Michigan State University
Friend or Foe?
What one person thinks is a pest may not be a pest to someone else. Here, scholars examine the characteristics of living things and pests through grand conversation and a variety of activities. Class members play a game of pest or not a...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Can Small Pollutants Harm Aquatic Organisms?
Nanoparticles have toxic effects on plant and animal life—even though you can't see them. The second lesson of a two-part series has young scientists conduct an experiment that exposes plant and animals to nanoparticle pollutants. They...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Aquifer in a Cup
Young scientists create their very own aquifers in this science lesson on ground water. After learning about how some people get their drinking water from underground wells, young learners use sand, modeling clay, and aquarium rocks to...
Education Outside
Papermaking
Imagine recycling food scraps and using them to make paper. The directions are all here in a seven-page packet that details several paper-making strategies.
Curated OER
READY, SET, PLANT
Students identify the basic steps a gardener takes in planting seeds. Students identify the many uses of tomatoes. Students examine the seeds and try to identify them. Students place their plants in a sunny window and water them when...
Curated OER
The History of Rice
Fourth graders investigate the history of rice by drawing a timeline of important dates. In this food history lesson, 4th graders research the history of rice, where it came from, and who first used it for food. Students create a...
Curated OER
Secrets of the Ocean Realm - Survival in the Sea
Students determine the sequential links in a marine food chain and identify the roles that various organisms play in this chain. Students develop charts as visual aids for illustrating marine food chains.
Curated OER
Just What are you Eating?
Students identify and articulate pros and cons of genetically modified foods (GMF) including references to scale of controversy worldwide. Students then identify where they might find GMFs in their diets, read different opinion pieces on...
Curated OER
Corn: An A-maizing Plant
Students explore the corn crop. In this farming instructional activity, students identify which states are in the corn belt and read about the history of corn, its uses and its development and growth. Students dissect a corn kernel....
Curated OER
Manufacture of Ground Beef
Learners study the proper temperature and technique to cook ground meat safely. They examine the critical control points when ground beef is being processed.
Curated OER
Foods for Better Health
Students define biotechnology and discuss the economic impact of biotechnology. They also describe what a 1015 onion and a slow-softening tomato are and how they are produced. They examine the safety of genetically-engineered or altered...
Curated OER
Help Wanted!
In this plant part worksheet, students read the classified advertisements and match each of the plant parts to the job descriptions provided.
Curated OER
Soybeans: The Miracle Seed
Students discover why soybeans are called the "miracle seeds." They make their own soynuts and share other foods made from soybeans. They create a bulletin board of soybean products.
Curated OER
What's Organic?
Students discuss background information presented by the teacher and read dictionary definitions for the words "organic" and "synthetic." In this gardengin lesson, students complete a worksheet on the material. Students grow and compare...
Curated OER
Biotechnology
A continuous cascade of information comes through this PowerPoint on biotechnology. The topic is defined, a history is presented, and basic genetic engineering techniques are explained. The topic is covered in an objective manner,...
Curated OER
Farming in Space
Eighth graders examine the ways that NASA could create space farms, In this space farms lesson students complete an experiment where they grow several plants.
Curated OER
Agriculture Scavenger Hunt
In this science worksheet, students find the words that are related to the finding of terms and information about agriculture for ten questions. The answers are on page 3.
Curated OER
4-H Horticulture and Gardening- Intermediate Learner's Page
In this 4-H horticulture and gardening worksheet, students study how some of the food they eat is the stems, roots, leaves, seeds, and flowers of plants by completing a fill-in-the-blank activity and a word search page. They examine the...
Curated OER
What Would Halloween be Like Without the Ecuadorian Rainforest?
Fourth graders are given a number of typical Halloween treats and work in groups to determine which foods came from the Rainforest (chocolate) and which foods came from temperate regions (apples, popcorn) and treats that don't have...
Curated OER
Pumpkins . . . Not Just Part of Halloween
Students study the pumpkin. In this pumpkin lesson, students participate in different activities that explain the history of pumpkins and how pumpkins develop and grow, read "The Great Pumpkin Story" and answer comprehensive questions...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis: How do plants make food?
Students study why plants are green and how water is transported in them. They examine how plants respond to different amounts of light.
Curated OER
Plant Detectives
Exploration of the school grounds and thought images are used to demonstrate the many uses of plants.
Curated OER
Photosynthesis: Intake of Carbon Dioxide - Production of Oxygen
Students, after a long-term observation of photosynthesis with aquatic plants, assess the benefits of photosynthesis towards all living organisms. They explain in their own words the two cycles within photosynthesis. Guided discussion...
Curated OER
The Home Front - "Food Will Win The War"
Students define and identify propaganda. They analyze the multiple sides of an issue (problem resolution skills), then discuss the racial environment of Alabama during World War I. They reate a poster reflecting the concerns of the time...