Curated OER
Plants Alive! How Plants Grow and Move
Students explore how plants move in response to the environment. In this plant activity, students engage in three different experiments to investigate how plants grow and move. Resources available in English and French.
Curated OER
Animal Habitats
Elementary schoolers complete a learning exercise that has them decide which of four environments a variety of animals live in. The environments are: pond, soil, ocean, and woodland. There are 12 different types of animals that pupils...
Institute for Applied Ecology
From Salmonberry to Sagebrush - Exploring Oregon’s Native Plants
Take a deep dive into Oregon's ecosystems, plants, and changes from the past to the future. Many hands-on activities in an environmental science unit delight scholars, including creating a field guide for a local park. The in-depth study...
Curated OER
Be Kind to Mother Nature!
A clever worksheet on identifying things that harm the environment is here for you. Elementary schoolers read a short paragraph describing the harm that can come to the environment due to human activities. Then, they must circle five...
BBC
Light and Shadows
Light is such an amazing thing! Elementary schoolers explore the wonderful world of light and shadow. The lesson is meant to be carried out on a whiteboard. Objects are placed in front of a light source, and learners must predict what...
Curated OER
Soil Examination
Students examine soil. In this science lesson plan, students recognize different populations in a soil sample, demonstrate and observe water and wind erosion, and construct a levee flood control technique.
Curated OER
The Purpose of Each Part of a Plant
Beginning botanists can sketch the parts of a plant in individual boxes, or better yet, they can tape or glue actual plant parts in them. Beside each box are a few sentences with selected words left out. From the word bank at the bottom...
Curated OER
Science: Criminalistics - A New Look at Crime
Students examine the world of forensic science, focusing on fingerprint analysis. In the lesson, they implement a method by which fingerprints of class members are categorized and identified. Elementary students study classification...
Curated OER
Mulch
Students conduct a series of experiments on mulching. In this earth science lesson, students discuss the benefits of mulching on soil. They explore how different types of mulch affect plant growth.
Curated OER
Digging the Earth's Crust
Students investigate the Earth's crust. In this geology lesson, students identify the materials made up of the Earth's crust and investigate the different kinds of soil.
Curated OER
The Earth Around Us: Air, Water & Soil
Second graders explore erosion and find the factors effecting erosion of hillsides. In this erosion lesson, 2nd graders experiment by creating a hillside and simulating rain. Students discuss and record their results on a worksheet.
Curated OER
Rocks and Soil
Learners explore the physical properties of rocks. They explore the three different types of rocks and are able to compare and contrast their different properties. Students simulate the creation of sedimentary rock, they also...
Curated OER
Making Regolith
You may not be able to take a field trip to the moon, but that doesn't mean your class can't study moon rocks. Using graham crackers as the moon's bedrock and powdered donuts as micrometeorites, young scientists simulate the creation of...
Curated OER
Forest In A Jar
Students conduct an experiment using soil, water, seeds, a plant, and a jar; and then draw a poster to represent their observations and findings. They make a poster showing what happened to their aquatic environment.
Curated OER
The Magic of Cranberries
Students research climatic and soil conditions for growing cranberries and illustrate how cranberries grow. They research how cranberries are used past and present and create an a-b-c book on cranberries.
Curated OER
Filter It!
Elementary schoolers who are learning about filtration and mixtures could use this worksheet to gain practice in filtering techniques. In it, they are asked how to manipulate a container in a way that would lead to properly filtering...
Curated OER
The Noble Gases
When breaking down the details of the periodic table of elements, this presentation will explain special characteristics for each of the noble gases. The annotations are quite elementary, so this can easily be used in an introductory...
Curated OER
Under Our Feet
Students investigate the forest ecosystem to learn of the living and non-living elements of the soil. In this ecosystem instructional activity, students examine soil for twigs, moss, fungi, leaves, roots and other matter. Students...
Curated OER
Water Filtration Challenge
Students create an all-natural water filtration system. In this instructional activity on natural water filtration, students build upon prior knowledge to build a filtration unit made of plants, soils, sand, pebbles and rocks that can...
Curated OER
Water filtration with Plants
Sixth graders explain how soil and plants effect contaminated water in nature. In this filtration lesson, 6th graders work in groups to test biofiltration units. Students determine which biofiltration units work best and how they can...
Curated OER
Food Webs and Making Miniature Ecosystems
Students model a food web and create a miniature ecosystem. In this animal interactions lesson, students engage in a role playing game which simulates a food web. Students then build miniature ecosystems using pop bottles, snails, plants...
Alachua County Public Schools
Food Chain
Two to four players receive seven cards each, with plants, animals, or nitrates depicted. They place what they have onto their own empty game board with the objective to complete a food chain. The game is a fun way to reinforce learning...
Curated OER
Erosion
Students examine soil erosion and what causes it. In this soil lesson students complete several experiments on soil erosion and the weathering process.
Curated OER
What type of soil do worms like?- An Investigation
Students study four types of soil and predict which one worms would use for their habitat. They observe worms in each type of soil and monitor their activity. They create class charts highlighting their discoveries.