Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mini-Ecosystems

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students use plastic bottles to create terrariums and plant Venus Flytraps. They observe the plants and the terrariums for illustrations of the water cycle and species' adaptations to a specific environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building an Ecologically Balanced Living Space

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students design and build an ecologically balanced living space based on the principles of an old growth forest. They take one part of a house (or structure in the community) and redesign it according to the principles of the forest cycle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pond Life

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students recognize the habitats of animals that live near or in a pond.  In this pond lesson, students examine pond water and look for pond organisms. Students observe organisms with a loupe and complete a worksheet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rock Cycle

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders, in groups, examine soil samples with magnifying glasses. They discuss the living and non-living things they find in their soild samples.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vocabulary: Kansas Prairies

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the ecosystem by reviewing scientific vocabulary terms. For this environmental awareness lesson, students identify the differences between abiotic and biotic factors and their relationship to the Earth. Students define...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecological Citizen

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the interconnectedness of living and non-living things that constitute an ecosystem. They examine fallen trees,insects, living trees, leaves, food webs, and forests. They conduct various activities and write poems about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Grounded for Life

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders become familiar with the lives of penguins including their life cycles, habitats and basic needs. Students will experience the lives of penguins through stories and video.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecosystems and Remote Sensing

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students obtain remote sensing data to compare and contrast global biomass data with global temperature data.
PPT
Curated OER

"Dead-Zones" and Coastal Eutrophication: Case-Study of Chesapeake Bay

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Take an in-depth look at nutrient loading, eutrophication, and hypoxia using data on The Chesapeake Bay as an example. This comprehensive presentation includes detailed graphs, photos, and details about the changes in marine organism...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

That’s An Otter Story

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scientists discover how sea otters' habitats have changed due to human impact. Through conversation, video observation, and story reading, scholars identify how human interactions change a specific ecosystem in both positive and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Cloze Passage: Destruction of the Earth

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this destruction of the earth cloze procedure worksheet, students fill in the 12 missing words in the passage to help identify their reading level.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Erosion

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders complete activities to observe the effects of erosion. For this erosion lesson, 2nd graders define erosion and learn the process. Students complete an erosion experiment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Much Is an Ecosystem Worth?

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students examine the value of ecosystems. They read and analyze an article, evaluate ecosystem services, research the benefits of biomonitors, and design a public service announcement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Popular Paper

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore the benefits of recycling paper. In this recycling lesson plan, students use statistics to calculate the amount of paper that is thrown away each week and construct a graph. Students analyze the data and calculate the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fieldwork: Horizons Under Ground: Digging Through Wetland Soil

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study the different soil types and describe the different soils in various environments.  In this soil lesson students walk to a reserve and discuss what they saw. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Zoo Poo

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students use Internet research to determine the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit energy for biomass and coal. In this alternative energy lesson, students research to find out how much energy and carbon dioxide several coal and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Web of Life Game: Trout

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explore the concept of food webs.  In this food web lesson plan, students demonstarte the connection between species.  Students use a ball of string show how the food web works, then have a class discussion. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Carbon Creating Activity

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this carbon worksheet, students follow directions and use marshmallows and toothpicks to made carbon dioxide and glucose molecules. Students do this to see how carbon changes as a result of photosynthesis.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wood is Everywhere!

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders diagram and label the parts of a tree. For this lesson plan on how trees obtain food, 5th graders diagram and label the parts of a tree, and determine the diameter, height, and age of a tree.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree Identification

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students list four ways to identify trees. For this tree identification instructional activity, students use tree identification techniques such as leafs, bark, wood grain, soil type, and climate to create tables and graphs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sustainable Agriculture

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners perform an experiment to find out if plants grow best when grown in soil with no fertilizer, with chemical fertilizers, or with compost that they have made themselves. Students discover how agriculture practices can benefit the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Materials: Hidden Costs, Mapping the Source and Cost of Raw Materials.

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students map connections among raw materials. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students design strategies to minimize the use of raw materials and discuss how to use more sustainable materials.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Three W's: Wind, Waves, and Wings

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students participate in hands-on acticities to understand how native plants and animals arrived on Hawaii from long distances without the assistance of man. They then identify what characterizes a plant or animal as native vs. non-native.
Interactive
Curated OER

Revision - Various

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this word order instructional activity, learners put sentences in order, match phrases with words, insert question words into sentences, and more. Students complete 3 activities.