Curated OER
The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle
Learners construct a model of the hydrologic cycle, and observe that water is an element of a cycle in the natural environment. They explain how the hydrologic cycle works and why it is important, and compare the hydrologic cycle to...
Curated OER
Specialized for the Sea
Students use pictures and make a mural to investigate how ocean animals are adapted to certain parts of their environment.
Curated OER
Suited for Space
A fantastic lesson on survival in outer space should excite your learners! Pupils explore the challenges that living, working, and surviving in space elicit. They focus on the spacesuit itself; how it protects astronauts, and enables...
Curated OER
Integrating Character Education into Lesson Plans
Students select a favorite instructional activity and list character traits from that instructional activity to serve as indicators on various questions under review. Character traits included are honesty, compassion, strong work ethnic...
Curated OER
Lesson: An Exploration of Places and Spaces Part I
The concept behind this lesson is fantastic. Learners explore how different locations and situations affect them as individuals, focusing heavily on the impact of the urban environment. They question how location can make them change...
Curated OER
Traditions and Languages of Three Native Cultures: Tlingit, Lakota, and Cherokee
Learners explore the connections between tradition and language. They examine the environment, history and culture of the Tlingit, Lakota and Cherokee tribes and identify the importance of maintaining languages for oral traditions.
Desert Discovery
Leaping Lizards
Here is a fine biology lesson that introduces youngsters to reptiles. They study their feeding habits, their habitats, and the adaptations they must make to survive in their environments. The outstanding lesson includes two excellent...
Desert Discoveries
The Sonoran Desert
Elementary schoolers study the geographic location of the Sonoran Desert. They pay close attention to the characteristics of the plants and animals found in this desert environment. The student handouts embedded in this plan are...
Curated OER
Assessing Research Materials
Teaching learners how to evaluate a research source is an important part of the research process. The fresh idea here is that groups first develop a list of reasons why resources should be evaluated, transform these reasons into...
California Academy of Science
Greening Your Middle School
Middle schoolers redesign their school to make it more energy efficient, and create a model of their design. Learners get together in groups of 5, and they take on the task of making their school more energy efficient. To do this, they...
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
Rural Science Education Program
Cells, Genetics, and Biotechnology
For scholars tired of reading the textbook, this unit includes nine hands-on lessons. Through group work, lab activities, experiments, and even one inquiry-based lesson, scholars apply knowledge about cells, genetics, and biotechnology....
Curated OER
Geography, Climate, and Community in the Dominican Republic
Young scholars examine primary source materials on the Dominican Republic in an exploration of how environment influences lifestyles. They compare and contrast life in the Dominican Republic with life in the United States.
SeaWorld
Marvelous Manatees
Here is an interesting activity on the manatee for your upper graders or middle schoolers. A game is played where learners work together to complete a successful manatee migration. It's a board game, and all of the game components are...
Curated OER
Save an Endangered Species
Have your young learners work in pairs to find and research an endangered species. They use research to develop ideas about saving their animal from extinction. Pairs develop a three-dimensional model of the animal's habitat. Then, they...
Curated OER
City, County, Community
Learners explore issues and situations that make for a city and its local environments. In this local government instructional activity, students design maps, define issues and create brochures that illustrate their understandings of...
Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.
Schedules and Routines: Grade 1
It doesn't matter if you're a new teacher trying to set up your classroom for the first time or a veteran teacher looking for new ideas to freshen up your teaching, this resource has something to offer everyone. After providing a general...
Curated OER
Hands on Biome-Building
Students explore Earth science by participating in an environment activity. In this biome lesson plan, students discuss the importance of a healthy ecology in order to sustain life, both animal and plant. Students utilize a cardboard or...
Curated OER
Environmental Problems
Students explore the environment by completing environmental problem worksheets. In this pollution instructional activity, students identify the biggest threats to our environment such as deforestation, global warming, and pollution....
Curated OER
Fossil Fuel Sources, Usage and Alternatives: What are the Options?
Students identify the different sources of fossil fuels. In this environmental science lesson plan, students research about how these impact our environment. They explore renewable energy sources that could replace fossil fuels.
Curated OER
Surviving the Conditions
Young scholars explore Earth science by participating in an environmental care activity. In this natural resources lesson, students discuss ways to protect themselves from the environment if they are ever in need of shelter in the...
Curated OER
Global Health Issues
Examine global health issues and the philanthropic efforts of Bill Gates. Working in groups, your class will research selected diseases focusing on symptoms, transmission, and prevention. They also conclude by writing grant proposals to...
Curated OER
Bringing Animal Issues Into the Classroom
Here's an excellent packet of worksheets that delves into animal issues, and also covers the people who work in the community who help animals, such as veterinarians. There are thought-provoking questions associated with photographs of...
Curated OER
Using Environmental Models to Determine the Effect of Acid Rain on an Ecosystem
Demonstrate to your middle school science learners how chalk breaks down in a weak acid. Discuss what affects acidic rain might have on ecosystems. Lab groups then choose one of two questions: "How does acid precipitation affect an...