Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observing a Stream Ecosystem

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students use their five senses to explore a river ecosystem. They experience how their senses provide them with additional information about the environment through the use of teacher made stream boxes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Activity 2: Salinity & Tides

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the effects of tides and salinity on an estuary. In this salinity and tides lesson plan, students complete 3 activities which help them understand estuarine systems. They study the tides in the Chesapeake Bay, they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting a Sense of Time

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students gain an appreciation for geologic and historic time. They gain a general amount of information of the development of hte Chicago area, with particular attention given to the role of the Chicago River. Students contruct a time...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecosystems of the World

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are able to list different ecosystems and describe their environment and organisms. They have an understanding about the function and balance of the ecosystems. Students are able to tell what type of ecosystem the St. Mary's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sedimentation Lab Activity

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students predict how sediments in a water column will settle.  In this earth science lesson, students examine the layers of sedimentation. Students are given sediments to place into a column of water and observe how they settle....
Lesson Plan
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Choices Make A Difference

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars are explained that wastewater treatment plants are regulated as to the quality of water they may discharge into our rivers and canals. They are explained that wastewater treatment plants clean many pollutants out of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Survival of the Fittest Microbes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the harsh conditions of Spain's Rio Tinto River and research the microbes that nonetheless manage to thrive there. They synthesize their knowledge by creating a reality television show set in the Rio Tinto with microbes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carve That Mountain

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners investigate major landforms (e.g., mountains, rivers, plains, hills, oceans and plateaus). They build a three-dimensional model of a landscape depicting several of these landforms. Once they have built their model, they act as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Estuary and Watershed

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars investigate the San Francisco Bay Estuarine Research Reserve and watershed. In this estuary and watershed lesson plan, students complete 4 activities to better understand estuarine systems. They include studying the San...
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Discovering Fall

For Teachers K - 5th
Young scholars explore the American landscape during fall. After viewing paintings of fall, learners imagine themselves there and what it would be like. They then build an understanding of the painter's use of detail and color...
Lesson Plan
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Floodplain Modeling

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars simulate the impact of fluctuating river volumes on structures and landforms. They experiment with table top-sized riverbed models and water. Students consider how human design can help mitigate the effects of a flood.
Lesson Plan
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Early Settlements

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students embark on a journey through colonial times.  In this early settlement lesson, students come to understand what life was like for the settlers in the early colonies. Students research and create projects illustrating their...
Lesson Plan
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Territory and Statehood of Iowa

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders recognize the steps to create a territory, a district and a state.  In this Iowa lesson, 5th graders discuss the three capitals and their importance.  Students recognize the key people in the development of Iowa....
Lesson Plan
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Daniel Shays and the Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students contrast the diverse views of Connecticut River Valley people in the years before, during, and after the Revolution.
Lesson Plan
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Blast from the Past

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students analyze historic artifacts to help gain an understanding of how the past has impacted their lives. They explain ways "design" can be both a noun and a verb. Students use internet resources to view and learn about artifacts that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Powerpoint Presentation On Sustainability

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are introduced to the important geography concept of sustainability by looking at the Roseau River floods of 2002. They discuss the impact of humans on the environment. They explain how sustainability relates to everyday geography.
Lesson Plan
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Boston Harbor Cruise: A Shoreline Survey

For Teachers K - 6th
The students take a harbor cruise, photograph, and draw shore line features attending to evidence of human impact/consequences, and its cost on marine/land animal habitats vegetation, weather patterns, signs of erosion, and the water...
Lesson Plan
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Michigan Food: From Farm to You

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students recognize Michigan on a map and understand how its climate is affected by the Great Lakes. In this Michigan food lesson, students play a trivia game to identify the produce of Michigan. Students relate the climate in each part...
Lesson Plan
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Pick a Topic, Any Topic

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the expedition of Lewis and Clarke. In this United States history lesson, students choose a topic from the story to explore, such as the Missouri River, Sacagawea, and dugout canoes. The teacher creates a web on the...
Lesson Plan
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What is the history of rice in the United States?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders become familiar with the history of rice and create a board game.  In this rice lesson, 5th graders understand the history of rice through the playing of a game.  Students use  vocabulary words related to the...
Lesson Plan
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Elements of Civilization

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers create their own ancient civilizations based off of topographical maps of Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and the Yellow River. In this social studies lesson, students are assigned one topographical map to use to...
Lesson Plan
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Pass the Jug

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discuss water rights. In this science instructional activity, students simulate an exercise whereby they begin to understand the meaning of water allocation and limited water supplies by actually passing out water from a jug.
Lesson Plan
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Build a Psychrometer

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students understand that a psychrometer is a weather instrument used to detect humidity. In this psychrometer instructional activity, students build a psychrometer.  Students use their psychrometers to measure humidity activity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building an Ecosystem

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research a variety of local and world ecosystems. Students will create a collage to represent the biotic and abiotic factors and interactions important to their given ecosystem.Students will understand that an ecosystem is...