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Idea Mapping
Learners generate, share and display ideas as a group. They break into small groups to work on hand-drawn maps made up of concentric circles. they come before the group and make a similar diagram by charting each other's characteristics.
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Meet the Plants
Learners examine the difference between living and non-living things. In this living versus non-living lesson, students complete a KWL worksheet and a Living and Non-Living Chart. They examine a variety of plants and non-plants before...
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Land Use Decision
Students identify social and ecological considerations where human uses of land and trees conflict with each other and ecosystem needs, and describe importance of land-use management and planning through role play.
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Environmental Health Hazards and Children
Students are introduced to the environmental hazards their community is facing. In groups, they develop a list of the ways humans have changed the Earth and how these changes have lead to environmental hazards. They record their...
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Who Are the Aliens in Our Inland Seas?
Students work in teams to research specific landforms in Great Lakes Watershed, compile information into data table, and write legend explaining landform for children's book. Students then research area surrounding landform, compile...
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Mountain Pine Beetles
Students research and develop power point presentations that answer the question, "What is changing our forests?" In this ecology lesson, students research the niche of Pine Beetles and their increased effect on the forests in Colorado.
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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. Students...
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Mealworm Metamorphosis
Students observe offspring (mealworms) that do not initially resemble their parent organism (darkling beetles) throughout complete metamorphosis. They also create and maintain an appropriate habitat for the mealworms.
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CONNECTIONS
Learners study the interdependence of an ecosystem that allows it to sustain itself. They examine the Western lowland gorillas for an example.
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Bats and Boas Abound
Students investigate Puerto Rican boa constrictors and bats. For this animal science lesson, students read an article about the bats and snakes found in Puerto Rico. Students use various art supplies to create a diorama of the habitat of...
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Finders Keepers
Students explore the career of beekeeping. In this careers lesson, students examine the importance of the beekeeping industry. Students read stories about beekeepers and write comparisons. Students write a report on beekeepers and the...
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Frog Friendly Habitat
Students create a frog friendly habitat. In this animal habitat lesson, students study what animals need to survive and then create a frog habitat from a shoe box. Students write a report about frogs and present their habitats to the class.
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Dynamic Wetlands
Students construct and observe a model of two different types of wetlands. In this wetlands lesson, students create a model of a wetland with constant drainage and a wetland that maintains a well-saturated soil. Students observe and...
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Mountain Pine Beetle
Students identify the different parts of a tree. In this biology lesson, students investigate how mountain pine beetles kill trees. They examine the beetles' anatomy using a microscope.
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Water Striders
Students analyze water strider behavior. In this water strider lesson, students study the movement and feeding behavior of water striders. Students catch water striders and then generate scientific observations.
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Making a Human Tree
Young scholars 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. Young scholars create a "human" tree by role-playing...
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Are You One of Us?
Students investigate how scientists sort and classify organisms. In this sorting and classifying lesson, students examine what systematics are as tools that scientists use. They examine images of invertebrates and sort them while stating...
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Observation Hike
Young scholars participate in an observational hike to study the natural surroundings. In this observational hike lesson, students hike through a state park and observe the plant and animal life. Young scholars learn about appropriate...
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Ants In Motion
Students brainstorm ants and their characteristics in a class discussion. They observe the ants and answer question pertaining to their behavior; then they apply the scientific method in creating and investigating a problem.
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Before They Were Pests
Learners explore the native habitats and behaviors of common pests to explain why and how household pests enter our homes. Theyexamine the relationship between humans and pests and the limited habitat and resources shared by both.
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How Hot is Too Hot?
Fifth graders use the scientific method to conduct experiments on the temperature effects on organisms. In this temperature effects on organisms lesson plan, 5th graders observe and record the hatching or the developing of organisms into...
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Creeping and Crawling Observing Mealworms and Earthworms
Fifth graders observe mealworms and earthworms. In this mealworm and earthworm lesson, 5th graders complete an experiment in which they observe the life cycle and living conditions of mealworms and earthworms. They experiment with...
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Forest Food Web
Students explore the elements of a forest ecosystem. They examine the elements needed to form a forest food web. Students construct and describe food webs that include nonliving elements of the ecosystem.
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School Yard Park/Ecosystem
Fifth graders observe and categorize different sections of a park and it's ecosystem. In this categorizing lesson plan, 5th graders collect different facets of nature from a nearby park (without disturbing the ecosystem). They map,...