Curated OER
Marine Animal and Plant Adaptations
Learners examine nature by creating their own animals. In this animal adaptation lesson, students define scientific vocabulary terms dealing with adaptation such as sea stars, sea cucumbers and exoskeleton. Learners utilize their...
Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Life Cycle
Fish are no different when it comes to a living being's primary objective—to reproduce. They do differ, including from fish species to fish species, in their life cycles, survival tactics and reproductive strategies. After discussion of...
Curated OER
Periodical Cicada Survival
Students explore defense mechanisms involved in predatory/prey relationships.They engage in a discussion about predatory/prey interactions. They reflect on the life cycle and behavior of the cicada.
Curated OER
Comparing Mitosis with Meiosis
Life science learners view an online animated mini textbook comparing two types of cell division. Working in groups, they use a digital microscope to capture images of cells in different stages of mitosis and meiosis. Then they create an...
Curated OER
Little Oyster: Ceramic Lesson
Children will love researching and then creating a bottom dwelling mollusk of their own. They watch clips describing the ocean ecosystem and how oysters fit into their environment. Next, they research what oysters eat and how they look....
Education Outside
Nature's Treasure Map
Youngsters construct a map of treasures that they find along a nature trail as they hike. They also make sketches and create place names of some of the spots along the trail. Once back in class, pupils use their treasure maps to help...
Curated OER
Monarch Chrysalis
Students examine the last stage of the monarch butterfly. For this life cycles lesson, students read the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar and study photos of the monarch life cycle. Students illustrate the third stage of the monarch...
Curated OER
Science Vocabulary
Students examine Science in present day life. In this oral communication lesson, students discuss and rank scientific events from least to most important. Students discuss their responses and why they are different....
Curated OER
What Does it Take to be a Survivor? Part One
Students explore marine animal adaptation. In this introductory ocean life biology lesson, students access prior knowledge by participating in a whole class "thought swap." Students form two lines, respond to a prompt from the teacher...
Curated OER
How Are Polymers Utilized in Everyday Life?
Students investigate polymers and their uses in everyday life. For this polymers lesson, students are assigned one of the 10 areas of polymer science and they do research on their assigned area using the internet. Students gather their...
Curated OER
Life in a Drop of Pond Water
Students investigate living creatures that inhabit a pond and explore how various organisms satisfy their needs within their environments. In this life in a drop of pond water lesson, students examine microorganisms under...
Curated OER
TE Lesson: Habitat Mapping
Students examine the current technologies used in mapping resources in the marine environment. They look at remote sensing, sounding, and underwater vehicles. They examine image from the benthic habitat produced by the GIS in order to...
Curated OER
The Book of Life
Students discuss the factors that make a good children's book. After reading an article, they explore the prevalence of science in children's literature. In groups, they research a topic and translate it into easy language for a child...
Curated OER
Observing and Writing about Butterflies
Students observe and write about butterflies. In this life cycle lesson, students listen to the story The Life of a Butterfly by Robin Bernard and watch a YouTube video of a butterfly coming out of his chrysalis. They complete a...
Curated OER
River of Life
Middle schoolers explore the composition and function of blood through a variety of media and hands-on experiences. This lesson is a very good introduction to blood and the circulatory system.
Curated OER
Marine Life, Oceans, Lakes and Rivers
Students examine the types of organisms found in oceans. In groups, they read articles about the research done at certain sites. They work together to research their own water ecosystems and report the findings to the class. To end...
Curated OER
Testing for Life
Students test for organic molecules to determine if a solution contains once living molecules. In this characteristics of life lesson, students test common liquids for the presence of organic molecules, including starch, protein, and...
Curated OER
Egg to Butterfly
Students examine the life cycle of the butterfly through literature. In this butterfly life cycle instructional activity, students listen to a read aloud of Eric Carle's, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and discuss the life cycle shown in...
Curated OER
Frontier Life Story
Students undertake a similar (but not quite as drastic) adventure as that of Frontier House as they explore the day-to-day realities of frontier life through a Laura Ingalls Wilder story, and reflect on which time period suits them...
Curated OER
TE Lesson: How Clean is that Water?
Students examine the factors the affect water quality, and allow for animals and plants to live. They look at how engineers apply water quality information when making stream modifications in order to ensure drinking water quality. They...
Curated OER
Thinking About Life in Geological Time Scales
High schoolers create a large (classroom-sized) timeline showing the history of life on Earth for the last 5 billion years. They are able to identify the events that are relevant to their taxonomic projects (the Origins and important...
Curated OER
See how They Grow: Butterfly
Students view butterflies and participate in a butterfly activity to learn needed vocabulary. In this butterfly life cycle lesson, students access prior knowledge of butterflies. Students listen to a butterfly life cycle book....
Curated OER
Water Will, Water Way
Learners test tap water for hardness and mineral content. In this environmental science lesson, students identify the different stages of the water cycle. They classify plant and animals according to the rules of taxonomy.
Curated OER
OF SUNSETS, SOULS AND SENSES: Science, Scientific Methods, Natural and Supernatural
Students explore the realm and limits of science. Engages students to give examples of topics that can be studied by science, and those that cannot. This also takes a examine descriptive terms, which reflect the true nature of modern...