Pennsylvania Department of Education
Animal Classes and Their Ecosystems
Students explore animal characteristics by participating in an environment identification activity. In this animal habitat lesson plan, students discuss a range of different wild life and the ecosystems that they are a part of. Students...
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Understanding How Potatoes Grow
Second graders make a KWL chart and brainstorm what they need for the project of growing potatoes. They choose one potato and plant it in water or peat moss cups and choose a location in which meets the needs of the plants and make their...
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Enduring Understanding
Fourth graders explore indigenous people of rainforest and examine their customs and ways of life. They discuss how rainforests should be protected not only for their plants and animals, but also for indigenous people who live in them,...
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Will the Lights Go Out?
Students diagram nuclear power plant, describe process for generating electrical power, discuss nuclear disasters in the 20th century, and draw conclusion about value of nuclear power for the future.
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The Unique Rain Forest
Learners explore the unique Rain Forest. In this Rain Forest lesson, students watch a video about the dangers the Rain Forest faces. Learners create a Rain Forest mobile. Students choose plants or animals from the...
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Rain Forest Adventures
Students discover locations of the world's rain forests. Once they identify the animals, plants, products, and resources located in them, they construct they own rain forest terrariums. By comparing and contrasting the two types of...
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The Sky is Falling!!
First graders complete a variety of activities about fall. They study a plant's life cycle and what happens to plants in the fall. They make leaf rubbings and discuss seed dispersal. They write a creative story about a seed and visit a...
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Relating Structure to Function in Cells
Twelfth graders investigate specialized structures in both plants and animals. They relate structure to function, as they determine why the specialization is necessary and useful to the living organisms involved. They use microscopes...
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Forces in Action
Students investigate questions centered around force and motion by going through the scientific process and creating fair tests and experimentation. In this lesson about forces-in-action, students diagram their findings and explore other...
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Dynamic Wetlands
Young scholars construct and observe a model of two different types of wetlands. For this wetlands lesson, students create a model of a wetland with constant drainage and a wetland that maintains a well-saturated soil. Young scholars...
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Forest In A Jar
Tenth graders are introduced to the process of succession and gain awareness of the changing nature of ecosystems. They demonstrate a comprehension of the dynamic nature of ecosystems, including the relationship between ecological...
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Fossil Adventure
Students create a book about the process of a dinosaur becoming a fossil. For this earth science lesson, students are taught about fossils and create a book that tells what happened to a dinosaur's bones after they die.
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A Study of Your Domestic Water Supply
Students create a diagram that traces the path of a raindrop from its source into the water supply for their house and back to the environment. They also diagram the processes that occur in a sewage treatment and water treatment plant.
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Plate Tectonics: Movin' and Shakin'
Students are introduced to the causes of plate movements and the hazards they present. They plot the location of 50 earthquakes and 50 volcanic eruptions on a map and explore the relationships between plate tectonics, earthquakes, and...
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Microorganisms: Good Guys or Bad Guys?
Students discover the role microorganisms play in our lives. In this decomposition lesson, students examine decaying foods and plants in order to analyze the different bacteria that grows. Students discuss the good and bad of...
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Too Bee Or Not To Bee
Students recognize that bees are important in the reproduction of plants and to the survival of animals. In this bee lesson, students become familiar with the parts of bees and how those adaptations help them pollinate plants....
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Pollinators and Wildflowers
Students explore how plants depend on pollinators to reproduce. In this pollination lesson students dissect a local flower and collect and identify pollinating insects.
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Sunflower Sundance
First graders study sunflower plants and identify its parts. They plant sunflower seeds and watch them grow and make sunflowers out of paper plates and colored paper. They watch videos and visit websites about sunflowers.
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Global Greenup
Students utilize satellite images to track the life cycle of vegetational growth over a large area. Animal migratory patterns are compared to this cycle.
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Man's Struggle for Environmental Preservation
Students examine the way all living things are connected to one another. In groups, they participate in experiments in which they analyze the chemical processes through the biosphere and explain the role of energy. They also brainstorm...
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The Tropical Rain Forest
Students use various web sites to access information about the rain forest. They use the Tropical Rainforest Interactive CD to make their own rain forest pictures and stories and learn facts about the rain forest. They use various books...
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Half Lives
Students investigate the concept of half-life by conducting an M&M experiment. In this chemistry lesson, students differentiate nuclear fusion and fission. They present investigation findings to class.
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Butterfly and Caterpillar
Students listen to the story "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and create their own "Very Hungry Caterpillar" book to learn the life cycle of a butterfly.