Curated OER
Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders identify the sun as a source of heat and light. They identify features of houses that help keep use sheltered and comfortable throughout daily and seasonal cycles. Students are told that summer is the best season to...
Curated OER
Seeds, Miraculous Seed
Students investigate relationships between plants and animals and how living things change during their lives. In this life cycle lesson, students split different types of seeds apart to see the beginning life stages of future plants.
Curated OER
Plant Life Cycle
Fourth graders explore the plant life cycle. They discuss the sequence of events in the life cycle of the plant and illustrate how the life cycle never ends. Students explore the importance of water, sunlight, and nutrients during the...
National Park Service
Living & Non-Living Interactions
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in learning about the...
University of California
Plankton
Plankton: so much more than just a SpongeBob character. Three different activities have kids looking at both phytoplankton and zooplankton in pictures, as well as collecting their own samples (depending on your access to a saltwater...
Curated OER
Plant Changes
In this plant changes worksheet, students choose a tree or plant to watch throughout the year. Students then draw the plant during the changing seasons.
Nature New Brunswick
Habitat for Endangered Wildlife and You
Compare and contrast your habitat with that of endangered plants and animals! Learners discuss what a habitat is actually comprised of, describing what theirs looks like. They fill out a graphic organizer explaining what they eat, how...
Curated OER
Adopt a Tree
Students adopt tress on their school campus for scientific observation purposes. In this tree science lesson, students adopt a tree at their school, observe the season changes for the tree, and create a PowerPoint presentation about the...
Curated OER
Sensational Seasonal Students
First graders analyze the seasons and cycles of the Earth. In groups, they create a seasons book on the computer using their own photographs and graphics. Using the photographs, they note the differences in clothing and activities. They...
Curated OER
Awesome Adaptations!
Second graders explore biology by researching animal characteristics. For this adaptation lesson, 2nd graders identify the history of several animals and research the changes that have occurred to their anatomy over thousands of years....
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore the physical properties of water. In this water lesson, students explore water as it changes states. They observe, measure and use communication skills to describe change.
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
The Seasons
Second graders determine the ways in which deciduous trees lose their leaves by investigating fallen leaves and how the weather changes throughout the seasons. They obtain knowledge about why and what causes the weather to change...
Curated OER
Weather Patterns
Second graders discuss how their weather changes by examining temperatures, clothing needs, and plant life. They talk about the identifying factors of the seasons and complete a Venn Diagram about weather in a guided lesson. Next, they...
Curated OER
Flowering Phenology: How Do Plants Know When to Flower?
Students study the process of plant reproduction and the biotic and abiotic factors that affect flowering phenology. In this plant reproduction lesson, students describe the interaction of environmental factors as it relates to...
Curated OER
Planting Seeds Around the World
First graders discuss the book The Lorax and research what living things need. In this environmental instructional activity, 1st graders investigate how humans affect the growth of plants. Students conduct an experiment with sunflowers.
Curated OER
Fall Lesson Plans
Students participate in various fall activities. In this fall lesson, students take a trip to a farmers market and purchase the ingredients needed for vegetable soup. Students paint fall scenes and create a fall story. Students discuss...
Curated OER
Falling Into Leaves
Students investigate why leaves change color. In this chlorophyll lesson, students examine how chlorophyll effects the color changes in leaves. Students take pictures of changing leaves, and create a class quilt showing the changes of...
Curated OER
Birds on the Move
Students observe the migrational path of the Swainson's Hawk from northern Minnesota to the southern portion of South America. They study the migratory path of the hawk and observe how the vegetation in a particular region of the earth...
Curated OER
Dynamic Wetlands
Students construct and observe a model of two different types of wetlands. In this wetlands lesson, students create a model of a wetland with constant drainage and a wetland that maintains a well-saturated soil. Students observe and...
Curated OER
Science: A Tree for All Seasons
Students observe trees in their schoolyard and record the seasonal changes by drawing pictures. In this ongoing lesson plan, they discover the names of the seasons and place green paper leaves on a paper tree in the classroom, which are...
Curated OER
What's in Our Woods?
Students observe their local forest and document the change that occurs over the school year. For this forestry lesson, students utilize a GPS to mark a certain area of the woods as their study area for the remainder of the year....
Curated OER
Changing Weather: Comparing Climate from Voyageur Times to Today
Fifth graders compare climates. In this weather lesson, 5th graders observe and record weather observations and discuss the impact of weather on people. Students also discuss the concept of global warming and determine how weather...
Curated OER
Color Your World with Changes --- the Camouflage Game
Seventh graders, after predicting dominant colors foud in their habitat or garden, visit heir area on a monthly basis. They search for colored toothpicks, then graph the results, determining the dominant color for the month.