Curated OER
Climatic Zones
Third graders recognize and locate Frigid, Temperate, and Torrid climatic zones on the word map or globe. They explain that plants, animals, and human societies display adaptations to the climates they live in .
DePaul University
Breaking the Food Chain
Throughout history, the growth of big cities has resulted in the destruction of ecosystems. In the case of Chicago, IL, a grassland that was once home to bison, deer, wolves, and foxes quickly became a booming city of over three million...
Curated OER
Rainforest Plant or Animal?
Students explore the major functions of plants and animals. For this rainforest lesson plan students create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast animals in the rainforest.
Curated OER
Bud the Spud Moves West
As part of a unit on Canadian agriculture, this focuses on how potato farms have increased in the west. Pupils participate in a discussion about the impact of consumer demand on production, and then they read an article about potato...
Curated OER
Get In Touch With Trees
Students feel tree parts inside of 3 mystery boxes. Then they go outside and find the 3 trees the parts came from. They draw their favorite tree including details of the part they felt.
Curated OER
Introducing Habitats and Biodiversity
Students identify habitats in Arizona. Theys define and illustrate a food web, and explain the importance fo biodiversity.
Curated OER
Prairie Scales and Prairie Smoothies
Sixth graders explore the animals that live on the prairie and identify differences between amphibians and reptiles and the adaptations each have made to live on the prairie.
Curated OER
Forest Communities
Students identify tree specimens. In this tree specimens instructional activity, students collect different parts of a tree from the areas around the school or their home. They then work in groups to create booklet that identifies tree...
Curated OER
Exploring Biomes Lesson 3: Endangered Biomes
Future environmental scientists compare data from two different conservation strategies. Alone this lesson is sufficient, but as part of the Exploring Biomes unit produced by the Arizona Fish and Game Department, it becomes top-notch.
Curated OER
Wildlife Conservation I
Focusing on the wildlife in their area, learners identify endangered and threatened species and what these animals need to survive. While this activity involves animals in the Long Island area, it could be adapted for use with any area.
Curated OER
How to Grow a Sunflower Plant
Students explore botany by conducting a sunflower growth experiment. In this plant life activity, students identify the anatomy of a sunflower plant and the essential nutrients it requires to grow. Students utilize compost, soil, garden...
Curated OER
Spice Up Your Life
Second graders identify major spices found in the world. They link spices with countries they are grown in and the uses for these valuable items.
Curated OER
How 'bout them bones!
After a lesson on the human skeleton, hand out a worksheet that requires learners to identify the pelvis, rib cage, skill, spine, and thigh bones. They draw a line from the name of the bone to its location on the skeleton. Tip: Instead...
Curated OER
Soil's Secret
Students examine two types of soils in their area. They identify its texture and permeability to determine its origin. They share their results with the class.
Curated OER
Runoff: Intro to Watersheds
Learners are taught that a watershed is, what types of basic land cover are impermeable and permeable to water. They trace the flow of water around their school and around their home. Students determine what watershed their school is a...
Curated OER
Plant Systems
Young scholars examine plant systems. For this life science lesson, students explore leaf and root systems on paper in a terrarium that they design and construct.
Curated OER
Planting the Seeds of Knowledge
Young scholars study plant growth and aesthetics. In this plant growth lesson, students talk about what plants need to grow and identify the major plant parts. They plant and care for seed while recording growth measurement. They compare...
Curated OER
Cells: A project in 3-D for Special Needs Students
Middle schoolers use the internet to research information about cells in order to create a 3-D model of a cell. They may choose either to research a plant or animal cell. Students locate and identify the parts of a cell and build a 3-D...
Curated OER
Toying Around with a System
Second graders look at the system that could be present in common toys. They manipulate and identify parts that have to work together in order to form a system. When working or not students should comprehend how things go together.
Curated OER
Using Plant Pigments as Natural Dyes
Students create friendship bracelets and quilt squares. In this plant instructional activity student dye their own string and cotton material with plant pigments. Students use the naturally dyed materials to create the friendship...
Curated OER
Plant Growth
Learners explore the parts of a plant and seed. They plant seeds and observe the growth of plants. Students record the observations. They discuss and share the observations they see.
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
Mythical Animals
Students create imaginary animals by assembling pictures of body parts from pictures of real animals. This is one of three linked tasks. The others are "Who's Parts Do I Have?" and "Animals Piece by Piece."
Curated OER
Investigation of Meiosis in Common Plants and Animals
Students witness various stages of mitosis through preparing onion root tip slides. With teacher guidance, they learn a great deal through the hands-on process of preparing the slides themselves.