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An Automobile Phylogenetic Tree
Students study a list of cars and trucks and think about characteristics that can be used to show an "evolutionary relationship". From the characteristics they identity, students construct a phylogenetic tree to show how the automotive...
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Tree Lesson
Learners compare and contrast characteristics of conifer and hardwood trees. After collecting samples of branches around the school, they classify the branch as hardwood or conifer. Groups of students identify given twigs. They go...
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What Do Living Things Have In Common?
Students explore the concept of classification. In this classification lesson, students collaborate to create lists of living thing similarities in order to differentiate between living and non-living things. Students create a list of...
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Magnificent Mythology
Sixth graders research Greek mythology and explore mythological references. In this Greek mythology lesson, 6th graders view a PowerPoint about Greek mythology and read myths and their characteristics. Students discuss the relevancy of...
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Famous People and Cultural Diffusion
Students use the internet to identify cultural traditions throughout the world. In groups, they examine each culture and determine the effect they had on life in the United States. They use this information to write a family history...
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Biodiversity in Illinois-Pond Habitats
Second graders construct a pond habitat in the classroom using a small swimming pool partially filled with water, real cattails, a tree log adjoining, and plastic animal life appropriate to a pond setting. They examine the frog in detail...
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Drawing Fish
Students practice creating art by imitating the camouflage of fish. For this animal characteristic lesson, students identify certain fish and their ability to change colors in order to survive in the wild. Students utilize coloring...
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Shapes!
Students identify five basic geometric shapes by naming them according to their defining characteristics. They draw the shapes and identify food with similar shapes.
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Classifying Living Organisms into Kingdoms
Students create a flip book that describes the basic characteristics of the five main animal kingdoms. They research the animal kingdoms, include examples of organisms for each kingdom and illustrate the finished text.
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Classification of Animals
First graders investigate the characteristics of vertebrates. They classify each as mammal, fish, bird, and reptiles. Students explore the differences between various types of animals and classify each.
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An Automobile Phylogenetic Tree
Students construct a phylogenetic tree for various automobiles and trucks after considering important characteristics of these "organisms". They work in small groups to construct the trees and complete a set of questions then they...
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Science vs. Science Fiction
Young scholars acknowledge the difference between science and science fiction through a compare/contrast activity. They discuss their reading materials together. Students identify characteristics specific to science fiction.
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Baleen Whales vs. Toothed Whales
Second graders review mammal characteristics and study two types of whales. In this mammal study lesson, 2nd graders discuss mammals and define their five characteristics. Students complete a whale worksheet and define differences...
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Are You One of Us?
Students investigate how scientists sort and classify organisms. For this sorting and classifying lesson, students examine what systematics are as tools that scientists use. They examine images of invertebrates and sort them while...
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Bob Marley - Legend Episode #3 - Lesson 1
Students recognize and describe elements of Bob Marley's life that influenced his song writing as evidenced in the song "No Woman No Cry". They identify the elements of music characteristic of Reggae.
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Classification And Identification
Students explore diagrammatic and taxonomic keys and their application in the marine sciences. They sort and classify objects and organisms based on visual attributes.
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Dinosaurs
Students research and identify the characteristics of a variety of dinosaurs. They participate in a class discussion about dinosaurs, analyze and examine fossils, and conduct research using a variety of sources to write and present a...
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Biomes in a Box
Students construct a three-dimensional model of a biome which illustrates the various biotic and abiotic factors unique to that biome. They use everday materials to represent the important characteristics of a particular biome and then...
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Save the _____ Story Board
Students research an endangered species. They examine statistics, characteristics, and information about the species. Students play "webmaster" and design a site that will help to save an endangered species.
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Music in West Africa
Students explore power and the symbols of power in West African music. They discuss the music of West Africa and compare it to African American music of today. In addition, they investigate musical instruments of Africa, identify the...
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Soneka's Village
Students read a letter about the characteristics of the Maasai culture. After identifying them, they discuss how to live a pastoralist way of life. In groups, they discuss the roles of men and women in the country and what it might be...
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Invertebrate Chordates
In this invertebrate worksheet, students fill in the blank of four statements that focus on the characteristics of invertebrate chordates. Then students will number five statements in the order water flows through a tunicate. Then...
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Mollusks
In this mollusks instructional activity, students will review the characteristics of the three major classes of mollusks: gastropods, bivalves, and cephalopods. This instructional activity has 17 matching, 6 short answer, 9 fill in the...
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Kid Maps: Reading and Creating Maps with Human Characteristics
Students look at maps. In this map lesson, students listen to the book My Map Book by Sara Fanelli and they see the difference between human characteristics (buildings, etc.) and natural characteristics (rivers, etc.). They...