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Habitat Lap Sit
Fourth graders physically form a circle that shows the interconnectedness of the components of a habitat. They form circles and role play the parts of habitats.
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Design a Pollinator
High schoolers make a scientific drawing of a pollinator with at least five traits that make them well adapted to a given plant(s). They describe in their science notebook the adaptations that make their pollinator well suited to a given...
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Brine Shrimp Life Cycle
Second graders investigate the life cycle of the brine shrimp. They use a variety of resources to find the details of each step. Students compare the life cycles of different organisms. They create diagrams of the different stages while...
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Looking at the Community Tree
Third graders review the characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. As a class, they observe a tree and describe the interactions between the living and nonliving organisms surrounding it. To end the lesson, they ask a question...
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Rainforest Deforestation and the Water Cycle
Students create terrariums (mini rainforests). They observe and discuss the life processes that occur in their terrariums and how changes in these processes affect the plants and organisms inside. They collect and graph data and present...
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Our Environment
Young scholars engage in a literature study that helps students to connect with some of the issues of conservation. They list parts of the environment that need protection with the help of a graphic organizer. Then young scholars discuss...
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Moving and Growing
Young scholars work with a partner to brainstorm a list of as many human body parts as possible. Using that list, they circle any one of those that are bones. They are shown a model of the human skeleton and practice locating various...
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Gases Around Us
Students participate in a whole class discussion about solids, liquids, and gases. Students get involved in a teacher-directed experiment related to solids, liquids, and gases. Students complete worksheet, writing the names of the parts...
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Making a Food Web and Learning About Ecosystems
Third graders examine the difference between a food web and food chain. They also examine the importance of the sun in a food web and food chain. Students understand what happens when you remove parts of the chain.
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Furbearers of Illinois
Students study fur bearing animals of Illinois. They research a specific furbearer (it's habitat, diet, current hunting regulations regarding the animal, conservation organizations that help the animal, etc.) and give a presentation on...
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Analyze the Results
Students conduct water tests and sample macroinvertebrates from a nearby source to make a general determination about the overall quality of water. They use worksheets and analyze data as part of a larger unit.
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Animals, Piece by Piece
Students receive teacher prepared puzzles of animals. They try to name the animal by looking at only one piece. Students work in groups to assemble the puzzle pieces and name the animal. They draw their own pictures of the animals in...
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Toying Around with a System
Second graders look at the system that could be present in common toys. They manipulate and identify parts that have to work together in order to form a system. When working or not students should comprehend how things go together.
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Introduction to Ecology
Eighth graders identify the living and nonliving components of an ecosystem. In this ecology instructional activity, 8th graders explain the role each organism plays. They participate in class discussion and answer a quiz at the end...
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Earth Epochs
Pupils explore earth epochs, i.e, Permian, Precambrian, Cambrian, Ordivician and through pictures they see what life on Earth and animals looked like. They organize Earth Epochs according to years going from greatest to least...
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Relationships and Biodiversity
Students examine diversity on the planet and the differences within a species. In this investigative lesson students complete a lab that allows students to better understand the relatedness between plants.
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Detecting Systems
Fourth graders participate in a instructional activity that attempts to explain how a system works. They examine the parts and how they fit together. The question of what happens to a system if a pert is missing is asked.
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Tackling Taxonomy
Students study physical characteristics of separate phyla and place them into similar groups. This lesson is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. students develop a classification system by grouping animals into...
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Do You See What I See?
Students hypothesize the role of rocks, soil, and water by observing a terrarium and create a model to explore the water cycle. This is part of a five station set up.
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Sunlight Necklaces
Third graders review the placement and role of the sun in the solar system. Using beads, they create a necklace which they can use to identify the amount of sunlight is being illuminated. In groups, they record observations on the...
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Energy Works!
In this energy worksheet, students review the different types of energy and determine what form of work that energy provides. Then students give examples of how energy is related to work. This worksheet has 1 graphic organizer and 3...
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Water Quality And pH
Students determine the pH level of water and its effect on aquatic plants and brine shrimp eggs. This is a three part lesson that leads the student through the development of an understanding of water pH. They form a hypothesis and are...
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Spinning the Eco Web
Students examine the components and relationships of ecoregions and ecosystem management. They define ecoregion and ecosystem, list ecoregions, and participate in a simulation that demonstrates the connections between parts of the...
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Plant Collection II
Learners mount their first pressed plant specimens and cover some basic plant morphology. They complete a homework assignment to practice their plant collecting and observational skills at home.