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Sanctuary: Quail Island Banks Peninsula

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students consider the connection between the past and future landscape of Quail Island. In this visual arts lesson, students observe existing artwork, art vocabulary, and connections to the role of social sciences when painting...
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An Elephant Never Forgets

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students are introduced to the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa. For this natural science lesson plan, students identify the elephants by name according to the diagrams. Students study the unique characteristics of the...
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Show 303: New Research into Dyslexia

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students explore the causes of dyslexia. They view CT sans and MRIs to view the brain and how it responds. Students read reports about dyslexia. They discuss the nature of dyslexia, its cause, how to diagnose it, and its permanency.
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Animal Adaptation

For Teachers K - 5th
Students begin the instructional activity by observing animals in their natural habitat. Using the internet, they research the types of adaptations they have gone through to be able to live comfortably in their environment. They observe...
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Tree Identification by the Use of Leaves

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars explore trees and their leaves. In this tree identification lesson, students observe items and are able to identify them by the five clues they are given. Once the leaves are identified, young scholars in each group sketch...
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Bushfires

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students study a natural disaster. In this fire safety lesson, students discover the facts about bushfires and what they can do to prevent them. They discuss facts about bushfires as a class and then work independently on an activity in...
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Spiders: An Organism for Teaching Biology

For Teachers All
In this unit, the students explore basic ecology concepts and scientific processes using spiders as model organisms. They capture spiders, observe and care for them, and use them to answer their own questions about spider behavior....
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Teaching with Collections

For Teachers Pre-K - 5th
Students examine collections. In these real-world collections lessons, students examine and describe buttons and shells. Students will then sort, classify, and graph items according to various indicated descriptors.
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A Tour Down the Hudson River

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss how the Hudson River is an ecosystem made up of both biotic and abiotic factors. They view the PowerPoint the Journal Down the Hudson River. Students become aware of where the Hudson River begins and ends, the plant and...
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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...
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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...
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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.
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The heat is on!

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students study the effects of global warming on the environment.
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Biomanipulation

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students explore the effects of aquatic trophic relationships on water transparency. They observe and explain the effects of reducing nutrient inputs on agal density on water transparency.
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A Scientific Approach to Teaching about Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine fossils and analyzing their significance in relation to theories of evolution. Hand-outs are provided. This lesson plan could be supplementary to a broader unit on evolution or geology.
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A Whirlwind Tour

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore volcanoes, hurricanes, and tornadoes through the use of the Internet.
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Taxonomy

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students work together to identify groups of endangered animals. Using a pamphlet, they group the pictures according to specific criteria and cut the pictures out and color them. They place the animals in the correct habitat and share...
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Science: The Age of the Redwoods

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discover how to estimate the age of redwood trees. They measure the trees' diameters by using string to calculate the circumferences. Students conclude by discussing the science of dendrochronolgy.
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Environment: River of Life

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students assess the impact of human activity on the environment. After reading the book, "A River Ran Wild," they role-play and discuss how people changed the river. Students write stories about living along a river from the point of...
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Biozones of Cazadero

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars explore biozones and assess their differences. They discuss the areas they have explored, make journal entries. Emphasize active learning on the student's part: ask a question, don't just state a fact.
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Treasure Hunt

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students actively search a the ground outside and find several types of leaves, lichen, feathers and trash. They place items into journals, write entries, draw pictures and ask questions about the items found on their exploration.
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Shipwreck Alley

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the different types of vessels used in commercial shipping.  In this commercial shipping lesson students apply force and motion to problems of marine safety. 
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Changing Attitudes about Nature Through Bird Identification

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students, in groups, learn and review bird flash cards, after hearing stories about the birds from the teacher. They participate in labs such as owl pellets, feathers, etc.
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Creative Ways To Teach Evolutionary Concepts

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore evolutionary concepts in cartoons and lab activities. They describe and explain evolutionary concepts featured in a cartoon and participate in laboratory activities.