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Lesson Plans

Here you will find innovative, peer-reviewed lesson plans for use in your Outdoor Classroom.

These lesson plans have been submitted by teachers who are interested in sharing their experiences and wisdom with others teaching in green school grounds.

Feel free to use these resources to enhance learning opportunities on the school ground. However, use of material from this site other than in an educational setting is a violation of Evergreen’s copyright and other proprietary rights.

We welcome feedback and want to make lesson plans as useful as possible for all teachers. Comments can be submitted on a particular lesson plan by searching for a lesson plan and clicking on the comment icon. Comments and extensions will be peer reviewed in the same manner as lesson plans and, at the discretion of Evergreen staff, may then be posted on Teachers’ Corner. Please note, we reserve the right to edit and approve lesson plan contributions and to select those considered most appropriate.

Lesson plans are organized by grade. Please select a link below to find lesson plans suitable for your class. Print them in a PDF format.

Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12



Kindergarden

The Mystery Garden and Construct a Plant
Grade level: K - Grade 2.
Provincial curriculum links: Quebec.
Subject: Science
Keywords: germination, plant identification, gardening with the senses, food gardens
Description: Students plant unidentified seeds in small pots and then observe their growth for one week. Students will need to use all their senses to identify the young plants. Associated activity: Construct a Plant helps children understand plant parts while reconnecting the students to the foods they eat.
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Places in our School Yard - An "I Spy" Book
Grade level: K - Grade 1.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language and The Arts.
Keywords: Observation.
Description: Create a class big book using the "I Spy" game format and adding 3 clues to help readers guess the areas of our naturalization project.
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Grade 1

Bug Study
Grade level: Grade 1.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science.
Keywords: Insects, bugs, animals, nature, habitat.
Description: Want your students to feed their curiosity and sense of discovery about insects and other critters? This lesson uses a hands-on approach for Grade 1 students to use their senses to explore and study the critters living in the naturalized area around their school.
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How Does Our Garden Grow?
Grade level: Grade 1, 2 or 3.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science; Mathematics.
Keywords: Compost, garden, gardening, plants, soil, dirt, growth.
Description: Students explore the impact of using compost on the growth of plants. A variety of plants in an Environmental Garden will be measured to see how the use of compost as a natural fertilizer affects their growth.
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The Mystery Garden and Construct a Plant
Grade level: K - Grade 2.
Provincial curriculum links: Quebec.
Subject: Science
Keywords: germination, plant identification, gardening with the senses, food gardens
Description: Students plant unidentified seeds in small pots and then observe their growth for one week. Students will need to use all their senses to identify the young plants. Associated activity: Construct a Plant helps children understand plant parts while reconnecting the students to the foods they eat.
View On-line (HTML version)
Natural Figures
Grade level: Grade 1.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology.
Keywords: Form, Function.
Description: Students will look for geometrical shapes in nature to help them appreciate the diversity of the natural environment.
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Places in our School Yard - An "I Spy" Book
Grade level: K - Grade 1.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language and The Arts.
Keywords: Observation.
Description: Create a class big book using the "I Spy" game format and adding 3 clues to help readers guess the areas of our naturalization project.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Sound Portraits
Grade level: Grade 1 - 8.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language - Oral and Visual Communication.
Keywords: Sound.
Description: Students observe a variety of sounds, which can be heard within their schoolyard habitat.
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Grade 2

How Does Our Garden Grow?
Grade level: Grade 1, 2 or 3.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science; Mathematics.
Keywords: Compost, garden, gardening, plants, soil, dirt, growth.
Description: Students explore the impact of using compost on the growth of plants. A variety of plants in an Environmental Garden will be measured to see how the use of compost as a natural fertilizer affects their growth.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
The Mystery Garden and Construct a Plant
Grade level: K - Grade 2.
Provincial curriculum links: Quebec.
Subject: Science
Keywords: germination, plant identification, gardening with the senses, food gardens
Description: Students plant unidentified seeds in small pots and then observe their growth for one week. Students will need to use all their senses to identify the young plants. Associated activity: Construct a Plant helps children understand plant parts while reconnecting the students to the foods they eat.
View On-line (HTML version)
The Night Tree
Grade level: Grade 2.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science; Language.
Keywords: Animals, Feeding.
Description: Using a Christmas book about feeding animals, students learn how to share Christmas with the animals.
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Sound Portraits
Grade level: Grade 1 - 8.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language - Oral and Visual Communication.
Keywords: Sound.
Description: Students observe a variety of sounds, which can be heard within their schoolyard habitat.
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Water Cycle, Evaporation and Condensation
Grade level: Grade 2.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science; Drama.
Keywords: Water, water cycle, drama, evaporation, lake, condensation.
Description: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the Water Cycle through drama.
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Where's my Lunch? Using The Colours of the Seasons to Find Your Dinner
Grade level: Grade 2.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology - Life Systems; The Arts - Visual Arts.
Keywords: Colours.
Description: Students examine their schoolyard habitat or garden area throughout the year on a seasonal basis, searching for colours which predominate and colours which are camouflaged.
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Who Has Seen the Wind?
Grade level: Grade 2 and Grade 3.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology.
Keywords: Wind, Energy.
Description: Students will gain an understanding of how energy, in the form of wind, can act on other objects to cause motion.
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Grade 3

Adopt-A-Tree
Grade level: Grade 3, 4, and 6.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology.
Keywords: Shrub, tree, grow, measure, ecology, seasons.
Description: The students choose a tree or shrub to "adopt" over the course of the school year. The tree is named, measured in various ways, and then observed on a regular basis over the school year. Changes are recorded.
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Don't Leaf Out Without Me!
Grade level: Grade 3 and 4.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology - Life Systems; English Language - Oral and Written Communication.
Keywords: Leaf.
Description: Students observe a chosen tree throughout the spring, watching for signs of "leaf-out".
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How Does Our Garden Grow?
Grade level: Grade 1, 2 or 3.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science; Mathematics.
Keywords: Compost, garden, gardening, plants, soil, dirt, growth.
Description: Students explore the impact of using compost on the growth of plants. A variety of plants in an Environmental Garden will be measured to see how the use of compost as a natural fertilizer affects their growth.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Leaf Magic
Grade level: Grade 3.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology - Life Systems.
Subject: The Arts - Visual Arts.
Keywords: leaf, colour.
Description: Students adopt a deciduous tree in September, and create a timeline to show how leaves change colour.
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Nature Diary
Grade level: Grade 3 and 4.
Provincial curriculum links: Nova Scotia.
Subject: Visual Arts.
Keywords: art making, writing, fractions.
Description: Students create a nature diary based on collecting objects found in or around the school ground. Can be stretched over the entire year, or interspersed into the art and science program, or occur as a one-day event
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Seeing Eye "Buddies"
Grade level: Grade 3.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language.
Keywords: Sights.
Description: Students observe a variety of sights within their schoolyard habitat by sitting quietly back-to-back with a partner and describing something unusual.
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Snow Fossils
Grade level: Grade 3, 4, 5.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Winter Ecology.
Keywords: Snow.
Description: This is an engaging activity that provides an opportunity to collect and classify snow crystals.
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Sound Portraits
Grade level: Grade 1 - 8.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language - Oral and Visual Communication.
Keywords: Sound.
Description: Students observe a variety of sounds, which can be heard within their schoolyard habitat.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Weed Whackers
Grade level: Grades 3 - 5.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology; Mathematics.
Keywords: Plants, Weeds.
Description: This is an activity that children of all ages can participate in. It assists in maintaining the project at our school as well as invites learning.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Who Has Seen the Wind?
Grade level: Grade 2 and Grade 3.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology.
Keywords: Wind, Energy.
Description: Students will gain an understanding of how energy, in the form of wind, can act on other objects to cause motion.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version

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Grade 4

A Tree's Pleas
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Science and Technology, Language
Keywords: stewardship, letter-writing
Description: Students take on the role of their adopted school ground tree or shrub and write a letter to the humans (students) that take it for granted.
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Adopt-A-Tree
Grade level: Grade 3, 4, and 6.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology.
Keywords: Shrub, tree, grow, measure, ecology, seasons.
Description: The students choose a tree or shrub to "adopt" over the course of the school year. The tree is named, measured in various ways, and then observed on a regular basis over the school year. Changes are recorded.
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Amazing Agriculture of Alberta
Grade level: Grade 4.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Science, Social Science.
Keywords: Agriculture, Alberta, plants, growth, grain, seeds, geography.
Description: Agriculture is very important to the Albertan way of life. Students will learn about its significance and have the chance to plant and observe the growth of different grains.
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Don't Leaf Out Without Me!
Grade level: Grade 3 and 4.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology - Life Systems; English Language - Oral and Written Communication.
Keywords: Leaf.
Description: Students observe a chosen tree throughout the spring, watching for signs of "leaf-out".
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Drawing on Leaves
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Visual Arts
Keywords: drawing, printmaking, line
Description: To develop their ability to observe and render the characteristics of leaves and plants, students learn how to do contour drawing of leaves/plants, and then prints of leaves.
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Growing Place-based Books
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Visual Arts, Language Arts
Keywords: book-making, found materials
Description: Students will be asked to pull together what they have learned through a series of science, art and literacy activities into a culminating project.
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Insect Collecting: Berlese Funnel
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Science and Technology
Keywords: berlese funnel, insect collecting, observation, arthropod
Description: Using the Berlese funnel to collect insects that live in the soil or in the leaf litter just above the soil, students investigate leaf litter to discover and observe various types of insects from their ground.
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Insect Collecting: Suck-A-Bug
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Science and Technology
Keywords: arthropod, insects, aspirator, community, habitat, classify, investigate
Description: Many insects can be observed on the school ground and nets work well for large insects, but tiny ones often go unnoticed. One way to catch these small insects is with a Bug Sucker, also called a pooter or aspirator.
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Inspired by Litter
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Visual Arts
Keywords: collage, found materials
Description: To introduce the concepts of human impacts and re-using in the context of art-making, participants will practice the technique of collage by using schoolyard litter and natural debris as their material.
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Is This Habitat For Me? - Part 1 (of 3)
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Science and Technology
Keywords: earthworm, population, habitat, environmental conditions
Description: Students answer the question "Where in the schoolyard will you find the greatest number of earthworms?" by counting numbers of worms in small measured amounts of soil from different areas of their schoolyard.
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Is This Habitat For Me? - Part 2 (of 3)
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Science and Technology
Keywords: earthworm, population, habitat, environmental conditions
Description: Students research environmental conditions that may have the largest impact on the population of worms in the schoolyard (found in Part 1 of this lesson plan) and conduct simple scientific experiments for these environmental conditions.
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Is This Habitat For Me? - Part 3 (of 3)
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Science and Technology
Keywords: earthworm, population, habitat, environmental conditions
Description: In this culminating activity, students create a visual representation from the class date to post in the classroom from the previous two sections of this lesson plan.
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Leaf Slides
Grade level: Grade 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Plant Communities (Grade 4); Trees and Forests (Grade 6); Characteristics of Living Things (Grade 7); Interactions and Ecosystems (Grade 8); Species Diversity (Grade 9).
Keywords: Leaf.
Description: To provide a focusing tool for students to explore the detail in leaves.
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Let's Plant Some Garbage
Grade level: Grade 4.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Science; Language.
Keywords: Garbage, gardening, garden, plant, biodegradability, recycling, reuse, environment, pollution, litter.
Description: Students bring in various items from home in order to plant a "Garbage Garden" in the schoolyard. Students plant garbage (apple cores, tin foil, Styrofoam, plastic materials, etc.) and analyze their condition months later to determine their biodegradability levels.
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Mapping the Ground: Transparent Drawings
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Visual Arts
Keywords: drawing, line, observation
Description: This explorative process of drawing (mapping) the ground develops students' powers of observation by focusing them on a part of nature that is often overlooked, as well as increases their self-confidence in their ability to record natural objects via drawing.
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Nature Diary
Grade level: Grade 3 and 4.
Provincial curriculum links: Nova Scotia.
Subject: Visual Arts.
Keywords: art making, writing, fractions.
Description: Students create a nature diary based on collecting objects found in or around the school ground. Can be stretched over the entire year, or interspersed into the art and science program, or occur as a one-day event
View On-line (HTML version)
Nurturing Inquiry: School Ground Observations
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Science and Technology
Keywords: observations, questions, habitats, community
Description: An important building block in the inquiry process is close observation and the questions it generates. In this activity, students act as scientists in research teams to explore different school ground habitats. Students practice outdoor group work skills.
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Postcards from the Perfect Plot
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Language
Keywords: writing, postcards, habitat
Description: Based on the book "Meerkat Mail" and referencing the Data Drawings from "Is this a Habitat for Me?", students create postcards from a traveling earthworm that visits the school ground habitats looking for a new place to live.
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School Ground Newspaper
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Language
Keywords: forms of writing: report, narrative, recount, procedural, exposition, persuasive, interview
Description: Students creates an individual newspaper or all of the writing pieces can be compiled into one large class newspaper on the school ground's Habitats and Communities.
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The Sensitive Scavenger
Grade level: Grade 4.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology; Language.
Keywords: Scavenger, Multi-sensory.
Description: Students will create a multi-sensory scavenger hunt worksheet to be used on a scavenger hunt throughout the schoolyard habitat area.
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Snow Fossils
Grade level: Grade 3, 4, 5.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Winter Ecology.
Keywords: Snow.
Description: This is an engaging activity that provides an opportunity to collect and classify snow crystals.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Sound Portraits
Grade level: Grade 1 - 8.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language - Oral and Visual Communication.
Keywords: Sound.
Description: Students observe a variety of sounds, which can be heard within their schoolyard habitat.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Stories from the Outdoor Classroom
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Drama, Language Arts
Keywords: role-play, reflection
Description: Intended as a culminating activity, students will visit an outdoor site they have been in frequently and work with others to represent their memorable moments at that site. Using assigned roles as their impetus, (eg. TV reporter, detective, etc.) they will create skits to share their stories with the larger group.
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Students as Scientists
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Science and Technology
Keywords: observations, questions, habitats, community
Description: Although not directly linked to the Ontario Curriculum, this is an important lesson to build a foundation for other outdoor inquiry activities. Students adopt the role of scientists who are given a "Research Request" from Evergreen to study the habitats and communities on their school ground.
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Web Word Poetry
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Literacy
Keywords: Litter, acrostic poem
Description: Inspired by the web words in Charlotte's Web and Templeton's ability to find interesting words, students will use found words from litter they collect on the schoolyard to create acrostic poems about litter.
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Who Eats What and Where?
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Life Systems
Keywords: food chain, transect
Description: Students answer the question "Which plants have the greatest amount of animals feeding on them-the plants on the edge of a garden, or the plants in the centre of the garden?" by surveying plant damage along a transect.
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Who Has Been Here?
Grade level: Grade 4
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario
Subject: Literacy
Keywords: riddles
Description: Inspired by the book, "In the Garden: Who Has Been There?" students will use one of the signs of wildlife found in the previous activity to create a riddle about that animal/insect. The riddles will be compiled into a class book.
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Grade 5

Changes to the Global Climate
Grade level: Grade 5.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology.
Keywords: Global warming, Greenhouse effect.
Description: Students will conduct an experiment to demonstrate the greenhouse effect.
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Learning About Different Soils and Their Water Retention Ability
Grade level: Grade 5-6.
Provincial curriculum links: Quebec.
Subject: Science; Language.
Keywords: Soil, water, earth, compost, clay, sand, dirt, experiment.
Description: A study of how different types of soil retain water that will encourage students to think about their soil choice when planting gardens.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Snow Fossils
Grade level: Grade 3, 4, 5.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Winter Ecology.
Keywords: Snow.
Description: This is an engaging activity that provides an opportunity to collect and classify snow crystals.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Sound Portraits
Grade level: Grade 1 - 8.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language - Oral and Visual Communication.
Keywords: Sound.
Description: Students observe a variety of sounds, which can be heard within their schoolyard habitat.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Weed Whackers
Grade level: Grades 3 - 5.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology; Mathematics.
Keywords: Plants, Weeds.
Description: This is an activity that children of all ages can participate in. It assists in maintaining the project at our school as well as invites learning.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version

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Grade 6

Adopt-A-Tree
Grade level: Grade 3, 4, and 6.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology.
Keywords: Shrub, tree, grow, measure, ecology, seasons.
Description: The students choose a tree or shrub to "adopt" over the course of the school year. The tree is named, measured in various ways, and then observed on a regular basis over the school year. Changes are recorded.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
The Human Sundial
Grade level: Grade 6.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology.
Keywords: Earth and Space Systems, Human Sundial Project.
Description: Although we, in southern Ontario, experience sunshine at least 84 days of the year as we walk out of our houses, how often do we stop and observe the interactions between the components of the universe? This Human Sundial Project encourages observation particularly of the great big fiery ball in the sky that we know in English as the Sun and its relationship to the Earth through the design of an analemmatic sundial, a unique sundial requiring user-participation.
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Leaf Slides
Grade level: Grade 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Plant Communities (Grade 4); Trees and Forests (Grade 6); Characteristics of Living Things (Grade 7); Interactions and Ecosystems (Grade 8); Species Diversity (Grade 9).
Keywords: Leaf.
Description: To provide a focusing tool for students to explore the detail in leaves.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Learning About Different Soils and Their Water Retention Ability
Grade level: Grade 5-6.
Provincial curriculum links: Quebec.
Subject: Science; Language.
Keywords: Soil, water, earth, compost, clay, sand, dirt, experiment.
Description: A study of how different types of soil retain water that will encourage students to think about their soil choice when planting gardens.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Sound Portraits
Grade level: Grade 1 - 8.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language - Oral and Visual Communication.
Keywords: Sound.
Description: Students observe a variety of sounds, which can be heard within their schoolyard habitat.
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Grade 7

Colour Your World with Changes - the Camouflage Game
Grade level: Grade 7.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science and Technology - Life Systems; The Arts - Visual Arts; Mathematics.
Keywords: Seasons, Colours.
Description: Students determine the dominant colours to be found in their habitat or garden area and create a piece of visual art.
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Leaf Slides
Grade level: Grade 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Plant Communities (Grade 4); Trees and Forests (Grade 6); Characteristics of Living Things (Grade 7); Interactions and Ecosystems (Grade 8); Species Diversity (Grade 9).
Keywords: Leaf.
Description: To provide a focusing tool for students to explore the detail in leaves.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
School Ground Naturalization Project
Grade level: Grade 7-9.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science/Environmental Science.
Keywords: School naturalization, Plant plan.
Description: Students will investigate micro climate, soil information and previous and current vegetation of the school site to determine which plants are best suited to this location.
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Sound Portraits
Grade level: Grade 1 - 8.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language - Oral and Visual Communication.
Keywords: Sound.
Description: Students observe a variety of sounds, which can be heard within their schoolyard habitat.
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Grade 8

Leaf Slides
Grade level: Grade 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Plant Communities (Grade 4); Trees and Forests (Grade 6); Characteristics of Living Things (Grade 7); Interactions and Ecosystems (Grade 8); Species Diversity (Grade 9).
Keywords: Leaf.
Description: To provide a focusing tool for students to explore the detail in leaves.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
School Ground Naturalization Project
Grade level: Grade 7-9.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science/Environmental Science.
Keywords: School naturalization, Plant plan.
Description: Students will investigate micro climate, soil information and previous and current vegetation of the school site to determine which plants are best suited to this location.
View On-line (HTML version)     View Printable (PDF) version
Sound Portraits
Grade level: Grade 1 - 8.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Language - Oral and Visual Communication.
Keywords: Sound.
Description: Students observe a variety of sounds, which can be heard within their schoolyard habitat.
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Grade 9

Exploring Plant Reproduction and Seed Dispersal
Grade level: Grade 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario and Pan-Canadian.
Subject: Science.
Keywords: plant, reproduction, seeds, seed production, seed dispersal, pollination, adaptation, angiosperm, gymnosperm.
Description: Students explore the concept of adaptation by studying and comparing a variety of plants and their methods of sexual and asexual reproduction and seed dispersal.
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Give Me Back My School: A Back to Basics Approach to Ecological Restoration
Grade level: Grade 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Geography.
Keywords: Ecological footprint, ecological restoration, mapping, urban development, waste management, ecological pest management, mulching, composting, recycling.
Description: Using the concept of the ecological footprint, students do the groundwork for a school ground greening project (either real or hypothetical). Students investigate local soil conditions, weather patterns, topography and vegetation, and propose a greening project that would reduce the school's ecological footprint.
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The Great GPS Scavenger Hunt
Grade level: Grade 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Geography.
Keywords: Waypoint, route, multipath, weathering, mass wasting, sediment transportation, creep, slides, debris flow, geomorphology, geology.
Description: Students us a GPS receiver to survey an open area such as their school grounds or local park, investigating weathering patterns and their impact on plant populations, rock and land formations and soil types.
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Leaf Slides
Grade level: Grade 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Alberta.
Subject: Plant Communities (Grade 4); Trees and Forests (Grade 6); Characteristics of Living Things (Grade 7); Interactions and Ecosystems (Grade 8); Species Diversity (Grade 9).
Keywords: Leaf.
Description: To provide a focusing tool for students to explore the detail in leaves.
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Mapping My Community
Grade level: Grade 9.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Geography.
Keywords: Waypoint, route, multipath, GPS, urban land use, land-use planning.
Description: Students use a GPS receiver to map different types of land use in an urbanized setting near the school. This lesson plan provides an introduction to GPS technology and to the field of urban planning.
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School Ground Naturalization Project
Grade level: Grade 7-9.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science/Environmental Science.
Keywords: School naturalization, Plant plan.
Description: Students will investigate micro climate, soil information and previous and current vegetation of the school site to determine which plants are best suited to this location.
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Grade 10

Conducting an Ecological Inquiry Investigation
Grade level: Grade 10 and 11.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario and Pan-Canadian.
Subject: Science.
Keywords: independent inquiry, research method, research design, ecology, variable, independent variable, dependent variable, control group, analysis, presentation, group work.
Description: Students design, plan and undertake their own ecological inquiries on the school grounds, learning and applying skills of scientific method and investigation, design and communication.
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Investigating Biological Communities in Natural and Artificial Ecosystems
Grade level: Grade 10.
Provincial curriculum links: Ontario.
Subject: Science.
Keywords: Quadrat, ecosystem, artificial ecosystem, biotic study, comparative ecosystem study, habitat, niche, population, community, trophic (feeding) level, food chain, food web, adaptation.
Description: Students use the quadrat method to survey and compare plant and animal populations existing in natural and artificial micro-ecosystems on the school grounds.
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