Lesson Plan
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Endangered Species: Not Only Animals

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students research endangered animals and plants.  In this biology lesson, students are read Will We Miss Them? Endangered Species by Alexandra Wright before they begin searching for information to complete an endangered species...
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Busy Bees

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explore the pollination cycle. In this pollination lesson, students investigate the process of pollination. Students illustrate the pollination cycle of bees on paper plates.
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Mosquito Life Cycles

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners gather mosquito eggs to record the mosquito life cycle using drawings, descriptions, and any other appropriate means. In small groups, they analyze and describe the process of complete metamorphosis. They classify mosquitoes...
Lesson Plan
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The Climate Change Skeptic's Argument: Natural Solar Cycles or Human Activity?

For Teachers Higher Ed
Teachers explore patterns in sunspots and total solar irradiance to understand the counterpoint to the human effect of global warming. In this professional development tool, teachers work through a lesson on the sun's natural...
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Genetics: Integrated with History and Art

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students work cooperatively in pairing chromosomes, created statistical genetic babies using the face lab, constructed a color DNA booklet and demonstrated mitosis in a flip book.
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Flying Casanovas

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Learners view a video clip on bowerbirds. They research and compare and contrast the different types of bowers created by them. They work together to answer questions on the birds behavior.
Lesson Plan
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Water-The Liquid Gold

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students investigate the necessity of water for the survival of plants, animals, and people. They explore the affect that water has on human and natural environments through literature, field trips, and discussions.
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Eco-Detectives

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore natural decomposers. In this decomposing lesson, students participate in a WebQuest to discover how nature handles decomposition. Students compare natural methods for decomposition with recycling efforts.
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How Does Climate Affect Plant Growth?

For Teachers 1st
First graders compare plant samples obtained from two different sites to explore how climate affects plants.
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Introduction to Measuring the Forest

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students investigate how much wood is in a forest. For this forestry lesson, students calculate how much usable wood comes from the forest. They will read, Sizing Things Up from Trees + Me = Forestry, measure firewood piles, and create a...
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What Do You Know About the Birds Around You?

For Teachers K
Students compare and contrast various species of birds. After participating in a brief discussion of the characteristics of birds, they view birds in their natural habitat and in pictures with a focus on the similarities and differences...
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Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify renewable vs. non-renewable resources and comprehend why conservation of resources is important. They are asked what they think the words natural and resource mean. Pupils then put the words together to define...
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Catching Some Rays

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the tilt of Earth's axis. In this Earth lesson, 6th graders read a Greek mythology story explaining why there are seasons. Students build a sun-ray gathering tool from styrofoam, glue, thermometers, skewers, and...
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Clouds

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students read books, cut out shapes, and more to learn about clouds. In this clouds lesson plan, students go outside and look at cloud shapes and voice what they see.
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Signs of the Seasons

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students closely observe the natural world, record data, and notice patterns as the seasons unfold, they build a deeper understanding of seasonal change! The definition of phonology is the focus of this lesson and how it changes...
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Plants and Roots

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students discuss the parts of the plant and perform an experiment in which they observe a plant's water transportation system. They become familiar with several local plants used for utilitarian purposes.
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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.
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Energy Detectives

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore where energy comes from and identify the different kinds of energy.  In this energy lesson students search their classroom for energy connections and record the way that they use energy. 
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Ecosystem Energizers

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders see how the flow of energy through an ecosystem made up of producers, consumers, and decomposers carries out the processes of life and that some energy dissipates as heat and is not recycled.
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Introduction to Seeds

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students investigate how to plant a seed. In this gardening lesson, students listen to the book I'm a Seed and research the materials needed to plant a seed. Students present the information they found.
Interactive
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Bluebirds Project

For Students 4th - 8th
In this bluebirds project worksheet, students are given directions on completing a project about bluebirds including measurements, scientific method questions, data entry, and more. Students complete 15 exercises.
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Insects

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students study the characteristics and basic needs of insects. They compare and describe similarities among insects. They examine the body structure, covering, and movement of insects and also, examine insect life cycles in this unit of...
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Simple machines

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students list and describe the six simple machines. They create a Thinking Map and outline using Kidspiration and create a paper on the importance of simple machines using Microsoft Word.
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Carbon for the World

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explore the presence of carbon in the world. In this environmental stewardship instructional activity, students discuss the carbon cycle after they read assigned textbook pages. Students also discuss biomass content in different...