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Ecosystems and Climate
Students examine climatic effects on ecosystems. They plant tomatoes and observe the differences in plant growth with differences in light. They create picture collages of plants, animals, and insects found in each climate of the U.S.
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Pond and Pond Organisms
Students explore pond ecosystems. In this pond organism activity, students will use pond water and a plastic bad in order to locate and identify freshwater organisms. The activity is designed for younger grades, but includes an...
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Seed Structure and Seed Dispersal
Third graders plant seeds. In this seed structure lesson, 3rd graders identify parts of a seed and plant a lima bean seed. Students discuss and reflect on the process in their journals.
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Interdependence: Discovering What Makes a Balanced Ecosystem
Students demonstrate that plants and animals are interdependent in a balanced ecosystem.
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The Three W's: Wind, Waves, and Wings
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.
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The Nitrogen Cycle
Students design and create a compost pile in order to study the Nitrogen Cycle. They then use the scientific method to determine if plants grow better when they add organic matter from their compost pile to the plant's soil.
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Global Environmental Change
Students examine environmental change of land, water, and air, discuss Clear Skies Legislation, and experiment on solid compaction and
resultant water filtration.
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Exploring Ecosystems
Fourth graders create an ecosystem as a class. They have already produced smaller ones. They use a pond or something similar on school grounds to meet the needs of certain plants and animals of their ecosystem. Specifically created will...
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Ecologist's Activities
Students construct a model of a biome. In this ecology lesson, students use a shoebox, magazine pictures, paper, and string to create a model biome. Students glue the photos inside the shoe box and draw other objects, such as plants,...
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Ecosystem Damage from Household Cleaners
Third graders assess the damage done to various ecosystems by cleaning products and discover how scientists test water quality. Using stream water and common household cleaning agents, they work in groups to test for pH levels. Once...
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What Are Endangered Species?
Students explore the concepts of endangered and extinct animals. In this animal protection lesson, students discuss and define the words endangered, extinct, and habitat. Students share why they think it is important to protect...
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Nutrient Enrichment vs. Oxygen Depletion
Students investigate how excess nutrients enter a body of water, and the harmful effects they have on aquatic organisms.
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Forest Friends Forever
Students investigate how to use the senses to gather information about objects such as size, shape, color, texture, sound, position, and change (qualitative observations are utilized throughout this lesson). They investigate and explain...
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Chalkboard Challenge
In this PowerPoint, students compete in a quiz show game similar to Jeopardy in which they generate questions to match science facts in a number of categories. Science concepts covered include plants, animals, and matter. Due to the vast...
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Habitat Mural
Students build a collage of an ecosystem. The goal is for them to understand interactions in a community, plant and animal adaptations, and how all life depends on plants. This activity is based on Wump World and students describe what...
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Immersion Presents Monterey Bay
Students study Monterey Bay. In this Monterey Bay lesson, students create a model of upwelling around Monterey Bay. Students simulate surface water movement relative to prevailing winds.
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Animal Classification
Students watch video and slide shows as an introduction to animals. They discuss classifications of animals while moving from most common to least common of the animals. Types of classifications includes herbivores/carnivores;...
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Wonderful Wetlands
Fourth graders create a model of Utah wetlands using clay, sponges and soil. They identify the value the wetlands have to plants and animals. They simulate rainfall to observe how wetlands help filter silt and pollutants from the water.
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Desert Habitat
Students examine how desert plants and animals are adapted to life in the desert. They listen to the book, "Seasons of Saguaro," conduct experiments to demonstrate plant succulence, and create and draw an animal or plant that...
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Totally Tundra
In this tundra activity, students read about tundras and the plants and animals that live in tundras. They then use what they learned to answer the 10 questions on the page. The answers are on the last page.
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Life in the Kelp Forest
Students research and create a marine food web to learn about plants and animals in a kelp forest. For this marine food web lesson, students draw lines between kelp forest predators and prey and show the flow of energy in the food web....
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Food Chains Are Not A Necklace!
Second graders examine how food chains interact with different plants and animals. They practice using new vocabulary. They also discover the role of pesticides in the environment.
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Habitats and All That
First graders read books, complete online explorations and discuss the ways in which animals adapt to their habitats in order to survive. They create accordion books, play matching games and dramatize animal adaptations.
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Different Environments
Pupils read literature selection, discuss habitat, divide habitats into different categories such as water, soil, and land, list animals that live in each habitat, and describe habitats using descriptive words in vocabulary list.