Curated OER
The Living Environment
Fourth graders make a chart of animals and plants that live in either the desert, the ocean, or the tundra. In this environment lesson plan, 4th graders work in groups to discover characteristics needed for these animals to live in that...
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Help! Help! Save the Earth!
First graders analyze ways to save our natural resources and preserve the environment. In this environmental protection lesson, 1st graders complete four activities to analyze the importance of our natural resources and what trash does...
Curated OER
Organisms and Their Environment
In this organisms and their environment worksheet, students will review concepts relating to ecological studies, levels of organization in ecology, and relationships between organisms in ecosystems. This worksheet has 10 fill in the...
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Colors of Wildlife
Students observe wildlife animals. In this wildlife lesson, students cut out three different animals from a wildlife magazine. Then they compare the animals, verbally stating their similarities and differences.
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From Restriction Maps to Cladograms
Learners develop a matrix to determine the number of differences between each set of primate species. They determine closely related organisms then complete the cladogram and answer a set of questions.
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Trait Variations for Survival
Young learners examine how different traits could give one organism an advantage over another. In groups, they view two different organisms in different environments. To end the lesson plan, they complete a Venn Diagram on the two...
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Close to Home
Fourth graders examine habitats for animals by creating their own in class environment. In this environment lesson, 4th graders research the Internet for information on certain wild animals and the places in which they live. Students...
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The Lorax
Third graders identify environmental problems. In this natural resources lesson plan students participate in several activities that support critical thinking about the environment and natural resources. The students write, list, and...
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Improvisational Setting - "Where are You?"
Second graders explore setting through improvisations. In this theatre lesson, 2nd graders perform a variety of improvisations in different settings and chart how they established the setting in the different environments.
Smithsonian Institution
A Ticket to Philly—In 1769: Thinking about Cities, Then and Now
While cities had only a small fraction of the population in colonial America, they played a significant role in pre-revolutionary years, and this was certainly true for the largest city in the North American colonies: Philadelphia. Your...
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Teachers' Guide to Using A Day In the Life of a Drop
Hydrology hopefuls learn about their local watershed. Through discussion and online interactives, they see that their habits affect the water supply. The activity concludes with a pledge to filter out bad water usage habits. It makes a...
Curated OER
What Shape is That?
Each country or group of people has created special places of worship. Children read a story about religious buildings and architecture and then make clay models of the buildings they like the best. The lesson plan has been written to...
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Treasures in Jeopardy
In small groups, middle schoolers research deep-sea coral reefs and design a poster to educate the public about their importance. They compare them to shallow-water reefs and consider the impact of bottom-trawl fishing. Many internet...
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Week 3: Pollution Source and Effects
Lab groups set up an experiment to observe what happens over time in collected pond water when fertilizer, representing pollution, is added. This website does not include student lab sheets, but background information, materials, and...
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To Dam or Not to Dam
Young ecologists explore the Aswan Dam in Egypt via the internet. Each collaborative group is assigned a specific article about the ecological impact of the dam. Then they prepare a presentation to share with the rest of the class. Some...
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Biodiversity Debate - Stream Side Science
Role play community members who are both for and against the construction of a dam. Research the pros and cons and then hold a classroom debate. This activity ideally follows a series of stream studies, links to which are included. Use...
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Shasta Dam: How High is Too High?
Research water use in California, environmental protection laws, and the proposition to raise Shasta Dam by 200 feet. Researchers use their findings to build an argument which will be presented at a mock decision panel. Groups then...
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How Can We Live Here? Life In Extreme Environments
Students explore the limits of life on Earth to extend their beliefs about life to include its possibility on other worlds. They investigate three hypothetical environments and the bacterial life forms that could exist on Earth.
Curated OER
The Environments of Big Sur -- Which Do We Protect?
Students investigate the geological, climatic, and biological features of Big Sur. They watch a video, conduct Internet research, and create a script and images in the form of an outline in a simulation of an environmental group.
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Environment
Students examine how connected they are to the environment and how organisms are affected by other organisms. They also discover that the environment is affected by human interactions.
Curated OER
Plants and Animals in the Local Environment
Students recognize the different types of plants and animals living in a local environment. They determine how they require different habitats to live, and relate simple life processes to plants and animals found in local environments.
Curated OER
The Environment and Interactions of Living Organisms
Students study the environment and interactions of living organisms. They identify abiotic and biotic factors and create a foldable and vocabulary cards. They create a poster illustrating soil and watch a video to study symbiosis.
Curated OER
A Pollution Solution- Taking Care of the Environment
Learners examine the biodegradability of different brands of toilet paper in a hands-on activity. Through this activity they also discover the steps of the Scientific Method and use new terms such as hypothesis, procedure, observation,...
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Understanding Interactions Among Local Species and the Local Environment
Students examine the differences between biotic and abiotic factors, explain the difference between habitat and niche and compare how organisms get their nutritional needs. In this local environment activity students trace the path of...