Curated OER
Up the Down Tree House
Students investigate the decomposition process. In this ecology activity, students participate in a play, "Up the Treehouse" where the main idea focuses on a decomposing tree and how food chains are effected by decomposition. After the...
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Carbon Cycle Capers
Students examine the carbon dioxide cycle in the atmosphere. In this element lesson, students discuss the relationship between carbon dioxide on Earth and the plants that store it. Students play a game to ensure their understanding.
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PASSENGER PIGEONS: NOMADS LOST
Students explore the concept and implications of extinction using the example of the Passenger Pigeon, once an extremely abundant species that was completely eliminated by humans.
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Predicting the Future
Young scholars examine how scientists predict the effects of global climate change. In this environmental science lesson, students participate in a discussion about using computer generated data to create climate predictions. Young...
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Goldilocks and the Real Bears
Students participate in a comparison instructional activity where they compare fictional bears to real life bears. In this science/language arts instructional activity, students read Goldilocks and the Three...
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Climate Mime-it
Students pantomime new climate vocabulary words. In this climate lesson plan, students go over new vocabulary words and their meanings. Students form groups and pantomime these word's definitions.
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Who Eats Who?
Students recognize that some animals eat plants, some eat meat and some both. For this who eats who lesson, students chart animals in a food chain. Students research information from reading articles. Students chart...
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Old Growth Forest Mural
Students explore the four characteristics of an old growth forest. In this forest lesson, students research old growth forests and their inhabitants. Students work in four separate groups and create a mural for their characteristic of an...
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TE Lesson: Can You Taste It?
Students investigate how animals adapt to use its senses to identify foods that are nutritious or noxious. They determine how they associate foods with other things such as birthdays. They discuss the role of the nervous system in the...
US Department of Education
Early Childhood: Five Themes of Geography
Any preschool teacher would be thrilled to have a resource like this one. It includes activity ideas, discussion leads, book suggestions, and a glossary for learners ages 2 - 5. The entire booklet focuses on ways to teach young children...
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Rock On!
After five class sessions, young scientists will be able to identify common rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. This plan involves hands-on activities, includes various handouts and worksheets, and requires there to be...
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Carving Mountains
Students explore geography by participating in an illustration activity. In this land-form lesson, students define vocabulary terms associated with glaciers and forests. Students utilize pens, cardboard and pottery clay to draw and...
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Track Stories
Young scholars identify animal tracks. In this animal track lesson, students look at "track stories" and identify the animals that made the tracks. Young scholars discuss if they believe the animals are predators or prey.
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Changes at Log City
Students draw three different murals of a rotting log. In this science lesson, students draw a rotting log including organisms found, one with the decomposers left behind, and the third predictions as to what they log will look...
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Which Bear?
Students study bears. In this science lesson, students compare black, grizzly and polar bears. Students measure the bear tracks and compare the bear habitats and diet.
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Models of Succession
Students create a model city in order to understand the effects human habitats have on the environment. In this environment lesson, students examine the effects human habitats have on the environment. Students create a model...
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Snug in the Snow
Students explore how snow helps animals survive in the wild. In this animal science lesson plan, students review key vocabulary words and discuss types of animal adaptations. Students construct shoebox to simulate the snowy environment...
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Forest Poetry
Students explore nature by participating in a poetry writing activity. In this forest investigation lesson, students identify images and feelings they experienced while they were in a forest on a class trip. Students identify poetry...
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Habitat Hunt
Learners discover how hard it is for animals to find all the items needed in their habitat. In this habitat lesson, students play a game in which they pretend to be an animal, they discover that not all animals can find the food needed...
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Life in a Log
Young scholars identify insects living in rotting logs. In this decomposition lesson, students observe pieces of a rotting log, they look at the insects that have inhabited the log and create a chart that shows their findings.
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Breaking it Down
Students discover how water expands when frozen during a glacier. In this matter lesson, students fill a glass jar with water, leaving no room for air in the jar and place it in the freezer. Students retrieve the jar and notice the...
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What's That Habitat?
Fourth graders explore the environment by researching animal characteristics. For this habitat identification lesson, 4th graders utilize paper and crayons to illustrate their own habitats or homes and discuss what it contains that is...
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Beaver Succession Mural
Students explore the concept of beaver pond succession. In this succession lesson plan, students discuss what succession is and how it works. Students create a mural to present their understanding of this concept.
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Balance of Nature Pyramid
Students study the concept of food chains and create a physical forest food chain pyramid. In this balance of nature pyramid lesson, students identify the ingredients needed on each level of the pyramid then make connections...