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Defining Drought
Students examine the hydrologic impacts of drought. They look at drought from a variety of prespectives. Students first focus on the scientific definition of drought, including weather patterns, water cycles, water requirements by plants...
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De-composers - Terrarium
Students explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. In this rainforest analysis lesson, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's rainforests....
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Endangered Species 1: Why Are Species Endangered?
Students are oriented to the plight of endangered species and to help them explain and gain perspective on human issues that continue to endanger species and threaten our global environment.
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Nature's Recyclers
Students create environments to demonstrate how earthworms interact with their surroundings.
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Natural Figures
First graders look for geometrical shapes in nature to help them appreciate the diversity of the natural environment.
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How a Seed Grows: And Who Grows It
Second graders explore botany by viewing video clips in class. In this seed growth lesson, 2nd graders identify the types of seeds that grow specific plants and what the optimal conditions are for growing seeds. Students view a video...
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Next Year's Seeds
Fifth graders explore genetic traits. In this genetic traits lesson, 5th graders discover how traits are passed from parent to offspring while examining plants. Students problem solve real world applications.
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Populations and Ecosystems
Sixth graders examine the factors that influence the stability of ecosystems. They construct a miniature ecosystem in a jar that includes plants, small fish, and snails, record the population changes over a period of four weeks, and...
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Wetland Adaptation
Fourth graders study the impact of the wetland environment on the migration of birds. They make a list of the important reasons on a large piece of paper to be posted in the classroom and point out the biggest wetland in the state (The...
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Supermarkets, Sustenance and Sustainability
Students investigate jungles and the people who depend upon them. In this sustainability lesson, students research wild life conservation and discover the importance of a jungle to Amazonian people. Students create a group...
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Earthworms and Making a Wormery
Young scholars explore the environment by researching insects. In this earthworm instructional activity, students utilize soil and plexiglass to build a see through wormery in which young scholars can observe the worms at work. Students...
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Amazon Rainforest: You Won't Find George in This Jungle
Students identify locations of rainforests, compare/contrast layers of the rainforest, construct and interpret maps and graphs, recognize relationships between man and the environment, and write about an imaginary walk in the rainforest.
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Investigating Crickets and Their Body Parts
Second graders investigate the body of a cricket. In this biology lesson students use tools to gain information about the insect the cricket. Students observe and identify features and describe how these features help the cricket live in...
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Sea Connections: Marine Ecosystems
Students identify producers and consumers from marine ecosystems and describe the balance among them in the environments. After constructing a food chain from a marine ecosystem, they examine human activities that can upset the balance...
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River Reflections
Sixth graders create podcasts and video public service announcements. In this environmental advocacy instructional activity, 6th graders study the local watershed and become advocates for their local environment. In the process, they...
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Lake Ice Out Lessons
Students explore the greenhouse effect. In this environment lesson, students describe how "ice out" affects animals and plants who live in a Maine lake. Students graph "ice out" data and make predictions about the upcoming...
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Threatened Species and Public Policy
Students discuss the Endangered Species Act and its impact on people and the environment. They read the act and watch video footage. They examine why sea turtles are endangered and efforts to protect them. They analyze numerical results...
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Circle of Life
Pupils consider why we eat and where our food obtains its energy. They illustrate food chains that might be found on an open field, dissect owl pellets, identify the remains of animals in the pellets, watch videos and participate in...
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Non-Point Source Pollution
Students study non-point source pollution. They research the concept of bio-degradation and/or Nutrients/Fertilizers and discuss how non-point source pollution impacts the environment. Afterwards, they participate in an interactive...
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Are You Thirsty? The Effects of Pollution on Drinking Water
Discuss the availability of clean, plentiful water and the causes of water pollution. In groups, sixth graders discuss problem-solving methods for keeping water clean. They explore the function of water treatment plants and perform...
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Who's Who?
Students explore biology by identifying animals and their environments. In this animal characteristic lesson, students read assigned text about farm animals, how they are raised, and what they are used for in our society. Students view a...
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Salt Marsh in a Pan
Students create a model of a salt marsh to discover the impact of pollution and human activities on water-based habitats including bays and the ocean. They recognize the relationship between natural and developed areas. Students impact...
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Eco Points Score Card
Students play a game in which points are assigned to daily activities which require fossil fuels or electricity. They compare the impact their energy and transportation choices have in everyday life.
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Diversity of Life
Students study fungi and its characteristics. In this fungi lesson students collect and observe fungi then answer questions on what they saw.