Curated OER
Shadow Casting
Eighth graders use a meter stick that is placed on a horizontal surface and an object is moved along it so that the shadow length can be measured at different distances from the light source. They solve real-world problems involving...
US Department of Energy
Draft-O-Meter
Help your class improve the energy efficiency of their homes with the draft-o-meter. Simply tape a sheet of plastic wrap to a pencil and use it to observe any air leaking through windows, doorways, and other locations around the house....
Curated OER
Media Violence - The Good, the Bad and the Future
Third graders define, identify, measure, and assess the level and impact of violence in media. The media forms evaluated include music, sitcoms, news, and other programs that are identified and shared by the class.
Curated OER
Investigation - How Tall is the Average Sixth Grader?
Learners will measure each other and record the data in inches. They will use a stem and leaf plot to display data and figure out the average height of the students in a class. The other statistical data will be collected like the mode...
Curated OER
Mission: Possible
Young scholars explore the concept of scale. In this scale lesson plan, students are given directions scaled in inches and young scholars must convert them to feet. Students take a section of a map and create a bigger scaled model of...
Curated OER
Proportionality Using Labyrinths and Mazes
Conduct research on the Internet about labyrinths and mazes to learn about proportions and ratios. Inquisitive minds design their own maze, one maze is chosen and proportionately enlarged to 20 feet by 30 feet. This is a fun challenge...
Illustrative Mathematics
How Thick Is a Soda Can II?
Science, technology, and math come together in this one combination exercise. Analyzing the common soda can from both a purely mathematical perspective and a scientific angle allows for a surprisingly sophisticated comparison of...
Curated OER
Flicking Football Fun
Young mathematicians fold and flick their way to a deeper understanding of statistics with a fun, hands-on math unit. Over the course of four lessons, students use paper footballs to generate data as they learn how to create line...
Virginia Department of Education
Solar System Model
How many planets can you name? Did you get all 13 in our solar system, including the dwarf planets, or were you surprised when you read there are 13 planets? The lesson helps scholars understand the scale of the universe including the...
Curated OER
Moon Watch: Observing the Lunar Phases with a Model
How do you know the moon is going broke? It's down to its last quarter. The lesson provides a more accurate way to teach lunar phases, emphasizing not only naming or understanding them, but being able to explain why they occur....
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Using Our Senses to Observe
Look around and explore. Little ones use their five senses with some day-to-day activities designed to guide observation and apply STEM strategies. Young scientists learn through comparing/contrasting and observing with magnifiers as...
Curated OER
Wanted Dead or Alive...How Big Is it?
Fourth graders estimate the measurements of trees using unconventional techniques.
Curated OER
Circles-Diameter, Circumference, Radius and the Discovery of Pi
Seventh graders measure the diameter, circumference and radius of a circle and find pi using the diameter and circumference. In this geometry lesson, 7th graders work in groups to find the diameter, radius, and circumference of circles....
Curated OER
Circumferences, Diameters, and Radii
Students explore circumferences, diameters, and radii. In this math lesson plan, students measure circumferences in inches and compute radii and diameters, given different circumferences.
Curated OER
How Strong is Your Magnet?
Students measure the strength of a magnet and graph how the strength changes as the distance from the magnet increases.
Curated OER
Where in Our Solar System Are We?
Second graders research distance between planets and the sun using encyclopedias. They use toilet paper sheets as a unit of measurement (50 million km.) students stand at planet locations using toilet paper to measure distance between.
Curated OER
Around We Go!
Students make accurate measurements and calculations of measuring the area an perimeter of a section of the floor accordingly. They use appropriate measurement and calculation strategies to write a complete a clear explanation for how...
Curated OER
Rocks on Parade!
Third graders describe and classify rock samples. In this rock lesson plan, 3rd graders make inferences about rock samples by observing and measuring them. This lesson plan contains 5 different stations for the students to go to.
Curated OER
It's All About Scale
Sixth graders investigate scale models of toys. In this scale models of toys lesson, 6th graders bring in toys from home to measure. Students discuss scale and what scale is used with their toys. Students determine the life size...
Curated OER
What's the Frequency, Roy G. Biv?
Students examine the concept of frequency and wavelength. They analyze how frequency and wavelength relate to each other by conducting an experiment involving measuring and timing wavelengths by pulling adding machine tape through an...
Curated OER
Scuba Diving in Belize
Students plan a scuba diving trip to Belize. In this planning a scuba diving trip to Belize lesson, students research about the barrier reef in Belize. Students make travel plans that involve finding distance, time, and cost of...
Curated OER
Jungle Gym Drop
Students investigate gravity, force and motion. In this motion of objects lesson, students drop various objects from a jungle gym and collect, measure and observe their data. Students describe the forces that affect the motion of their...
Curated OER
Food Energy
Students compare the energy value of traditional foods eaten by indigenous people with those of modern commercial foods. They use a calorimeter to measure and calculate the amount of stored energy in various food types, and identify the...
Curated OER
The Clever Monkey Rides Again
Students read and explore a West African folktale. For this folktale lesson, students read the book The Clever Monkey Rides Again and examine West African proverbs. There are several related multi-subject extensions on this lesson which...