Cal Recycle
Conserving Natural Resources
Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.
Cornell University
Exploring Rocks and Minerals
Investigate the properties of rocks and minerals through a rockin' hands-on activity. Learners test rocks for various properties and, using a guide, attempt to identify different samples. They use various properties including hardness,...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Safety vs. Energy
Political cartoons are a poignant way to examine energy sources. This analysis handout has scholars examining a cartoon by Joe Heller (a link to his gallery is included for possible extensions). Background information reminds pupils of...
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Here's a fine lesson on renewable and non-renewable sources of energy for your 5th graders. In it, learners list a number of natural resources on the board, then try to sort the resources into appropriate categories. This helps them to...
Curated OER
Natural Resources: Can We Use Them Forever? Grade 2
Bright colors and animation are great ways to attract a young students attention. Students are introduced to the concepts of renewable and non-renewable resources as they pose the question, will our resources be around forever? This...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Rocks & Minerals
Take young geologists on an exploration of the rock cycle with this six-lesson earth science unit on rocks and minerals. Through a series of discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on investigations your class will learn about the...
Teach Engineering
Bone Mineral Density Math and Beer's Law
Hop into a resource on Beer's Law. A PowerPoint presentation introduces Beer's law as part of calculating bone density from X-ray images in the sixth lesson in the series of seven. Individuals work on practice problems with this law and...
Curated OER
Food And Energy
The different nutrients needed by the body and the reasons for each are presented very clearly in this powerpoint. There are 2 review questions at the end, but this PowerPoint is essentially comprised of facts and examples to assist the...
Curated OER
Investigating the Climate System: Energy, A Balancing Act
Earth science explorers design an experiment to demonstrate that the albedo of a surface affects its temperature. They test to find out if moisture on the surface affects temperature. They discover whether or not concrete or asphalt heat...
Curated OER
Do Plants Need Sunlight?
Students investigate why plants need sunlight and what happens if they do not get the light they need.
Curated OER
Soil, the Forgotten Resource
Students discuss soil understanding that is is often overlooked as a natural resource. In this science instructional activity, students recognize that we depend on it for energy in the form of foods. Students experiment with six boxes of...
Curated OER
Minerals Prime
In this minerals worksheet, students answer fifteen multiple choice questions about mineral formation, volcano and mountain formation, mineral tests and properties of minerals.
Curated OER
Rice as a Source of Energy
Fifth graders investigate the nutrition in rice. In this rice lesson, 5th graders discover that rice is a great source of energy. Students compare foods to rice to see the differences in the nutritional value. Students classify foods in...
Curated OER
Alternative Energy Sources
Students recognize that people have various opinions on the use of renewable energy.In this renewable energy lesson, students research to find the best uses of renewable energy. Students create an original design for a group...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Safety vs. Energy
In this current events worksheet, learners analyze a political cartoon about energy sources and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Paper or Plastic: Exploring Renewable Resources.
Students discuss, develop, invent, and implement a plan for making informed personal economic decisions about renewable resources.
NSW Department Mineral Resources
Aboriginal Use of Raw Materials
What's the difference between base metals and precious metals? Experimenting with natural metals is an interesting way for kids to learn about the world around them. Use a resource that contains over 30 pages of worksheets and...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Nutrition
Whether you need a new textbook for your health class, or a few exercises and passages for your lesson on nutrition, you'll find what you need with a thorough nutritional science resource. With 15 chapters that cover elements of...
Curated OER
Coal Camps and Mining Towns
Young scholars should gain a better understanding of the processes involved in extracting coal from the Earth as a result of this lesson. They reearch the history of coal mining, look into coal mining towns, and create a short story...
Curated OER
Atomic Absorption Determination of Zinc and Copper in a Multivitamin
Advanced lab apprentices prepare zinc and copper solutions to which they will compare the same minerals from a multivitamin. Using absorption spectroscopy, they analyze the contents of the multivitamin for concentration. This lab can be...
Curated OER
Make Your Own Biodegradable Plastic Stuff
Students identify the four basic natural resources. They distinguish bettween renewable and non-renewable resources. Pupils recognize that all natural resources are needed by living plants and animals. Students list consequences for...
Curated OER
Do Plants Need Sunlight?
Students investigate whether plants need sunlight to survive. In this plant lesson, students experiment with plants to learn about chlorophyll that plants get from light sources.
Curated OER
This Mine of Mine
Students explore natural resources by conducting a geology experiment in class. In this mineral mining lesson, students discuss the types of geological material that can be found when mining and the uses for these resources such as coal....
Science & Plants for Schools
Photosynthesis - A Survival Guide
Young scientists learn what it takes for life on Earth to survive with this series of photosynthesis resources. Offering twelve different activities ranging from independent practice worksheets to in depth scientific experiments, this...