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify basic properties of minerals and rocks. They access websites and utilize worksheets imbedded in this lesson to further their understanding of rock classification.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Land as a Valuable Resource

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate why the soil is important to our lives. In this natural resources lesson, students have a farmer as a guest speaker. Students begin to understand how farmers use and protect our natural resource. Students write...