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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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Tree Identification/Tree Art
Seventh graders identify and examine a deciduous and coniferous tree. Using the descriptions, they discover the types of tress in their local area. As a class, they practice identifying trees on a walk in a park collecting leaves. They...
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Guess Who?
Getting ready for a lesson plan on animal adaptations can be a lot of fun. Kindergartners will go on an egg hunt. Once they have collected all the eggs, they will open them up to reveal an image of an animal. Each pupil will act...
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The Colors of Nature
Students explore their outdoor environment, looking for varieties of color. Color samples from the outdoor environment are collected and used to create a sample page of colors that students label.
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Deconstructing, Decomposition and Compost
Students create and tend to an outdoor compost pile. They research about decomposition and composting. They create two activities for their peers to complete.
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What's Down There
Third graders gather and examine samples from the school outdoor environment. They compare/contrast their samples with those of other students. Students record the results of their observations.
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Go Green!
Students use this outdoor sensory activity as a self-guided or as part of a facilitated programme. It encourages individual observation and exploration in the forest. Students can choose to work as an individual or work in pairs. They...
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Weather Instrument Use and Application
Eighth graders measure temperature, wind speed and pressure using Skymaster SM-28. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders collect data and record observations taken from outdoors. They explain why numerical values are different in...
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Sounds Around
In this sounds instructional activity, students choose one of five activities to do at home with parents. Students experiment with making sounds with natural objects, list "noisy" foods or count all the outdoor sounds that can be heard.
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Using A Winogradsky Column to Analyze Microbial Communities
Students use easily obtained materials to study ecological succession in a microbiological community. They collect water samples from outdoor sources in plastic bottles to observe and record changes.
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Testing the Waters
Students study the quality of water by running chemical tests on the water. First, they measure pH, temperature, phospates, and nitrates in tap (drinking) water and an outdoor water sample. Then they post and evaluate the results of...
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Think Green
Students experience and practice compositing and recycling through hands-on-activities. They distinguish between which items from their trash can be recycled, composted and reused. The process for making recycled paper is also covered in...
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Dishing the Dirt Part 1
Students create a soil center on their school grounds. They begin to write in their science journals. They participate in an experiment that helps the community begin their own gardens.
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Highs and Lows
Students use email to chart weather patterns and then graph their findings. In this weather patterns lesson, students chart their weather for a week at the school. Students then use email to find temperatures at a variety of locations....
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Echo Location
Students participate in a role-playing activity that demonstrates how whales use sound as an adaptation to their environment.
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Habitat Is Home
Students are introduced to the concept and components of a habitat. They discuss the key components of a habitat and describe how certain factors can cause disturbances in a habitat and change its population. Activities are leveled for...
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Get in Touch With Trees
In this five senses instructional activity, students complete several activities that help them improve their sense of touch and learn about their environment.
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A Walk in the Woods
Students observe an environment, ask questions about what they observe. and design experiments to answer one question they came up with in this upper-level High School or college lesson. The lesson requires an outdoor exploration or...
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Land Use Issues
Students participate in activities in which they examine land use. They examine the types of animals in a surrounding and how they blend in with the environment. They also examine food resources.
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Environment: Water Flow
Students brainstorm the ways that water flows when it falls to the ground. After discussing three things water can do, they investigate and predict water movement outdoors on school grounds. They experiment ways to alter the water flow...
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Natural Resource Management Course Outline
Gain skills in ecosystem evaluation including chemical, biological, and physical qualities. Students write a report on a local ecosystem.
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Spring Has Sprung
Spring lesson plan ideas can allow students and teachers a chance to use the outdoors as a classroom and a source of study topics.
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What Can the Wind Blow?
Learners observe math and science concepts no matter which way the wind blows. In this early childhood problem solving lesson, students will develop science, math, and observation skills as they learn about the wind.
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Getting to the Point
Middle schoolers determine location by using the technique of triangulation. They imagine that they are out in the wilderness and have come to the top of a ridge. How can one identify the ridge on the topo map? How can one figure out...