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Air Pollution
Students seek solutions to environmental problems. They discover how to conserve and protect natural resources. They examine the role of acid rain on plants and discover how to filter pollutants.
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The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
With The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry as the hook learners discuss the rainforest, the animals that live there, and conservation efforts. Then, students write a letter to the man in the story asking him not to cut down the Kapok...
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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 lesson involves animals in the Long Island area, it could be adapted for use with any area.
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Amazon Food Chain
Explore food chains in the Amazon Rainforest using this resource. Learners discuss the predator vs. prey relationships in the food chain. Then, they create a food web to describe this relationship. This is a simple and effective way to...
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Costa Rican Food Chain
Discuss the animals and plants in the rainforest food chain using this lesson. Learners talk about and do research on the top predators from the Costa Rican region and create a model of one of them in class. They also make a visual model...
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Making Field Journals
Students follow a bookmaking format to create a book and use it as a garden journal. In this science journal lesson, students follow book making directions to create a garden and science journal.
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The Cell Cycle and Cancer
Young scholars compare and contrast the cell cycle of frog eggs, normal cells, and cancer cells. They watch a video about early development of the frog embryo, generate a hypothesis in small groups, and listen to a teacher-led lecture. ...
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Water: The Liquid of Life
Sixth graders complete a lesson on the properties, types and amounts of water on Earth. In groups, they travel between stations to identify water resources in Illinois and pollution sources. They complete the lesson with a field trip...
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What's Living in My Mouth?
Students articulate in written and oral formats that bacteria can be found living everywhere. They explain in written and oral formats why the immune system is necessary. Students are presented with an opportunity to see bacteria alive...
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Mellowing With Age, A Closer Look
Students realize that aging is a "natural, continuous process" and develop sensitivity to the needs, desires, and capabilities of the elderly by interviewing elderly community members and photographing age related things.
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Presto Change-o: Caterpillars to Butterflies
Young scholars use the Internet to explore the four stages of a butterfly's life cycle. They make a model of a butterfly using macaroni, sticks and leaves.
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The Trial of the Bloody Sucker
Students study creatures that drink blood. In this blood suckers lessons, students watch videos to learn about creatures that drink blood. Students divide into groups and make posters about the organisms. Students then participate in a...
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Exploring Forest Objects
Young scholars explore the forest. In this ecosystems instructional activity, students rotate through sensory activity centers, brainstorm, and read about temperate forests.
Science Matters
Post-Assessment
Twenty questions make up an assessment designed to test super scientists' knowledge of ecosystems. Scholars answer multiple-choice and short-answer questions about organisms, food chains, energy flow, and more.
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Composting
Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...
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Making Weather-Tracking Tools
Students build tools to help track the weather. In this weather lesson plan, students follow directions to build a rain gauge, barometer and hair hygrometer.
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Information Reports
Students practice essay skills. In this essay skills lesson, students select an essay subject and take notes for their topic. Students create a web for their essays. Students organize, write, revise, and publish their essays.
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Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can
Students investigate the manufacture of aluminum cans and consider the energy and resources saved when the cans are made from recycled material. They explore the concept of closed-loop recycling using charts, worksheets and discussion.
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Nature's Recyclers
Students create environments to demonstrate how earthworms interact with their surroundings.
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Fiber of Life
Young scholars examine the importance of plants to individuals and society through a multi-discipline set of activities. They observe and draw different leaf structures and then create a book about trees and photosynthesis. They explore...
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Frogs, Fabulous Frogs
Students have the opportunity to both interpret and replicate the different shapes and textures observed in the life cycle of a frog. When students apply the watercolor wash to the crayon texture rubbings the designs take on a...
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Household Pests
Sixth graders discover the various habitat requirements for assorted household pests from ants to wasps. They conduct various activities including researching the life cycles moths, cockroaches, and mosquitoes
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Land Use Issues
Students discover seeds are a source of life. They also label the parts of a seed and examine the conditions which are needed for the seed to start growing. They follow the life cycle of seeds.
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Butterfly
Students use a purchased kit to explore the characteristics and life cycles of several butterflies including the Monarch, Western Swallowtail, Red Admiral and Painted Lady. They create a plaster casting of each species for study and...