Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insect Monitoring

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students participate in an interactive activity using the scientific method to study biodiversity.  In this insect monitoring activity, students simulate the layers of soil and the insects that would live there. Students design...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pet Rocks

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students complete a variety of activities related to the physical characteristics of minerals. They classify and group candy, classify rocks and complete a Pet River Rock worksheet. Students try to guess which rock goes with each...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Tallest Plants ... are Trees!

For Students 3rd - 5th
A fabulous worksheet about trees awaits your students. They read a lengthy selection on the various parts of trees, then complete 13 fill-in-the-blank and matching questions about what they have read. An excellent reading comprehension...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Glaciers Worksheet #1

For Students 6th - 9th
The landscape impacted by glacier activity is drawn at the top of this worksheet. Ten multiple choice questions follow, some relating to the diagram, and some about the quality of soil left by glaciation. It is not often that you come...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cupcake Core Sampling

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discuss core samples. In this environment lesson plan, students experiment discovering what is beneath the surface by using cupcakes as models finding out what sort of layers are found within the cupcakes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rain Maker

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders work in small groups with a cup each of several materials. Students layer the gravel, sand, and water into a resealable bag. They draw a picture of this bag in their water journal. Students place their sealed bags in a...
Handout
National Institute of Open Schooling

Environmental Concerns

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Every year, more than 14 billion pounds of garbage is dumped into the oceans of the world, most of which is plastic and toxic to ocean life. Lesson 32 in the series of 36 focuses on environmental concerns, specifically pollution. Under...
Handout
National Institute of Open Schooling

Air Pollution

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Seventy percent of the air pollution in China is due to car exhaust. Under the umbrella of environmental chemistry, learners extensively explore air pollution. From the makeup of our atmosphere to sources of major air pollutants, classes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

LOSING GROUND

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students will observe wind erosion and how crop residue prevents erosion.Point out the three kinds of fields to the students. Do as much or as little instruction as needed to explain the pan with crop residue. Conservation tillage...
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 instructional activity, students identify the technological advances in society and how they increase waste production our...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Land of No Trees

For Students 4th - 8th
In this Land of No Trees worksheet, students read a passage titled "Land of No Trees" about the Arctic Tundra and complete an experiment and short answer questions about it. Students complete an experiment with a plastic container, soil,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Mini-Landfill

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create a min-landfill from lunchbox waste to discover what happens when they throw away packaging and scraps. Using a clear plastic bin, they throw away their trash and layer it with scoops of soil. Students observe what types...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Groundwater as Part of the Water Cycle

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders study the effects of soil and rocks on filtering groundwater.  In this groundwater instructional activity students complete a lab activity that includes sources of contamination. 
Lesson Plan
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Making Sedimentary Rocks

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students make models of sedimentary rock layers to explain how rocks form layers and represent ancient environments. Layers of sediment and fossils are added together to simulate the environment and connections to sedimentary rocks are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's Atmosphere and Temperature

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the layers of earth's atmosphere and conduct an experiment to identify carbon dioxide. They construct models using styrofoam to represent molecules in the atmosphere's layers. To discover how sunlight efffects...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Big Fat, Juicy Worms

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students collect and study information about worms. They discover how an earthworm helps process and loosen the soil. They write in their journals as well.
Lesson Plan
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Effects Of Weathering

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders simulate weathering and erosion using sand and soil. They define weathering and the ways in which surfaces become weathered. Working as a class, 3rd graders complete various activities that demonstrate physical and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rate of Decomposition

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Young scholars experiment with the decomposition rate of garbage. They discover that environments are fragile and need to be protected and resources are not always used wisely. They then think about their own environment and then about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building With Bricks

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the reasons why people built homes and businesses with brick. They discover how brick technology has improved buildings over the years. They participate in an activity to complete the lesson.
Lesson Plan
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Earth System Science

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquakes

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the causes of earthquakes and the various types of fault lines through a variety of hands-on demonstrations using prepared cakes. They record their observations in their science journals.
Lesson Plan
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Conserving Resources by Watering Efficiently

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Learners determine a watering schedule that promotes healthy grass growth. In this plants and natural resource conservation lesson, students plant grass seed in liter bottles and follow two different schedules that include "more...
Interactive
Curated OER

Reading - Archeologist

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this online interactive archeologists worksheet, students respond to 8 fill in the blank and multiple choice questions regarding the information included in the provided paragraphs.
Interactive
Curated OER

Photosynthesis

For Students 3rd - 6th
In this online interactive photosynthesis worksheet, students respond to 9 multiple choice and fill in the blank questions regarding the information included in the provided paragraphs.