Curated OER
Making a Rainstick
Students construct a rainstick. In this music lesson, students investigate the history of the rainstick by reading the book Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema. Students express their feelings about the rain and create...
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Plant Growth
First graders investigate how seeds are moved and how plants grow. In this plant growth lesson, 1st graders listen to stories, play a game, and view a PowerPoint about plant growth. Students examine various seeds and recognize how they...
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Aquatic Ecosystem Exploration
Students visit a local stream, pond, creek, or river and collect macroinvertebrates. They sort macroinvertebrates and identify each species using a dichotomous key. Students decide on trophic levels and construct a possible food web for...
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A Comparison of Cloud Coverage Over Africa
Students use a NASA satellite data to contrast amounts of cloud coverage over different climate regions in Africa. They explore how Earth's major air circulations affect global weather patterns, and relate to local weather patterns.
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Mystery Eggs
Students investigate the properties of plastic eggs filled with solids, liquids, and gases and use these observations to hypothesize whether a chicken egg is hard-boiled or raw.
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Sky and Cloud Windows
Learners monitor the weather, clouds, and sky. For this weather lesson, students create a sky and cloud window to focus their sky observations. They write observations in a notebook and include the date, time, cloud cover, types of...
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From Eggs to Frogs
Third graders receive a small container of tapioca pudding, they are to pretend that it is frog eggs. The students pretend they are birds who see the eggs, and eat some of them. They discuss what would happen if these were really frog...
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Environment, Technology, and Culture of the Chumash People
Students develop an understanding of the interrelatedness of technology, culture, and environment as illustrated by the Chumash culture. They research the tribe and complete a table for the Chumash people describing their environment,...
NOAA
Currents
Learn how ocean currents are vital to humans and marine life. The eighth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program, focuses on ocean currents and how they affect global climate. The...
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Life in a Forest Stream
Students assess macro-invertebrates from a stream. In this science lesson plan, students observe, classify and identify organisms found in a stream. A lab station is constructed at the stream sight and students study the different...
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Obesity
Students examine how hormones affect different tissues. In groups, they make their own hormone-receptor model and identify the characteristics of tissues that respond to the different hormones. To end the lesson, they examine the role...
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Sink or Float
Using a variety of objects, learners conduct buoyancy experiments. They make predictions on which object will sink or float and test their predictions. They use a graphic organizer to record their findings.
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Make it a habitat
Students consider the adaptation of life forms through natural selection to fill various niches and accommodate changing environmental conditions. They select an ecosystem and conduct research to provide as much detailed information as...
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Spaceship Earth
Students develop an understanding of our planet as a system by designing a very-long-duration space mission in which the life-support system is patterned after that of earth.
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Sky Observations Sky & Cloud Windows
Young scholars observe the sky and weather to gather data. They conduct experiments to answer questions about the sky and weather phenomena. They measure, analyze and present data. They create sky windows by gluing sky colored paint...
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Locate Key Information in Nonfiction Text
Interpret nonfiction text with your class. Readers use key information found in nonfiction text to answer questions and problem solve. They utilize the chapter headings, diagrams, glossary, maps, and captions as well as the table of...
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Collaborative Tall Tale Lesson Plan
Using Keynote, pupils will collaborate with their peers to create a tall tale. Each person in the group will participate by creating slides, adding text, and recording their voice. Tip: Have each group present their tall tales to the...
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Precipitation in Michigan Cities
Third graders investigate the rainfall amounts in four Michigan cities to observe how cities near lakes are affected differently by precipitation than those that are inland. They record the rainfall for the cities over an eight day...
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Home-Made Clouds
Fourth graders witness cloud formation in a jar during a teacher lead simulation. They research, draw and predict weather using information they gather about clouds.
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Air Pollution
Students seek solutions to environmental problems. They discover how to conserve and protect natural resources. They examine the role of acid rain on plants and discover how to filter pollutants.
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Heating the Earth
Middle schoolers explore how the angle of sunlight affects the Earth's temperature and seasons and then apply this understanding to their local situation.
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South Dakota Quarter Reverse: Four Famous Faces
Students recognize the faces of the four presidents on the South Dakota quarter reverse. After discussing the duties and responsibilities of presidents, they list the contributions of the four presidents. They decide which presidents are...
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Cloud in a bag
Students relate the states of matter and clouds. In this environment lesson, students create a chart of information they know about clouds. Students put an ice cube in a bag and tape to a window. Students watch for condensation....
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Landfills: A Solid Waste Management Plan
Middle schoolers are able to list the types of household waste that they produce daily. They are able to describe some other types of waste that are produced by industry or agriculture to help maintain their lifestyles. Students are...