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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hurricanes: An Environment of Concern

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study hurricanes and research the damage done by hurricane Katrina.  In this environment investigative lesson students divide into groups and complete a given assignment. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water in the Biosphere

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Environmental explorers examine the campus and take note of living organisms. Introduce them to the biosphere and the questions of the day: How much water can be found in the biosphere? A slide show helps you along, and even contains a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Connect the Spheres: Earth Systems Interactions

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Is everything really connected? Take your class on a walk outside, where they will make observations and write them down on a worksheet. Once they are back in the classroom, learners will work to determine if and how things like birds,...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Ecology and the Biosphere

For Students 7th - 12th
Ecology enthusiasts explore ecosystems with this worksheet. They define vocabulary terms and write out answers to questions about distribution and abundance of life. They complete a chart comparing abiotic and biotic factors of Earth's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where's the Water? Stream Side Science

For Teachers 6th - 9th
After a whole-class discussion of water reservoirs, ten liters of water are given to each lab group to represent Earth's total amount of water. They divide the water into smaller containers, each representing one of those reservoirs. The...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Puzzle it Out

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study the Earth's climatic system and construct a puzzle that names all of the pieces of the  components involved.  In this Climate activity, students draw a picture on a puzzle piece depicting a specific component. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gallery Walk Questions on Earth's Radiation Balance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Questions that can be used in a instructional activity on Earth's radiation balance are suggested in this resource. It is not a lesson plan, per se, but it is a list of questions for stations within a "Gallery Walk" instructional...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating the Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this Earth worksheet, middle schoolers investigate the interactions between the four major parts of the earth-the atmosphere, the geosphere, the biosphere and the hydrosphere. Students discuss their findings as a class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Change of a River

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore changes in the Missouri River. In this Missouri River activity, students discover that changes in the atmosphere cause changes in the river. Students search the Internet for information about the Missouri River and its...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biosphere II

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students continue their examination of the existence of life on Earth. In groups, they determine the role of the water cycle and other biogeochemical cycles play in keeping balance on Earth. They participate in experiments to discover...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evolution of Our Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 11th
Students research pertinent solar system formation and Earth development events and work together to determine which events occurred first, second, third, and so on. Students arrange themselves as a human timeline across the room. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Change of a River

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers describe the changes that have affected the Missouri River over the past 200 years by identifying transformations in this area's atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. They research online in groups assigned...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gaia: The Wisdom of the Earth

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Learners are introduced to Gaia theory of natural homeostasis. They graph Earth's temperatures over time, construct terrariums or monitor the outdoor environment. Related videos titles are suggested, but may be outdated. The objectives...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biosphere

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine the basic biosphere and its components.  In this ecology activity students complete several experiments including designing a system that is balanced to sustain life.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Systems Science

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students perform experiments designed to grow plants and bacteria in a controlled environment.  For this ecosystems lesson students investigate varying conditions for growing plants and bacteria. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biosphere

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders study the earth and show some examples of the way it maintains a life-friendly environment.  In this biosphere lesson students complete a lab activity and create their own biosphere. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Organisms and Their Environment

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore Earth's biosphere. In this biosphere lesson plan, students participate in group activities regarding biotic and abiotic factors, population density, and species' habitats.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Principles of Ecology

For Students 6th - 10th
In this ecology worksheet, students complete a word search by finding 21 terms associated with habitat, ecology, biosphere, and niche.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The World's Spheres Vocabulary

For Students 8th - 10th
In this world's spheres worksheet, students are given nine spheres and they match the given definitions of the sphere with the term.
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Organizer
Curated OER

The Biosphere

For Students 7th - 9th
In this biosphere worksheet, students identify the different levels of organization that ecologists study. Students complete charts, sentences, and answer short answer questions.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Relationships Among Living Things

For Students 7th - 9th
In this relationships among living things instructional activity, students determine if given statements are true or false. Students correct the false statements making them true. Also, students answer several short questions that...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: What Is the Carbon Cycle?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine the carbon cycle while identifying its sources, sinks, and release agents. Using magazines and newspapers, groups of students design collages illustrating the carbon cycle. Finally, they write responses to several...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biosphere Socratic Questions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the origin of life on Earth and its evolution through geologic time by participating in a whole class discussion. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the interactions among the biosphere and the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fishing Game: Stella PC and Mac

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students play The Fishing Game as a manager in the national fish and wildlife service charged with the responsibility of making policy suggestions regarding the management of a fishery surrounding national borders.