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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carbon Cycle Capers

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the carbon dioxide cycle in the atmosphere. In this element activity, students discuss the relationship between carbon dioxide on Earth and the plants that store it. Students play a game to ensure their understanding. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learn about the events that helped shape the United States of America. Elementary schoolers explore the Civil War with six different activities. Each activity has a different focus: literature connections, primary sources, vocabulary,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Predicting the Future

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine how scientists predict the effects of global climate change. In this environmental science lesson, students participate in a discussion about using computer generated data to create climate predictions. Students examine...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Goldilocks and the Real Bears

For Teachers K - 1st
Students participate in a comparison lesson where they compare fictional bears to real life bears. For this science/language arts lesson, students read Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Students observe characteristics...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Mime-it

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students pantomime new climate vocabulary words.  In this climate lesson, students go over new vocabulary words and their meanings.  Students form groups and pantomime these word's definitions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Eats Who?

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students recognize that some animals eat plants, some eat meat and some both.  In this who eats who lesson, students chart animals in a food chain.  Students research information from reading articles.  Students chart what...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Old Growth Forest Mural

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the four characteristics of an old growth forest. In this forest lesson, students research old growth forests and their inhabitants. Students work in four separate groups and create a mural for their characteristic of an...
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Lesson Plan
US Department of Education

Early Childhood: Five Themes of Geography

For Teachers Pre-K
Any preschool teacher would be thrilled to have a resource like this one. It includes activity ideas, discussion leads, book suggestions, and a glossary for learners ages 2 - 5. The entire booklet focuses on ways to teach young children...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock On!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
After five class sessions, young scientists will be able to identify common rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. This plan involves hands-on activities, includes various handouts and worksheets, and requires there to be...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carving Mountains

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explore geography by participating in an illustration activity. In this land-form lesson, students define vocabulary terms associated with glaciers and forests. Students utilize pens, cardboard and pottery clay to draw and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Track Stories

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students identify animal tracks. In this animal track lesson, students look at "track stories" and identify the animals that made the tracks. Students discuss if they believe the animals are predators or prey. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changes at Log City

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Young scholars draw three different murals of a rotting log. In this science lesson, students draw a rotting log including organisms found, one with the decomposers left behind, and the third predictions as to what they log will...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Which Bear?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students study bears. In this science lesson, students compare black, grizzly and polar bears. Students measure the bear tracks and compare the bear habitats and diet.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Models of Succession

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create a model city in order to understand the effects human habitats have on the environment.  In this environment lesson, students examine the effects human habitats have on the environment.  Students create a model...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Snug in the Snow

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore how snow helps animals survive in the wild. In this animal science lesson, students review key vocabulary words and discuss types of animal adaptations. Students construct shoebox to simulate the snowy environment where...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Poetry

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore nature by participating in a poetry writing activity. In this forest investigation lesson, students identify images and feelings they experienced while they were in a forest on a class trip. Students identify poetry...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitat Hunt

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students discover how hard it is for animals to find all the items needed in their habitat. In this habitat instructional activity, students play a game in which they pretend to be an animal, they discover that not all animals can find...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life in a Log

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students identify insects living in rotting logs. In this decomposition instructional activity, students observe pieces of a rotting log, they look at the insects that have inhabited the log and create a chart that shows their findings.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaking it Down

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discover how water expands when frozen during a glacier. In this matter lesson, students fill a glass jar with water, leaving no room for air in the jar and place it in the freezer.  Students retrieve the jar and notice the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's That Habitat?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the environment by researching animal characteristics. For this habitat identification lesson, 4th graders utilize paper and crayons to illustrate their own habitats or homes and discuss what it contains that is...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Beaver Succession Mural

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners explore the concept of beaver pond succession. In this succession lesson, students discuss what succession is and how it works. Learners create a mural to present their understanding of this concept.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balance of Nature Pyramid

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study the concept of food chains and create a physical forest food chain pyramid. For this balance of nature pyramid lesson, students identify the ingredients needed on each level of the pyramid then make connections...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trees: The Inside Story

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore trees. In this math lesson, students identify the basic parts of trees. Students create a model of a tree and label the parts.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eco-enrichers

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discover the importance of plant and animal components within soil. In this soil lesson, students test the quality of soil. Students then conduct an experiment adding different components to bags of soil to see what will...