Curated OER
Biomes of The World
Learners research different biomes, using links from global pen pal letters.
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Ecosystem Interactions Web
Students pick an ecosystem (forest, desert, coral reef, open ocean, grassland, mountain, savanna, etc.) and design an interaction web for their chosen ecosystem. Each group shares their ecosystem's web of life with the class.
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Learning From Leaves: From Observation to Inference
Learners examine the adaptation of plants to their environments. They analyze and observe the structure, shape, and internal structure of various leaves, and make inferences about the structures.
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Land Associations
Middle schoolers identify and explore life forms of various biomes, define transitional regions, examine effects of abiotic and biotic interactions, research a biome, and produce newspaper that features environmental information. Lessons...
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Utah's Biomes
Fourth graders discover what a biome is and study biomes that are native to Utah in this series of lessons. They examine how Utah's biomes have changed over time due to the influence of the Mormon pioneers and other human populations.
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Social Studies: Classroom Culture
Sixth graders compose a list of classroom cultural values. They begin with a list of unacceptable behaviors. Each student presents two ideas they think should be part of the class culture. Students try to persuade classmates to accept...
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Antarctica
Students explore why Antarctica is so important to the planet. They investigate the physical characteristics. Students create their own unique treaty of governance for Antarctica and discuss how laws are enforced in Antarctica.
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Weather and Climate Around the World
Students explain the difference between climate and weather. They gain concepts of currents and discuss how the currents have an affect on climate and weather. Students gain knowledge of the instruments that meteorologists use to predict...
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Ecosystem Organization
Students examine the structure of ecosystems. In this ecology lesson, students listen to a lecture on relationships among organisms and biomes. Students use the information to create ecosystem organization pyramids.
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Climate and Temperature
Students explore what the soil temperature would be on the north and south sides of a building. In this temperature lesson, students hypothesize what the results will be using a thermometer and then after a week see what the...
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Champions Of The Land
Students write an abstract of a book concerning conservation. In this environmental activism instructional activity, students explore books such as Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Students choose a book about conservation from a...
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Information Fluency Unit
Third graders pretend they have been asked to make t-shirts to show endangered plants and animals in the rainforest. Using the internet, they research what is happening in the rainforest and discover why the destruction of it is harmful...
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Plants and Oxygen: Breathing
Second graders gain an understanding of how plants produce oxygen and that the oxygen we breathe comes from trees and plants. After a lecture/demo, 2nd graders discuss the ways plants produce oxygen and the detrimental effects of cutting...
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Snacks in a Bag
Learners brainstorm a list of their favorite snacks. Using clues, they identify the type of snack being described. On a map, they identify and locate the origin of the ingredients used to make it. They write their own clues for...
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Forest Friends Forever
Students investigate how to use the senses to gather information about objects such as size, shape, color, texture, sound, position, and change (qualitative observations are utilized throughout this lesson). They investigate and explain...
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A Long Winter's Nap
Young scholars explore the process of estivation, hibernation and torpor and the ways that frogs adapt to seasonal weather changes.
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Commercial Uses of the Rainforest
Students go on a scanvenger hunt to find products (from a provided worksheet) that have ingredients that come from the rainforest. They then decide if the products are really needed by consumers and make a display of them.
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Honduras: Going Bananas
Middle schoolers explore the popularity of bananas. They conduct a survey to understand the reasons for their popularity. Students research a banana's journey from the farm to school lunch. They compose a children's book about bananas...
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One Square Meter
Students examine various ecosystems using scientific inquiry. Using the local area, they assess the characteristics and conditions in one square meter. They report their findings in the form of a survey map and data sheet. They...
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Active Ingredient Screening Test for Plants
Students explore the growth of bacteria. They determine if various plant materials contain active ingredients that inhibit the growth of bacteria. In addition, they complete a student data sheet.
Curated OER
Active Ingredient Screening Test for Plants
Students determine if various plant materials contain active ingredients which will inhibit the growth of bacteria. They identify plant materials and their degree of sensitivity.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Habitats of the World
This site has a lesson to use to start a unit on biomes and animal habitats. This plan incorporates grasslands, temperate forests, tropical rainforests, deserts, polar ice regions, and tidepools.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Soil in the Amazon
Compare plants grown in simulated Amazon soil to those grown in soil prepared by the slash-and-burn method. Describe leaf development in plants grown in different soils and chart, average and graph plant growth by height
Michigan Reach Out
Newton's Apple: Rain Forest Animals
Several activities to incorporate into your Rain Forest unit. This site does not focus only on animals.