Curated OER
Chameleons
Students read "The Mixed-Up Chameleon" by Eric Carle. They discuss the chameleon's color changes and their ability to catch flies. They read a fact sheet. They view a live chameleon in a natural environment. They write down observations...
Curated OER
Classroom Composting
Young scholars observe and describe the cyclic nature of life. They identify and appreciate the importance of a balanced ecosystem. Finally, students compare and contrast biodegradable and non-biodegradable resources in nature and...
Curated OER
Harvesting the Seeds of Technology
Students determine what the phrase "stewards of the earth" means and evaluate the responsibilities that term entails. They assess whether or not applications of technology and science are consistent with our role as stewards of the earth...
Curated OER
The Different Fresh Water Ecosystems
Students summarize the characteristics of an ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students identify five major fresh water ecosystem. They define terms and write a journal about what they learned.
Moanalua Gardens Foundation
The Mystery of Rapa Nui
What caused the collapse of the environment on Rapa Nui (Easter Island)? Who constructed the Moai? What was their purpose? Class members assume the role of investigators and use evidence drawn from field studies, ships' logs, and...
Fluence Learning
Writing About Literature: What Is Happiness?
Jack London's heart for adventure has come to define the spirit of America and its frontier. Selected passages from the foreword The Cruise of the Snark take eighth graders through London's construction and voyage of his ship before...
Penguin Books
A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classics Edition of Mary Shelley ’s Frankenstein
Contrary to popular belief, the monster's name in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is not Frankenstein. A teacher's guide for the novel helps readers make sense of key details in the text, define vocabulary words, and discuss prominent...
Curated OER
Cloudy With a Chance of...
Second graders will write a story. For this writing and meteorology lesson, 2nd graders read the story Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, then use KidPix to create a weather picture. The picture is imported into a word processor and the...
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Learners write from an animal's perspective. In this writing lesson students explore the landscape of San Francisco prior to the arrival of the explorers. Learners research animals indigenous to the area.
Curated OER
Are You an Ant?
Students investigate different insects in their backyard. In this insect lesson plan, students read the book Are You and Ant? and apply the reading to their backyards. Students create a list of animals that begin with the the letter A an...
Curated OER
The Facts of Life
Students explore the different ways scientists gather information about extinct animals. They utilize these methods to create illustrated story books about a particular extinct animal.
Curated OER
Does Soap Float?
Students form hypotheses and carry out an investigation in order to answer a central question: Does soap float? The focus of this lesson plan is on scientific inquiry, but it incorporates scientific topics such as sinking and floating.
Curated OER
First Grade Goes to the Zoo
First graders summarize their trip to the zoo. In this summarizing lesson plan, 1st graders will study animals that they may see at the zoo including their characteristics and habitats. Once the trip is done, they create a word document...
Curated OER
Gorillas In The Midst
Students consider the idea of the eco-tour, and examine different aspects of the Mountain Gorilla Project eco-tour in Rwanda. They synthesize their understanding by acting as expert panelists on a morning news show that focuses on the...
Curated OER
Tables, Charts and Graphs
Students examine a science journal to develop an understanding of graphs in science. In this data analysis lesson, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer and discuss the meaning of the included graph. Students create a...
Curated OER
Halloween Literature Unit: Pumpkin Patch Unit Project
Students simulate an agriculture project. In this sequencing lesson, students observe their classroom pumpkin patch, make journal entries, and predict how the pumpkins will grow. They discuss as a class how to keep their pumpkins safe...
Curated OER
Growing Flowers
Students grow flowers from seeds. They plant quick-growing seeds in a flower pot and consider what a seed needs to grow. They observe and record the growth of the planted seeds in science journals.
Curated OER
The "Write Sport"
Fifth graders discuss the history of sports in Iowa. In this sports lesson plan, 5th graders write a friendly sports letter and a how to directional writing. They write five entries in their journal from the point of view of a piece of...
Curated OER
Michigan Ecosystems: The Web They Weave
Students examine the forest ecosystem and how all life in the forest depends upon itself. In this ecological lesson plan, students participate in a personal connections activity where someone pulls on a string and everyone feels it,...
Curated OER
The Mysteries of Twins
Third graders experience reading in the content areas by reading about heredity and practicing summarizing the reading.
Curated OER
Arthropods At "Home"
Students discover what an arthropod is and how they survive in our world. In this insect instructional activity, students read the book, A House Is A House For Me, and compare a home for a person with the type of habitat an arthropod...
Curated OER
Give a Hoot - Don't Pollute at Black Bayou Lake
Fourth graders visit Black Bayou Lake refuge to observe the effects of land and water pollution. They photograph examples of pollution. They list the effects of land and water pollution. They write a persuasive letter to convince others...
Curated OER
Ant City
Students develop an ant colony that adults and children can visit. Students create different areas including places where tourists can view live ants, play ant games, research facts about ants, and create ant art. Students serve as...
Curated OER
The Rock Cycle
Students explore the concept of the rock cycle. In this geology lesson, students identify, classify, and observe three different types of rocks. Students then list and char the characteristics of their rocks.