If it's on the Internet, it must be true—right? How can someone tell if a website contains less-than-truthful information? Savvy surfers evaluate sources in the fifth of a six-part college and career readiness instructional activity...

Houses come in all shapes and sizes, but not all houses are safe from Mr. and Mrs. Twit. The 10th lesson in a unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl turns learners into architects. While designing houses for the monkeys, they...

Young sleuths don their trench coats, tip their fedoras, and grab their notepads to investigate one of four famous unsolved mysteries. After examining multiple primary and secondary sources related to their cold case, they propose a...

Begin the year with an emphasis on the NGSS practice standards. The resource provides an 8x10 size poster for each standard. When hung in a classroom, learners have a consistent reminder of what it means to be a scientist.

Here is a very comprehensive lesson that spans several weeks and allows learners to fully explore career clusters. They take aptitude tests, list career options, then research one career choice. They create PowerPoint presentations that...

Fox Games is an Installation piece that allows observers to walk through a clay environment. Kids analyze the piece, considering storytelling and perspectives of light. They imagine how different the piece would look at various times of...

First graders get out and explore two different habitats to examine how each one meets the needs of the plants and animals that dwell there. They discuss what they've learned about animal habitats as they explore the outdoor environment....

Solve the mystery of a declining frog population! Lead your junior ecologists on an investigation that simulates actual events concerning pollution, predation, poaching, and more. Investigators read a story online, then analyze survey...

A simulated worm-landing on the moon will surely hook your pupils into your next science lesson! Worms demonstrate what it would be like to observe the moon first hand.

Here is a great definition of the word, investigate. Elmo and Colin investigate the word investigate. With a little foot work they find out the word they need to define.

Learn about mysteries with your readers. They will investigate plot, basic elements of mystery, famous characters, and become familiar with genre vocabulary. Bring in props and mystery books to begin and then have learners create story...

Intended to inform a general audience on why birth defect happen, they take on the role of epidemiologists. They will read background information, conduct internet research, and compile the information. A mock investigation and diagnoses...

The arsenal of tools a scientist uses to observe the world are varied. This great presentation gives students a look at some of the strategies they should use when looking at the world around them. The information can be used as a...

New ReviewIt would be a crime not to give the lesson a chance! An inquiry-based lesson has pupils assume the role of crime scene investigators as they make observations about shoe prints. They look for patterns in the prints such as distance and...

Bubbles are not always trouble. Pupils investigate surface tension in water and bubble mixtures by blowing bubbles and recording observations. Learners then create bubble wands of different shapes from pipe cleaners and observe the shape...

Finding an expert in a given field when conducting research can be a challenge. This guide provides step-by-step directions as well as links to resources that help young sleuths find the authorities and experts they need. As a bonus, two...

Explore a variety of science concepts in an interactive textbook created for middle school scholars. A lengthy table of contents takes readers to pages comprised of a subject overview, outline, and summary. Follow links further to find...

Shark! Scholars read about sharks in Facts about Sharks by Susanna Batchelor. They then pretend they are shark scientists and choose a shark they want to study. Learners research their sharks and record information in graphic organizers...

So what is the plan? Scholars are now ready to complete the final instructional activity of independent research before finalizing their plans. At the end, they turn in all research tool sheets and research frames, as well as organize...

Choose your path carefully. When beginning research, learners must figure out which inquiry path to follow. After determining a path, scholars guide their research based on the theme they chose to further refine the questions they...

Write, edit, and then revise! The fourth lesson in a five-part series asks peers to provide feedback on research. Individuals then use the research to edit and revise conclusions and develop their presentations.