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Word Categories
In this word categories worksheet, students work in groups to place the given words into categories of five of their own choosing.
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Can Fun Gus Help Plants/Trees Grow?
Students participate in an experiment in which they test the growth of different types of plants. They discover how growth rates vary using inoculum. They draw pictures and are read books about plants to end the lesson.
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Water Molds (Oomycetes)
Students explore a group of fungus-like organisms; the Oomycetes, by baiting them from natural sources (water and soil) and observing them.
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What's That Brown Fuzzy Stuff On My Plum?
High schoolers examine Koch's Postulates by actually using them. They perform each of the required four steps to show that the brown fuzzy fungus they see growing on stone fruit (plums, peaches, nectarines, cherries) is what causes them...
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Odyssey of Life, Part II-The Unknown World
Students complete an experiment in which they observe different natural sample in which they uncover the microbial world. They complete a two part worksheet that accompanies the lesson.
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Making a Human Tree
Students explore botany by defining the anatomy of a tree. For this environmental exploration lesson, students research plant vocabulary terms and discuss the uses of each word. Students create a "human" tree by role-playing as one of...
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Exploring Habitats
Students analyze the difference between the human habitat and the different habitats of animals in the six lessons of this unit. The students' imaginations and literature are used to explore important aspects of the living environments...
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Looking at the Community Tree
Third graders review the characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. As a class, they observe a tree and describe the interactions between the living and nonliving organisms surrounding it. To end the lesson, they ask a question...
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Observing Motion
First graders explore movement and motion. In this motion lesson, 1st graders how objects can move as well as how the Earth is in constant motion and the force of gravity. Students complete a coloring sheet.
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Wildlife Variety Show: Biodiversity In Illinois
Eighth graders write a short report in first person about any plant or animal found on a list of Illinois species. They become the character of the plant or animal and give a short report describing the plant or animal.
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Case of the Missing Pumpkin
Scientists define and discuss decomposition, and watch pumpkins decompose and return to soil in classroom experiment. They record the date the experiment began, chart changes in pumpkins on a calendar, count how many days it takes...
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The Effect of Temperature on Cricket Chirping
Students examine the effect of temperature on how often crickets chirp. In groups, they complete the experiment and answer lab discussion questions. They create a graph of temperatures and the amount of chirps and discuss the results.
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Skin: The Behavior and Health Connection
Students explore how personal behavior can affect health, especially the health of your skin. They become better aware of how their personal behavior and the environment can have a considerable impact on their health in general. Students...
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What Role Does Light Play Within the Vision Process?
Students are introduced to the relationship between light and vision. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover how different wavelengths are divided in the visible spectrum. They record their answers and discuss their...
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Food Chains
Young scholars describe food cahins and the role of organisms. Using a set of organism cards, they color code the organisms on their cards by their role in the food chain. Once a complete chain is identified, they glue it on a sheet of...
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Root Beer: Demonstration of fermentation
Name:__________________________________ Class:________ Date:____________
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Preserving Health Through Biological Diversity
Students research and explore the benefits of biodiversity, particularly as it relates to human health. They write an essay in which they explain the possible effect of human activities on the emergence of new diseases.
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Ecosystems
Seventh graders create a closed ecosystem and place it where is it visible to others in the school. They label it with posters describing the interdependence of living things in the ecosystem. They discuss what might happen to the...
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Who Eats Whom in the Salt Marsh?
Seventh graders complete a virtual online salt marsh tour. In groups, they observe and identify the various types of animals found in the marsh. After categorizing the animals, they create a food web based on the animals role in the...
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Forced to Flee: Famine and Plague
Students examine facts about the Irish Potato Famine and explore primary resources, such as newspaper articles, photographs, songs, and poems, related to the famine. Once research is complete, they create a small collage of their...
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Why Is My Bread Fuzzy?
Students explore the organisms that live on counters or surfaces in the classroom. In this mold experiment, students observe mold in different conditons. Students record their observations on a worksheet. Students understand how mold...
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Mini-Ponds
In this mini pond worksheet, students create a mini-pond ecosystem with soil, water, and plant life. Students let their ecosystem sit for a day and they observe a sample the next day. Students identify all the pond water microorganisms...
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Dirt Life
Students select and collect soil samples from a variety of locations (schoolyard, home, etc.). They do this lab after an interest-generating discussion about "dirt" and microbes. Students make a dilution in sterile water, plate it on a...
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Science: Comparing Beer and Bread
Students compare and contrast cellular respiration in yeast and plant and animal cells. After discovering the role of yeast in making beer and bread, they describe the short and long term effects of alcohol on the nervous and digestive...