Curated OER
I Dig Dinosaurs
Young scholars examine the process of fossil removal and the naming of dinosaurs. They participate in a "fossil dig" involving cookies, create new dinosaur names, and create a picture of a dinosaur they name.
Curated OER
Nuts for Peanuts: Peanut Plants, Peanut Timeline, and Peanut-s-timation!
Students complete a timeline. In this peanuts instructional activity, students read A Short Peanut History and use this resource to make a timeline of the history of the peanut. Students can grow peanuts in the classroom or make various...
Curated OER
Take Your Pick of "Beary" Fun Activities.
Students complete an integrated unit on bears. They read numerous books about bears, create a bear puppet, act-out stories, create a polar bear painting, participate in a Teddy Bear Picnic, and conduct a Teddy Bear parade.
Curated OER
Where in the World Is That Volcano?
Identify the Earth's major volcanoes with an earth science lesson. Elementary and middle schoolers locate major volcanoes on a world map. Then, in groups, they research how the volcano affects the region in which it is located.
Curated OER
Will There Be a White Christmas This Year?
Students examine historical weather data, and create map and color key that illustrates the likelihood of a white Christmas in different locations across the United States.
Curated OER
Weather instruments
Students explore weather instruments. For this weather lesson, students make rain gauges, anemometers, and barometers following the instructions given in the lesson. Students set up a weather station using their instruments and record...
Curated OER
Balls & Hoops : Fun with Balls and Tubes
Students race to keep these balls rolling. In this early childhood physical education lesson, students experiment with cause and effect as they work with different heights of cardboard tubes.
Curated OER
Water Experiment
Here is a great lesson designed for very young scientists. In it, they act out the famous Aesops fable, "The Crow and the Pitcher." In doing this, they get to experience water displacement first-hand. Some terrific extension activities...
Curated OER
Thumbprints
Thumbprints are fascinating! Here is a clever lesson that allows kids to discover that everyone has a unique thumbprint - no two are alike! They use magnifying glasses to closely observe their own, and someone else's thumbprints. Then,...
Curated OER
US Energy Geography
The maps display the statistics for energy consumption and power production, state by state. They are tremendous visual aids for your natural resources unit. Consider having your class compare energy consumption versus production, or...
Curated OER
Energy
Wow! Colorful and simple, these 160 slides introduce the various forms of energy, along with a relevant image. Some of the images are animations, which help beginning physical scientists to visualize the flow of electrons or energy! This...
Curated OER
The Influence of Human Activity on the Environment
The surge in human population in the last 2,000 years, due in large part to better health care, has brought a surge in the demand for resources and in pollution. The graphics, photographs, and real-life examples in a thought-provoking...
Curated OER
How To Make a Science Concept Map
Here is a clever way to get your pupils thinking about a science topic they'd like to research for a report, or a project they'd like to do for a science fair. The three-step process is easy to follow, and it really should help your...
Curated OER
Particle Model of Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Display the arrangement of molecules in solids, liquids, and gases. Demonstrate how the addition of heat energy results in greater molecular motion and therefore a change of phase. Give examples of heat conductors and insulators, and...
Curated OER
Magnet Circus
Students explore the properties of magnets by designing a device that can move as far as possible using only magnets to move it, and design a machine that will stay in motion for the greatest period of time.
Curated OER
Motion Commotion!
Young scholars explore the drawings of Rube Goldberg to design and construct a simple machine. They discuss simple machines, and using various materials and toy parts, design and construct a "Rube Goldberg" style machine to ring a bell.
Curated OER
Exploring Buoyancy
Students use materials found at a resource table to design simple devices that will house instruments to take water samples from a tub of water. They design 3 instruments, each varying in density so that one will float, one will hover...
Curated OER
Building for the Big One
Students build and test structures that can best withstand earthquakes. They create their structures from playdough, cornstarch, grape-nuts and popsicle sticks and place their structures on a "shake table."
Curated OER
Thomas Edison's Bright Ideas
Thomas Alva Edison may be one of the most well-known scientists to elementary or middle schoolers. Use his story to show that he invented more than just the light bulb and to inspire youngsters to work hard! You could use this on the...
Curated OER
Weather
Here is a comprehensive and colorful collection of slides to introduce 4th - 8th graders to all things weather-related. The factors that contribute to weather are defined, types of clouds and the related conditions are explained, air...
Curated OER
Oceans: Water, Water Everywhere. . . but Only on the Earth!
It's not long, but it's thorough! This PowerPoint takes 4th - 8th grade earth scientists deeper into the oceans. They learn about tide and current activity and the forces that drive them. They also discover how wind and the rotation of...
Curated OER
What's in a Graph?
How many yellow Skittles® come in a fun-size package? Use candy color data to construct a bar graph and a pie chart. Pupils analyze bar graphs of real-life data on the Texas and Massachusetts populations. As an assessment at the end of...
Curated OER
Inventions 2: The Impact
Tomorrow's engineers visit an intriguing website about inventions that have changed the way we live. Biographies of child inventors on the suggested website aren't easy to find, so make sure to find some stories to share in place of...
Curated OER
Catch the Pollution
Explore environmental care by conducting a pollution experiment. You'll discuss the causes of pollution in our environment and what the overall impact will be if we can't change our ways. Clear plastic tape, a can, and compass are used...