Curated OER
Learning About Animal Shelters for Earth Day
Students explore habitats. in this ecology and animal habitat lesson, students listen to the book A House is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman. Students discuss the basic needs of animals and go on a nature walk to observe animal...
Curated OER
Nature Notes
Students spend some time outdoors and record their observations of abiotic conditions, geologic surroundings and living organisms. They reflect and write about the experience of being observant in nature.
Curated OER
Spring Time Trees/Flowers
Plan ahead! Integrate science and language arts! Schedule your reading of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe to coincide with the arrival of spring. As pupils read Chapter 11 of the Lewis classic, they are assigned one of...
Science 4 Inquiry
Deforestation
Young scientists observe deforestation from satellite photos and discuss the importance of forests to the global environment. They then simulate a plot of forest when farmers move into the area over the course of seven years. Finally,...
National Park Service
Petrified Forest National Park
Poetry Soup, a reading and writing unit constructed by the Petrified Forest National Park, will have scholars hungry to learn about nature. The cross-content unit contains topics related to history, science, and language arts. Content...
Curated OER
Lesson 8-The Changing Environment: Good or Bad?
Second graders, after listening to "A River Ran Wild," explore all the ways the natural environment has changed and how it affects the community and the people who reside within it. They collect data by interviewing a community member,...
Curated OER
Tree I.D.
Students explore various tree species. In this tree species lesson, students collect leaves on nature walks and use Internet sources to identify the trees that the leaves belong to. Students graph their data as well.
Curated OER
Take A Walk On The Wildside
Students study big cats in a variety of lessons included in this unit.
Curated OER
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? Lesson Plan
Students use technology and listening skills to explore the sounds of their environment. For this environment observation lesson, students read Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? in order to identify the sounds in the story;...
Curated OER
Lesson: Litter Hunt
Students examine the issue of littering. In this waste management lesson, students discover what littering is and how it affects the environment.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: The Math of Removal
Students consider the plight of those who walked the Trial of Tears. In this Indian Removal lesson, students compare statistics regarding Indian survival rates.
Polar Trec
What Is My Footprint?
How do one's habits and lifestyle choices affect the environment? Through a short online survey, learners will calculate their own carbon footprints then determine how to reduce their impact on the environment through simple steps, such...
Curated OER
Weathering and Erosion
Fourth graders take a look at the effects of weathering and other geologic activities found in the environments in which they live. Along with a guided geologic walk outside of campus, there is also an effective in-class demonstration of...
California Academy of Science
Conservation Island
Why not walk in the footsteps of Teddy Roosevelt and become a conservationist? After discussing issues and reasons for animal extinction, the class creates their own conservation plans. Each small group is given mock data regarding a...
Curated OER
Plankton Parade
Plankton isn't just a tiny cartoon character, it's also a very important food source for animals around the world. Budding scientists discuss the types and functions of plankton, including where they are found, how they are caught, and...
Curated OER
Everyday Objects with Shapes
Students explore geometric shapes. In this geometry and language development lesson, students take a walk and look for shapes in the objects outdoors. Students match each of four individual paper shapes they are carrying with the...
Curated OER
Lesson Plans Using Objects Found In Nature
Students create works of art using "found objects" such as bark, leaves, sand, and shells.
Curated OER
What Lives in the Forest?
Students investigate nearby forests and record their interactions with trees as well as wild life. For this ecology lesson, students read the book, In the Woods: Who's Been Here?, and attend class observational field trips through their...
Curated OER
Urban Life: What Lives In Our Local Park?
Fifth graders participate in activities during a visit to Central Park. In this urban life activity, 5th graders visit Central Park where they explore pond dipping, stream chemistry, and play a native plant Bingo game.
Curated OER
Old Bear
Learners explore different aspects of nature through a bear. In this activity about Old Bear, students understand nature and how it all works together. Learners read the story and then participate in answering discussion questions about...
Curated OER
The Many Uses of Trees
Young scholars list all the ways humans use trees and tree by products. In this lesson students watch a video, discuss the impact trees have on humans, and research common products made from trees. The young scholars use their findings...
Curated OER
Shake It!
Students examine plants and insects. In this plant lesson, students explore their surroundings on a nature walk. Students collect samples of plants and determine the different insects present.
Curated OER
Look at Those Leaves!
Students observe leaves. For this math and science cross-curriculum leaf lesson, students take a nature walk and collect leaves. Attributes are assigned and leaves are sorted in various ways. Students use non-standard or standard units...
Curated OER
What Is An Insect?
Second graders participate in a nature walk to observe various types of insects. As a class, they discuss the proper ways to collect insects without harming them and review a poster of insect characteristics. They sing a song about the...