Young scholars develop an understanding of our planet as a system by designing a very-long-duration space mission in which the life-support system is patterned after that of earth.

Anytime you make concepts clear with role playing or hands-on experience, it's a win for the whole class. Ping-Pong balls are used to represent carbon in a carbon cycle role-play activity. In small groups, children first discuss what...

Scholars collect data from heating sand and water before forming testable hypotheses about why sand heats up faster. Afterward, they develop and run experiments to test their hypotheses.

Fifth graders discuss the relationship between producers, consumers, and decomposers as they look at the energy pyramid. While working in small groups, they create an ecosystem that includes all or some of the given categories, and they...

Fourth graders study the water cycle in nature. In this water cycle lesson, 4th graders review the hydrologic cycle by reading the poem. Students then study a picture of the hydrologic cycle and fill in the blanks with the missing...

Students define agricultural using concept maps. In this agriculture lesson, students use concept maps to determine the ideas that are related to agriculture such as farming, food, flowers, and forestry before defining the word...

Students explore the concept of erosion. In this erosion lesson plan, students discuss the effects of 2 classroom demonstrations that replicate coastal erosion.

Students examine the role of agriculture in everyday life. In this agriculture instructional activity, students read books such as Harvest Year and identify products which from from the farm. Students fill in a word web using the...

Students explore the advantages of composting.  In this recycling lesson students complete a worm compost project and collect food waste to feed them. 

Science is a subject ripe with opportunities to read informational text. Kids read to learn about peanuts! They read an informational passage, fill out two comprehension worksheets, and then conduct a lab experiment on a peanut. The...

Students create a dyed flower garden. In this art lesson, students read the book Tiny Seed and cut flowers out of tissue paper to create a paper flower garden.

Students calculate averages of climate sets of data. In this ecology lesson, students analyze data to determine identity of a biome and collect meteorological data to understand process.  Students also compare data sets. 

Students grow seeds of an apple and learn about Johnny Appleseed. In this apples lesson plan, students map Johnny Appleseed's travels, learn how he got his name, compare different Johnny Appleseed books, and grow apple seeds themselves.

Students discover how sedimentary rocks form. They identify different examples of sedimentary rocks. They also discover what types of rocks are in Illinois soil.

Although written for middle schoolers, there is no reason that a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grader could not also learn about food chains through the dissection of owl pellets. After you introduce the topic, learners complete an owl research...

There is the same amount of water on earth now as there was when it was formed. The water from your faucet could contain molecules that dinosaurs drank! Young scientists build their own hydrologic cycle model and observe...

First graders explore peanuts. In this peanut lesson, 1st graders examine the parts of peanut plants and identify them. Students plant their own peanut plants and chart their growth.

Students complete a unit of lessons on spiders and worms. They discuss worm and spider characteristics, create a garbage garden, observe worms, create gummy worm prints, read the book, 'The Very Busy Spider,' and construct a spider and...

Peanuts inspire this lesson about George Washington Carver, called The Peanut Wizard in the included informational text. Class members read about peanuts and George Washington Carver and create a timeline of his life. In addition, pupils...

Students create a map showing where crops would be grown around the world. In this crops lesson plan, students show how the world climate would produce different parts of the world at different times. Students fill out worksheets.

Third graders research the interdependence of communities within different countries. In this community activity, 3rd graders create a new community from a preselected country in South America. Students use the findings from their...

Young scholars explore the make up of fabrics. In this agriculture lesson plan, students examine the cotton and wool crops of the United States and discover how fabrics are created.

Learners explore the peanut plant. In this peanut lesson, students discuss the needs and parts of regular plants. They research peanut plants to see why they are unique. 

Youngsters learn about simple machines that could be used on a farm.  They learn about agricluture, listen to a farmer speak, compare and contrast different farm machines, and then design their own. Note that although the publisher...