Curated OER
School Forest
Sixth graders explore the concept of biodiversity. In this biodiversity lesson, 6th graders discover a variety of planets and animals that live in forests, and how a rotting log benefits that environment. Students also locate seven...
Curated OER
Butterfly and Caterpillar
Learners listen to the story "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and create their own "Very Hungry Caterpillar" book to learn the life cycle of a butterfly.
Curated OER
The Three W's: Wind, Waves, and Wings
Students participate in hands-on acticities to understand how native plants and animals arrived on Hawaii from long distances without the assistance of man. They then identify what characterizes a plant or animal as native vs. non-native.
Curated OER
The Mechanisms of Decay and Decomposition
Eighth graders study how all living things die. They are introduced tot he life cycle and the concept of an ecosystem. Students have a introductory exposure to trophic levels (producer-consumer-decomposer) in the environment.
Curated OER
What Beautiful Caterpillars!
Second graders investigate the life cycle of the caterpillar. They create a caterpillar habitat and care for it. Students make daily observations that are recorded in a writing journal. During the process of observation the students...
Curated OER
Interdependence and Adaptation
Students construct a food web to identify producer, consumer, herbivore, carnivore and predator. They complete an online activity collecting plants and animals and arranging them in the web. They describe the interdependence between...
Curated OER
Butterflies
Students will explore the life cycle of the Painted Lady butterfly by raising their own. They will incorporate math, science, and language arts as they graph, pattern, journal, observe, and artistically create.
Curated OER
Succession in the Classroom
Middle schoolers investigate their environment by growing plants in class. In this botany lesson, students discuss the lifespan of plants and animals and how they must be cared for continuously over time. Middle schoolers grow a plant...
Curated OER
Habitats
Students participate in an online lesson to determine that different plants and animals are found in different habitats. They use food chains to show feeding relationships in a habitat, and see that nearly all food chains start with a...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Seasons of a Plant
The third in a series of six lessons is an engaging three-part activity defines that discusses phenology, focusing on the cyclic seasons of plants. Pupils then observe phenology outside before determining how climate change can...
Desert Museum
Daisy Ecology
Here's a fine lesson that combines poetry with life sciences. Learners carefully listen to a poem that's all about a food chain. As the poem is read, learners name the producer, the herbivore, the carnivore, and the omnivore. Lots of...
Curated OER
More Lizard Snacks
Students listen to Chapter I, Chapter II, Chapter III, and Chapter IV of "The Forgetful Pony". They observe different stages of development of mealworms. The student sequences pictures to show the life cycle and draws the developmental...
California State Parks
Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem
One of the key concepts in life science and biology is the cycling of energy throughout an ecosystem. Learners can take notes on the topic using the vocabulary included within the presentation. From producers making their own food...
Curated OER
Getting a Handle on Your Bee
Students observe dried bees, carefully glue them to toothpicks, and use them for cross pollinating their Brassica plants. They also describe reasons why two similar investigations can produce different results. Finally, students...
Curated OER
Food Web Chasey
Students work together to review the concepts of food webs and food chains. They describe the role of plants and animals when dealing with the cycling of energy. They identify any behavioural strategies to help the animals survive.
Curated OER
Plant Parts
Students use "Kid Pix" to explore plants. In this science and technology lesson plan, students become familiar with plant parts and label them on a plant. Students tell the functions of each of the plant parts.
Curated OER
Water Quality and Temperature
Students are led through three activities to explore the effect of temperature fluctuations on the growth and survival of aquatic plants, clams, and shrimp eggs.
Curated OER
Flora, Fauna, and the Passing Seasons
Students discover representations in art, religion and cultural practices of the flora and fauna of specific geographical regions in this early elementary lesson plan. The instructional activity ends with a mural project by the entire...
Curated OER
Changing State
Learners identify the changing states of water, water vapor and ice in the water cycle They investigate how each of these stages can be reversible. Students complete a worksheet describing the water cycle.
Curated OER
Teeth and Eating
Students explore animal diets and teeth. In this animal science lesson, students view photos of animals and their teeth. Students identify the type of diet the animal has based on the teeth. Students are introduced to the terms...
Curated OER
Earth: Our Big Blue Marble
Students investigate Earth and its resources. In this Earth, space, and nature lesson plan, students collaborate to design presentations on the Earth, its cycles, and how humans have impacted the planet. Images, diagrams, and background...
Science Matters
Lotusland
It's time for a field trip! Scholars take their new-found knowledge of adaptations and seed dispersal on a field trip to a local botanical garden. They gain an up-close look at how ecological interdependence works in a distinct...
Curated OER
Life on a Farm
Students take a field trip to a farm or observe pictures of farms and animals in the classroom. They paint a mural of a farm setting with animals. They practice phonetic skills with farm stories and songs. They explain how milk becomes...
Curated OER
Helping plants grow well
Students explore the effect of water, temperature and light on plant growth. Students are asked if they remember the LAW for plants. This is Light, Air(temperature) and Water, which all plants need for growth. Students are divided...