Captain Planet Foundation
Which Plant Is Which?
Learn about dichotomous keys, plant identification, and how to care for the planet with a lesson plan that includes several hands-on and innovative activities. Kids go on a plant scavenger hunt and classify the plants that they find...
Curated OER
The Lost Hydroponics Chamber Lesson
Students understand the definition of hydroponics. In this space hydroponics less, students simulate the experiment conducted in space. Students answer questions based on their experiment.
Curated OER
The Web of Life
Students construct a food web to learn how living things in an ecosystem are interconnected. In this food web simulation activity, students will be assigned an animal and the teacher will represent the sun. Students and teacher discuss...
Curated OER
How Do Populations Grow?
Students examine how populations grow and how invasive species can affect the balance of ecosystems. They simulate the growth of lily pads, analyze and record the data, and simulate the results of an invasive species on an ecosystem.
Curated OER
Time and Cycles - Dendrochronology
Students investigate the lives of trees by examining ring cycles. In this plant life lesson, students identify the field of study known as dendrochronology and discover its history. Students investigate a simulated tree ring and...
Curated OER
Building a Biome
Students investigate how plants grow in different biomes. In this biomes lesson plan, students plant sees of impatiens, lima beans and rye seeds in egg cartons. When the plants begin to grow they simulate the assigned biome conditions...
Virginia Department of Education
Prokaryotes
Lead your biology class on a cell-sized adventure! Emerging scientists construct models of prokaryotes, then design an experiment to properly grow a bacterial culture. They conclude the activity by viewing the culture under a microscope....
Curated OER
Fantastic Flower
Here is a clever lesson on pollination of flowers for you. In it, learners study the anatomy of a flower, and play a game in which they simulate the process of pollination. This fine plan brings in elements of art, physical education,...
Curated OER
Effects of Weathering
Here's a great geology lesson for 3rd graders on weathering and erosion of soil. After a class discussion on how nature can "move a mountain," learners take a look at how a modern phenoma called acid rain can also cause weathering and...
Curated OER
Farming in Space
Eighth graders examine the ways that NASA could create space farms, In this space farms lesson students complete an experiment where they grow several plants.
Curated OER
Pollination Station
Pupils investigate why and how bees pollinate flowers and other plants. They define pollination, and read and sing along with the song "Yo, i'm a Flower." Students examine a diagram of a flower, simulate bees pollinating flowers, and...
Curated OER
Musical Milfoil
Young scholars play a game that is a version of musical chairs to introduce them to invasive aquatic plants. In this aquatic plants lesson plan, students play 4 rounds of this game.
Curated OER
The Effects of Environment on Plant Growth: Selecting Seeds for Survival on a New Planet
Fifth graders conduct experiments to compare seed germination and plant growth rates. They construct a hydroponic plant unit and a lighthouse. They care for the plants for a month and collect data for graphs. They write a report.
Curated OER
Buzzy, Buzzy Bee
Students simulate honeybees pollinating flowers. In this pollination lesson, students role-play the process of pollination over the course of several seasons. Students graph results and share their graphs with the class.
Michigan Sea Grant
Food Web II
A food web consists of complex food chains and the more complex the web, the better likelihood of survival. Learners compare and contrast food webs and food chains and discuss concepts like the predator-prey and consumer-producer...
Curated OER
Web of Life
Learners collect information about various organisms in a forest ecosystem and create a mural that depicts organism interdependence. They then simulate a food web using a ball of string.
Curated OER
Effects Of Weathering
Third graders simulate weathering and erosion using sand and soil. They define weathering and the ways in which surfaces become weathered. Working as a class, 3rd graders complete various activities that demonstrate physical and...
Curated OER
Immersion Presents Monterey Bay
Students study Monterey Bay. In this Monterey Bay lesson, students create a model of upwelling around Monterey Bay. Students simulate surface water movement relative to prevailing winds.
Curated OER
What Are We Looking At?
Students investigate different perspectives through a farming simulation. In this photo perspectives lesson plan, students examine different photographs taken by satellite or from ground level. Students then discuss the differences and...
Curated OER
Our Changing Environment-- A Demonstration
Students observe and describe changes in an environment when some of the components are changed. They recognize the process of succession by
preparing a miniaturized environment in which a variety of plants and seeds are grown.
Curated OER
The Chain Gang
Students perform a food chain simulation to determine what happens when a food chain is broken.
Curated OER
Will Global Warming Push Trees to Extinction?
Young scholars examine the extinction of plants and animals through loss of habitat. They investigate the effects of global warming. They use a computer model to analyze the impact of global warming on tree growth and distirbution...
Curated OER
Water Above the Ground
Students create a river drainage basin using a plastic tub, sand and a pitcher of water. They simulate the flow of water through the basin then add chocolate syrup to model what would happen if stormwater pollution entered the basin.
Curated OER
Sunshine Experiment
Students investigate how sunlight is used to help plants grow. They use different factors of artificial and natural sunlight in order to simulate the environment of Alaska. Students make observations and then write a report based upon...