Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment
Concept Muraling
Concept muraling helps learners improve their comprehension of a text by giving them a way to organize their understanding of the key concepts in that text. Introduce readers to this process with a carefully scaffolded lesson plan that...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Cracking the Code
Some interesting reading on the history of barcodes opens this technology lesson plan. Readers find out how engineers contribute, and then they gather into groups to discuss possible improvements to our current UPC barcode system. Know...
Curated OER
Skull Science
What can your class learn from a skull? With proper facilitation, they can learn about diet, physical adaptations, special differences, and even the environment. Pupils will examine a series of mammal skulls and pelts to help them...
National Wildlife Federation
Call of the Wild: Grades K-4
The sound a frog makes lets people know what it's up to. A two-part lesson begins by discussing the life cycle of a frog and the individual stages with drawings. The second part has learners listen to the frogs' different sounds and what...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Butterfly Book
Journaling is a great tool for processing information. Budding scientists build their own butterfly journals from their observations in a butterfly garden. The activity challenges them to identify different stages of the life of the...
World Wildlife Fund
Arctic Food Chain
Explore the food chains that support Arctic ecosystems. A class discussion on interdependence and the different roles plants and animals play in ecosystems provides students with the knowledge to complete a worksheet asking them to...
Society of Petroleum Engineers
Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy
Energize an environmental science unit on natural resources with this collection of instructional materials. From simple coloring sheets for primary grade children, to guiding questions for a high school research report, a wide variety...
SF Environment
Waste-Less Lunch
Is it possible to have a waste-less lunch? Can your class become leaders in conservation? Discuss the importance of reducing waste during lunch time with a fun lesson that can be extended to everyday practices. First the class examines...
Wilderness Classroom
Pollution
Educate scholars on pollution—air, water, and land—with a series of lessons that begin with a thorough explanation of each type. Learners then take part in three activities to reinforce the importance of reducing pollution. They...
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Four: How Can We Protect Biodiversity?
Look into the future with a lesson plan on biodiversity and natural habitats. Learners read articles about different perspectives when it comes to planning future development, and decide which angle is the highest priority in a group...
University of Wisconsin
Follow the Drop
Young surveyors look for patterns in water flow around campus. Using a map of the school (that you will need to create), they mark the direction of the path of water. They also perform calculations for the volume that becomes runoff. The...
Purdue University
Reptiles, Amphibians, and the Scientific Method
What do a reptile and an amphibian have in common? A three-part lesson allows scholars to investigate the similarities and differences between the two types of animals by identifying specific body parts. The lesson highlights the...
National Wildlife Federation
Night Friends - American Bats
Bats are a misunderstood species. Pupils learn about the characteristics of bats in a three-part lesson. They begin by examining the adaptations of different types of bats, then explore the misconceptions humans have about the species....
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Bloomin' Butterflies
Get an up close and personal look at the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Pupils take ownership of their learning by collecting butterfly eggs, building a cage, and raising them to adulthood. The lesson resource provides instructions for...
Curated OER
The Wonderful World of Slugs
Examine a slug? Of course, what else would a 2nd grader do with it? Pupils use clues and go on a slug hunt, read a slug story, or make a cooperative group mural of a slug's habitat. While older learners catalog slugs, go on a slug hunt,...
Curated OER
Your Day as a Cycle
Fourth graders examine a variety of cycles. They take a look at life cycles of plants and animals, the cycle of the moon and tides, and other sequences of events in their daily lives. An interesting part of the instructional activity is...
Curated OER
Wildlife
The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Students write from an animal's perspective. In this writing lesson students explore the landscape of San Francisco prior to the arrival of the explorers. Students research animals indigenous to the area.
Curated OER
The Circle of Life
Fourth graders examine how the different organisms living in an ecosystem affect one another. In groups, they research a specific ecosystem and present their findings to the class based on the type of organisms found in it. To end the...
Curated OER
Designing a Germination Experiment - Part 1
Students experiment with seeds and germination. In this natural science lesson, students discuss the stages of germination. Students engage in a 4 part hands on science activity to view the process of germination.
Curated OER
Modeling changes to Ecosystems Part 1
Students record changes in an ecosystem. In this science lesson students make a hypothesis about changes in a terrarium. They record their observations. The students conduct an experiment to test their hypothesis.
Curated OER
Beach Comber
Students investigate threats to our oceans by investigating items found on a beach. In this environmental safety instructional activity, students examine several items found on a beach and identify them as natural, harmful, organic or...
Curated OER
Butterfly Life Cycles
Students study the butterfly life cycle. In this interdisciplinary life cycles instructional activity, students study the life cycle of a butterfly, their migration habits, and the culture of the region in Mexico where butterflies...
Curated OER
Decomposition, Soil, and Life Cycle Research
Students conduct background research on the decomposition process, soil composition, and the life cycle using the resources provided for Internet searches. They work in collaborative groups to research topics as a particular plant, soil...