Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Three: What's the Status of Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is essential for every habitat, but many species are at risk due to pollution and other factors. Explore several different species native to Illinois in a gallery walk with posters that learners have created after research...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Zombie Ants
One of the creepiest and coolest natural occurrences is a great forum for data analysis and discussion! Explore the phenomenon of zombie ants, or ants infected with the Cordyceps fungus, with a series of activities and experiments. Kids...
K12 Reader
Water Carves the Land
What affect do bodies of water have on the world around us? Kids can find out by reading this passage. After reading, they answer five questions related to the text.
NOAA
I Can't Breathe!
The Gulf of Mexico dead zone, an area of low oxygen that kills marine life, costs the United States $82 million every year. Young scientists research anoxic ocean environments then come up with a hypothesis for the cause of the Gulf of...
Curated OER
Save the Earth: It's Everyone's Home!
Students create artwork to remind them to conserve the Earth. In this conservation lesson plan, students discuss the Earth's conservation and then create an art project representing what they can do to conserve.
Curated OER
Solar System: The Four Inner Planets and Earth's Moon and Astronauts
Second graders read THe Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System. In this language arts and science lesson, 2nd graders explore the four inner planets. Students view the inner planets using Google Earth.
Curated OER
Watercolor Rainbows
Who doesn't love a rainbow? Little ones adore them, so why not make rainbows the subject of your next art project. Your class can use watercolor to paint rainbows. As they do, have them identify the colors in the rainbow, talk about how...
Curated OER
How Big is the Sun? Exploring the Size and Scale of the Sun, Earth and Moon
Learners explore the relative sizes of the Sun, Earth and Moon as they make an impressive large-scale model for classroom use throughout the unit.
Curated OER
Great Explorations: To the End of the Earth and Beyond
Learners analyze the factors that affect exploration such as religion, trade, territorial expansion, and science. In this Great Explorations instructional activity, students determine the names of famous explorers as well as their routes...
Curated OER
Science Fiction Stories
Students review the story writing process and the elements such as prewriting, drafting, editing, revising, publishing, and assessment. Next students write a science fiction story that contains a title, the requested number of...
Curated OER
Environmental Art
Students create their own environmental art after the teacher shows them a variety of example and has a discussion about it. They then write an initial personal definition of environmental art.
Curated OER
Flowers and a Beautiful World: Earth Day (1st)
First graders discuss Earth Day and making the world more beautiful. In this world beautification lesson plan, 1st graders participate in an interactive read aloud of Barbara Clooney's, Miss Rumphius. They talk about how making the world...
Curated OER
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Learners participate in a recycling campaign. In this recycling instructional activity, students create an Earth Day display for a local store. Learners design a mural as a reminder to people of ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Curated OER
Planet Interiors
Students view cut-away images of the planets' interiors, comparing and contrasting them with the Earth's in written form. Students also classify each planet as "terrestrial" or "Jovian". The Planet Interiors applet on the CSA website...
Curated OER
The Reasons for the Season
Students explain the reason for the changes in season. In this lesson examining the relationship between the Earth and the Sun, students use an applet to discover how the alignment of the Earth and the Sun cause the change in seasons.
Curated OER
Rockin' Chalk
Fourth graders access prior knowledge of rocks and minerals. In this petroglyphs lesson, 4th graders become familiar with artwork on rocks. Students create original artworks using rock art.
Curated OER
Earthquake Terror
In this language arts worksheet, 4th graders answer the ten multiple choice questions based on the reading of a story about a terrible earthquake.
Curated OER
Make a Rain Stick for Earth Day
Students construct rain sticks. In this ecology multicultural lesson, students use recyclable items to construct a rainstick. Detailed instructions for making and decorating the rainstick are given.
Curated OER
Environment As Art
Students create an idea for environmental artwork for installation somewhere on school property.
Virginia Department of Education
Succession
The final lesson in a two-part series prompts scholars to create newspaper articles and succession events. Applying their knowledge of the ecosystem and the past examples of succession, they predict what will happen in the future using...
Curated OER
Am I Taller than an Antelope
Students investigate biology by examining body sizes of different animals. In this antelope measurement lesson, students research the physicality of Antelopes and other large animals that inhabit Earth. Students create a model Antelope...
Curated OER
Lunar Real Estate
Students investigate the aspect of colonizing the moon by comparing techniques that are used on Earth. The colonization takes place with the planning of a hypothetical model. The model is used as a point of discussion and target...
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
San Francisco Symphony
Lesson Ideas for Any Music
Music is a wonderful tool you can add to enhance the learning process for every subject. Here is a list of music selections that are categorized by subject, along with some neat teaching suggestions. You'll find songs suited to...