Curated OER
Exploring the History of Oil
Students explore the history of the oil industry. In this history of oil lesson, students reseach the history and current state of the oil industry. Students then determine whether they support the move of the oil industry into Alaska's...
Curated OER
Born to be Wild
Students watch an episode depicting the human vs. polar bear conflict in Churchill, Canada. They conduct online research and analyze the information. They interpret the facts and use storytelling techniques and role playing to convey...
Curated OER
IDENTIFYING AND SORTING BEARS
Students study the difference between living and nonliving bears by classifying pictures of bears and placing them on the appropriate posterboard. Given pictures of bears, students recognize types of bears by placing the pictures correctly.
Curated OER
It Bears Repeating!!!
Students research bears and their characteristics with a specific study on North American bears and polar bears. For this bear study lesson, students read books about polar bears and wild bears. Students complete activities to further...
Curated OER
Oceans
First graders recognize that nearly three quarters of the Earth is covered by ocean. They locate the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Antarctic oceans on a map. They describe the difference between ocean water and fresh water.
National Wildlife Federation
Massive Migrations
Turn your students into flocks of migratory birds for this fun lesson on animal migration. Prior to the activity, the teacher creates four different migration routes in the classroom or any available open space, labeling nesting...
National Wildlife Federation
I Speak for the Polar Bears!
Climate change and weather extremes impact every species, but this lesson focuses on how these changes effect polar bears. After learning about the animal, scholars create maps of snow-ice coverage and examine the yearly variability and...
Curated OER
Cartoons in the Classroom: Conserve or Drill
To drill or to conserve? This question is the foundation of the political cartoons up for critical analysis in this well-composed learning exercise. Learners will analyze two cartoons guided by background information and excellent...
Polar Trec
Animal Monitoring Introduction
Not only do mealworms taste great, they are also great for classroom science lessons. In pairs, young scientists observe and record what they see as they check out what their mealworms are doing from minute to minute. Each minute...
Prince William Network
Migration Math Madness
A great way to incorporate math into life science, this lesson has learners measure migratory routes on a map and calculate the actual distance that shorebirds on the routes would cover. Learners compute the distance covered in both...
Curated OER
Puffin Patrol
Bird diversity and the majestic puffin are the topics of today's lesson. Children discuss and look at images of puffins, and then they use felt to put a puffin body together. After that they talk about what and how puffins eat. They get...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Conserve More or Drill More?
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about oil drilling and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Endangered Species Animal Masks
Students research endangered animals. In this animal science lesson, students visit suggested websites to learn more about endangered animals and create animal masks. Students need glue, cardstock, string and feathers to construct the...
Curated OER
Flightless Birds and Scientific Research
Students study the work done by various scientists on Antarctica. In this biology activity, students play the role of researchers who must justify the importance of their study. They create a multimedia presentation about a specific...
Curated OER
Researching Local Knowledge Field Trip
Students study the interdependence between living things and their environment.
Curated OER
Reindeer Herders
Students examine the life of of nomadic herders in Siberia. They read and discuss an article and maps from National Geographic, identify threats to this way of life, and write a letter to the Russian government identifying ways to...
Curated OER
Animals of Madagascar
Students are each assigned an animal from Madagascar. They research their animal and design a picture book about their animal. Students design a cover page, back page, bibliography page and the title page. Their book will contain...
Curated OER
Landscape Photography
Students photograph the school landscape and create photographic displays from the pictures they take. They discuss the visual characteristics of the school grounds. Working in pairs the role-play as camera and photographer and write...
Curated OER
Climate Watch
Students participate in a national survey of biological indicators of climate change by gathering and submitting data on local plants and animals.
Curated OER
The Oily "Grail"
Students discover the quest for a balance between oil exploration and a concern for the environment in Alaska. They synthesize their knowledge by debating the current length of the oil-drilling season.
Curated OER
Monitor Marine Migrants
Students, in groups, track the seasonal journey of a species, such as a shorebird, sea turtle, or marine mammal, using various sources of migration data
Curated OER
Endangered Lands & Threatened Species Collage Mural
Fifth graders create a class collage mural illustrating endangered lands and threatened species. They also write letters protesting the exploitation of endangered habitats and the destruction of flora and fauna.
Curated OER
Making a Food Web and Learning About Ecosystems
Third graders examine the difference between a food web and food chain. They also examine the importance of the sun in a food web and food chain. Students understand what happens when you remove parts of the chain.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: Arctic Studies Center
Tour this Smithsonian site and learn about the cultures of the North Pacific Rim and arctic wildlife in this site. This site provides virtual tours, videos, and music!