Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Chestnut Graphing Activity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are taught how to format and enter data into an Excel spreadsheet. They make a graph and interpret graphed data. Students discuss possible impacts of water chestnut invasion. They graph data on water chestnut. Students report...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Quality with Samples

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Young scholars recognize whether one wants to drink water, swim in it, or for the health of the organisms living in it. They prepare different water samples to observe and collect samples regarding the water quality.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners analyze the similarities and differences between tap water and bottled water. They make informed decisions about their use of each. Students are asked if they drink mostly tap water straight from the tap or water fountain. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wastewater

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss what happens to their wastewater. They read about the wastewater treatment process. Students are asked what types of things get flushed down toilets or goes down drains in sinks and showers. They are taught what happens...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hudson Valley Rocks

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students identify each of the rocks provided and locate where in the valley they are found. They explain why the rocks came to be as they are in each location. In addition, they relate the exercise to how the Hudson Valley's geologic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glacial Groundwater

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students study glacial deposition and groundwater in Dutchess County, new York. They identify the permeability rates in different glacial deposits and relate this information to ground water capacity of sediments found in Dutchess...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Much Water is in That River?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students practice measurement using the Hudson River. They calculate the discharge measurement at a location on the Hudson River using ingenuity and a topographic map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Prairie Senses

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders use their senses to explore a prairie or imaginary prairie. They draw pictures to represent the five senses and discover how an artist describes non-visual sensations in a visual way.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where the Buffalo Roam

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore what life in the Chicago area was like hundreds of years ago. They discuss how settlers impacted the environment, and why there are no longer herds of buffalo in the Chicago area today. They read an article and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Hawaiian Mountain Zones

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders watch a video that describes the climate and vegetation zones of Hawaii. They describe the different physical conditions that create vegetation zones from the sea to the mountains. In groups, they create an illustrated...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

For Teachers K - 1st
Students discuss the differences between a storybook and an information book. Students use various materials found in nature to make a nature collage. Students make a nature dictionary using pictures and their own definitions from the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air, Air Everywhere! Lesson 2: Acid Rain

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Middle school environmentalists record the pH of four different liquids, including two aerosol cleaning products. They liken the products to acid rain and speculate in writing which might affect the human respiratory system. Although...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bug Work

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explore the life cycles of insects and how they interact with each other in the prairie to create a healthy ecosystem and viable food chain. They list animals or insects in their own community that are similar to the prairie...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Communities

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars identify tree specimens.  In this tree specimens lesson, students collect different parts of a tree from the areas around the school or their home.  They then work in groups to create booklet that identifies tree...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Casual Patterns in Ecosystems

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Ecology explorers or beginning biologists view a time-lapse film of decaying strawberries. They discuss how decomposition occurs and what factors might affect the rate of decay. Alone, the lesson plan is lacking engaging attributes....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

WALK, DON'T RUN

For Teachers K - 1st
1. Bring two quarts of moist soil, a cake pan, a sprinkling can of water and a quart of grass clippings to class. 2. Share background material, and introduce the word "erosion." 3. Prepare a small model hill by mounding the soil in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Great Salt Lake

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders go on a field trip to make observations about plants in the Great Salt Lake area. They make observations about the environment and record the types of pants that are living there. The instructional activity is to introduce...
Interactive
Curated OER

Explorit's Garden Quiz: How Does Your Garden Grow?

For Students 5th - 6th
In this plants worksheet, students complete a 6 question multiple choice quiz about gardening, plants and agriculture. This is an online interactive worksheet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

HOLD ON TO THAT

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students will analyze how water enters different soils, how readily it passes through and how much water is held.1. Materials needed for the activity are; pint of clay, pint of sand, pint of loam, newspaper, three frozen fruit juice...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

READY, SET, PLANT

For Teachers K - 1st
Students identify the basic steps a gardener takes in planting seeds. Students identify the many uses of tomatoes. Students examine the seeds and try to identify them. Students place their plants in a sunny window and water them when...
Lesson Plan
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Do You See What I See?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders view a teacher-created terrarium, and complete a KWL chart. They discuss what they can see, Students go on a nature walk and compare the schoolyard to the terrarium, discussing the roles of rocks, plants, soil, and water...
Lesson Plan
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RIDE THE WILD LEAF

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners identify and interpret that leaves provide food for new trees and plants. Students cut out leaves and glue them on the appropriate number on included worksheet. Learners collect different types of leaves and make leaf rubbings....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Photosynthesis: An enlightening experience

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students observe the effect of light on plants. They illustrate the exchange of gases between the atmosphere and the plant. Students see that plants are part of many natural cycles. They investigate how green plants use the sun's energy...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying Wetlands

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe three major categories of indicators that are used to delineate wetlands.  In this wetlands lesson students visit a wetland and make observations then complete an activity using the soil.