Two teams—the environmentalists and herons—play four rounds of the game, Oh Heron. Using hand symbols to represent food, shelter, and water, players locate their match to produce more herons while those unmatched decompose. 

Pupils explore oceanography by examining a beach. In this living things activity, students define the terms abiotic and biotic and practice identifying living and non-living things that have been previously found on a beach. Pupils...

Students explore biology by listening to an in-class lecture. In this plant science lesson, students sing songs with their classmates regarding anatomical parts of a plant and create plants from arts and crafts materials. Students listen...

Fifth graders examine excerpts from a diary of a Confederate soldier and his experiences in a Union prison camp. After receiving character cards, they write diary entries from the perspectives of their Civil War identity. As an...

Are you a koalafied biologist? The instructional activity begins with research about human survival and our ecosystem. Then, an online training module simulates the effects of changes to the plants and animals in an ecosystem. Finally,...

Young scientists study creeks around their area to see how clean the water really is. One way to tell is by the invertebrate populations that are present. This lesson introduces a game which learners simulate a variety of species found...

Students research the idea of basic needs, study philanthropists in their community, and think about ways to help others receive basic needs. In this needs and philanthropy lesson, students brainstorm about basic needs. Students use...

Musical chairs may be a classic game, but Ruffe Musical Chairs is a unique lesson on invasive species! Using the time-honored game, pupils role play the behaviors of the invasive fish called Eurasian ruffe. Learning about this aggressive...

Learners identify predator/prey relationships based on the food web of the tropical rain forest ecosystem and realize they need a food web for survival. In this food web lesson plan, students complete a role play activity being animals...

The ways that animals adapt to their environments is quite remarkable. For this life science lesson, fifth graders take a look at some of the ways that aquatic animals that live in Arctic or Antarctic waters survive. They perform an...

Students locate California and New York on a map and explore available means of travel in the 19th century. Students explore the role of trade in pioneer America and simulate various barter transactions.

Students play the game "What Insect Am I" to explore the parts of an insect and their habitats.

Students study how things are stored and how information is retrieved.  In this investigative instructional activity students play a game that helps them to see how things are sorted in a library. 

Students explore the concept of understanding the effects of disturbances in an environment.  For this life science lesson, students use the game Jenga to help capture the idea of environment disturbances.  Students discuss the...

Pupils describe various ways insects use their sense of smell, and examine why some insects use scent marking. They conduct a scent hunt, searching for a particular scent on the trees on school grounds.

Second graders brainstorm and create a list of important features/characteristics that they would want to include in a community setting. They include physical features, economic activities, kinds of housing, etc. This lesson plan is a...

Fourth graders physically form a circle that shows the interconnectedness of the components of a habitat. They form circles and role play the parts of habitats.

Ninth graders discuss the concept of imports and exports in trade. They participate in a simulation that explores the interchange and relationships between natural resources, scarcity, politics and tariffs.

Students examine how animals protect themselves from predators and camouflage themselves. They participate in a simulation in which they locate red and green yarn "caterpillars," organize their data, and generate a bar graph using...

Learners explain how the food chain works. They contrast predators with prey and describe their function in nature. Students discuss how the food chain aids in keeping nature balanced. In small groups, they play a game that simulates the...

Learners explore engineering by participating in a mechanical class activity. In this simple machines lesson, students identify many simple machines that allow them to perform tasks easily each day. Learners collaborate in small groups...