Curated OER
How Does Your Ecosystem Grow?
Students consider that under certain conditions in nature tend to remain the same or move toward a balance. They observe populations and determine the functions (e.g., de-composers, producers, consumers) they serve in an ecosystem. They...
Curated OER
Be Kind to Mother Nature!
A clever worksheet on identifying things that harm the environment is here for you. Elementary schoolers read a short paragraph describing the harm that can come to the environment due to human activities. Then, they must circle five...
Curated OER
Defining Drought
Students examine the hydrologic impacts of drought. Humans can change the course of the water cycle, to some extent, to meet their needs, but can they do so without imposing risks on the plants and animals?
Education Outside
Seed Saving
After a discussion of the factors that affect seed germination, class groups harvest and preserve seeds from the school garden.
National Christmas Tree Association
Merry Christmas, Geraldine
If you're reading the story "Merry Christmas, Geraldine" by Holly Keller, this is a fantastic cross-curricular resource to use. Complete with activities for language arts, science, social studies, art, and math, you'll get the most out...
Curated OER
Land Assessment
Students work in small groups on a problem based learning activity. Students are presented with a problem of buying land to use for educational purposes only and must determine if it is feasible to buy it based on soil analysis and plant...
Curated OER
Plant Biology
Young biologists discuss the reasons behind the current use of the plant identification system. They get into groups and identify the characteristics of each species of plant which is described. The keys needed for groups to make...
Learning Games Lab
Nitrogen in Fertilizer
Nitrogen is an essential element for productive farming. An interactive lesson explores the chemical makeup of different fertilizers and their corresponding nitrogen content. The interactive challenges individuals to complete molecular...
Curated OER
The right place to live
How do various plants survive in different environments? They adapt! Kids determine which plant traits make them perfect for their specific environment. They consider three plants and can even complete a plant experiment. Note: Intended...
Curated OER
Living Things Experience Diverse Life Cycles
Second graders will study and explain the meaning of growth, development, and life cycle. They describe how plants grow and develop and observe an animal to show how it grows, changes, and reproduces throughout its life.
Curated OER
The Abiotic Limits to Purple Loosestrife Growth
Learners investigate the effects of soil temperature, water availability, photo period and other variables of the growth of purple loosestrife. They observe the growing conditions of plants and alter them by adding water, isolating the...
Curated OER
What's Wetland Allelopathy?
Students study plants and what they need to thrive and survive. They make plant extracts from chosen wetland plants and test their allelopathic effects on the germination rate, radicle growth, and hypocotyl growth of test seeds of other...
Curated OER
Ready for Roots
Fourth graders sort seeds and predict what conditions are needed for them to germinate. They keep the seeds moist, observe and measure their growth and graph the results. As the seeds start to grow students compare and contrast the each...
Curated OER
Beetle Rearing
Students investigate plants and the effects beetles have on the plants. In small groups, they collect plants and observe the beetles as they interact with the plants. They record the conditions including temperature, cloudiness, length...
Curated OER
Plant Growth
Examine the growth regions and tissues in plants. The structures and specialized areas of roots, stems, and shoots are defined and supported with diagrams and pictures. Your class will also learn the details of specific growth hormones.
Curated OER
Fire Fighting
Students consider the effects of a wildfire on prairie life. They explore the ways that plants regenerate after a fire and create fictional plants that have adapted specifically to the prairie environment. They share models of their plants.
Curated OER
We All Live Together
First graders examine the lifestyle of classroom and family pets in their natural habitat. They determine the needs of plants and animals, and how those needs are met. They listen to read alouds, sing songs, and draw using computer based...
Curated OER
Asexual Reproduction
Presented clearly and accurately, this PowerPoint introduces biology learners to asexual reproduction in plants. It begins by comparing asexual to sexual reproduction by definition and by the pros and cons of each. The remaining slides...
University of Wisconsin
Planting a School Rain Garden
Finally, the day has arrived for introducing plants into the rain garden. If you have been following the entire unit, this will serve as a helpful guide for planting day. If you have not been using the previous lessons in this unit with...
Curated OER
Habitats
Students identify butterfly habitats. In this butterfly habitats lesson plan, students read and discuss Where Butterflies Grow. Students study pictures and guess which are butterfly habitats. Students list the life needs of butterflies...
Curated OER
Analyzing Soil Samples
Students grow grass or radish seeds in this experiment, which takes three to four weeks to complete. They become familiar with basic soil analysis techniques, as well as, explore the importance of analyzing soil samples.
Curated OER
Aliens Among Us
Students identify plants growing in the school yard and choose one for further investigation. They investigate the plant's biotic potential and environmental resistance. They predict what would happen should they introduce an exotic...
Curated OER
What is a Seed?
Students share experiences they have had with different types of seeds. After being read a story, they are given a lima bean in which they split apart and examine the inside. To end the lesson, they share their own ideas on how they...
Curated OER
A Pressing Project
Students create a collection of pressed plants. In this plant lesson, students use newspaper, plywood, and a rubberband to press plants they previously collected.