Virginia Department of Education
Cell Parts
What do a bird, an egg, a rabbit, and a toad all have in common? This fun-filled resource explains the similarities and differences between cells and how all cells are similar, yet all are different. Learners begin by depicting a...
Curated OER
Burlap Weaving Gone Wild
Explore art using fabric with this resource. Learners talk about weaving and create art work after discussing this important technique. This is a great way integrate art and history.
Curated OER
Native American Basket Making
Students design a unique basket plaque incorporating at least one symbol from their chosen tribe. They also identify, share, and give rationales for the symbols in basket plaques. Whole class discussion jig-saws their discoveries.
Curated OER
DNA, the Awesome Thread of Life
Students examine how traits are passed to offspring. For this genetic reproduction lesson students develop a model of dna and learn about its structure, replication and function.
Curated OER
Do the Twist...(Learning about Screws)
Students investigate how screws are a twisted incline plane. They observe the teacher screw a screw into wood and participate in a class discussion. Next, they make and test a prediction about how the spacing of the threads on a screw...
Curated OER
Weather
Students explore the earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. They begin class with a discussion about weather patterns, atmosphere, and the layers of the earth. After the class discussion, students rotate through four stations to...
Curated OER
What Is in the Water?
Students compare bottled water qualities to water found naturally in a pond habitat. They research their state's laws/regulations in regard to bottled water and study the advertising, cost, and quality of brands of bottled water. They...
Curated OER
Contributions
Second graders examine the contributions of the First Nations. In this contributions lesson, 2nd graders discover the origin of popcorn. Students read about popcorn and how popcorn can be used in many ways. Students write a paragraph...
Curated OER
Northwest Coast Indians: Winter Celebrations Potlatch
Upper elementary learners engage in a study about the Potlatch as a Northwest Coast Indians social custom. Groups of pupils plan their own Potlatch ceremony; incorporating activities and creating gifts much like the ones that the Indians...
Mascil Project
Parachute Food Drop
Drop a perfect project into your lesson plans. Groups use different building materials to create models of parachutes for food drops. After testing out their prototypes, they make improvements to their designs.
Messenger Education
Exploring Exploring
The reason people first began trading was because of their desires for objects other societies possessed. In the activity, classes discuss why exploration has been a common thread in all societies and where these desires have taken...
DiscoverE
A Clever Way to Water
Your plants will survive without you. Scholars create a device that can water plants using a coiled string. Along the way, they learn about adhesion and cohesion of water. The challenge is to keep the plants alive for at least a week.
Curated OER
Study the Fizz
Students experiment to determine which bottle of soda has more dissolved carbon dioxide. In this solutions lesson, students use the scientific method to test the amount of carbon dioxide in bottles of soda. They identify and explain the...
Curated OER
Cervical Vertebrae
Eighth graders investigate the cervical vertebrae through models and diagrams. In this cervical vertebrae lesson plan, 8th graders use rice cakes, straws, marshmallows and thread to model the vertebrae. They simulate a cervical vertebrae...
Curated OER
Theater Game: "The Good, the Bad, and the Bountiful"
Students play a game to demonstrate the detrimental effects of an algal bloom on the environment. In this microorganism lesson, students discuss microbes and algae. They dramatize the effects of an algal bloom using a role-playing game.
Curated OER
Man's Struggle for Environmental Preservation
Students examine the way all living things are connected to one another. In groups, they participate in experiments in which they analyze the chemical processes through the biosphere and explain the role of energy. They also brainstorm...
Curated OER
Resolving Conflicts
Students practice conflict resolution skills. In this personal health lesson, students share incidents of verbal harassment, exclusion, gossip, and unwanted physical contact. Students discuss how to handle the situations and role play...
Curated OER
FLEECE AS WHITE AS SNOW?
Hand out student worksheets. Discuss and review the meaning of the vocabulary words found at the top of the worksheet. Ask learners for general definitions, then share the background material.
2. Have students read the information on the...
Curated OER
The Fabric of History
African-American history is an integral part of what America is. Learners examine important events, read informational texts, and create quilts depicting specific eras in African-American history. Each image created for the quilt will be...
Curated OER
Physical Science: The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Explore science through problem solving and learning how to solve the problem of the story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." Young investigators will learn how to construct a model and design a solution. They will also keep records of their...
Curated OER
Growing Old
Third graders participate in a simulation in which they experience problems elderly people face on a daily basis.
Curated OER
Quilt Squares-Literature Reporting
Differentiate instruction with this crafty approach to demonstrating comprehension. Learners choose a fictional book at their reading level, and afterward create a quilt square. The square is "decorated" with words, illustrations, and...