Curated OER
Blowing Ballast
Oceanographers participate in a memorable hands on experience about buoyancy. They build a model of a submersible using a plastic bottle and a balloon. Afterward, they answer assessment questions. An answer key and some terrific...
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Light Stick Chemistry
In groups of three with the lights off and the shades drawn, investigators place inactivated light sticks, in three beakers: one filled with ice water, another with lukewarm water, and the other with room temperature water. They wait...
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Apple of My Eye
Learners study apples. In this apple lesson, students read Apples by Gail Gibbons. Learners discover the life cycle of apples and determine the many uses of apples. Students write a list of factual information on strips of construction...
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Good Apples
Young scholars investigate diversity. In this diversity lesson, students look at a variety of apples in order to compare and contrast their physical characteristics. They apply the concept to people by listing how people are the same and...
National Park Service
Rock Ranking
Junior geologists sort rocks and soil. They separate a sample of river gravel by size, shape, color, and other characteristics. To include Common Core standards, you could have little ones graph the number of particles in each sample.
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Habitat is Home
Students complete a picture to show things found in their homes. In this habitat lesson, students discuss and make a class picture of an animal habitat and its four basic needs. Students sing a song. Students create their own habitat...
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Can a Mouse Lift an Elephant?
Read Just a Little Bit, by Ann Tompert as an introduction to levers. Discuss playground seesaws and then turn learners loose to experiment with the placement of a fulcrum. Their goal is to determine where to place it in order to lift ten...
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Chalk Fizz
Little chemists observe the effects of acid on calcium carbonate as an example of chemical change. As a demonstration you will place a raw egg in vinegar overnight, and as a lab activity, learners drip vinegar onto a piece of chalk....
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What Is Viscosity?
Students experiment with the visocosity of corn syrup, mineral oil, vegetable oil, water, and honey. They research viscosity before beginning. Pupils draw the conclusion that the marble sinks more slowly in the liquids with greater...
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Moo-Velous Butter!
Third graders investigate how temperature and motion (energy) create a chemical change that turns cream ( a liquid) into butter (a solid). They create a class pictograph of their favorite mils choices (white, chocolate, or strawberry)...
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Different Strokes For Different Folktales
Young readers use graphic organizers, such as Venn diagrams and story maps, to analyze a variety of folktales and the elements of a story. They use writing, sequencing activities, and creative art to identify the morals learned from a...
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The Magical Diving Sub
First graders discuss and predict if a given object sinks or floats. They record their predictions on a data sheet. Pupils test the objects and organize them into floating/sinking groups. Students observe the floating and sinking of a...
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Rubber Band Banza
Third graders review ideas about sound and vibration to make their own stringed instrument. They review what a pictograph and bar graph are. Pupils conduct a survey within the classroom to choose the four favorite string instruments and...
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Blog Your Truth
Learners explore communication by participating in a digital journalism activity. In this aboriginal research instructional activity, students view a sample blog on the Internet and identify the techniques behind blogging and Internet...
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Lesson Plan 13: Character Interviews on NaNoTV
Kids love to pretend. Use this imaginative energy to develop their understanding of characterization. Class members dress up as a character from their novel-writing project and sit for a filmed interview. In responding to questions about...
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Creating My Own Rube Goldberg Machine
Students dissect simple machines. In this simple machines instructional activity, students gather simple machines from their home to dissect in class. Students investigate the working parts of simple machines and construct a machine...
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X-Ray Eyes
Students observe Australian X-ray paintings for information and to understand the art techniques used. Then they imagine and draw the inner organs of an animal. Students also research the anatomy of the animal to analyze the accuracy of...
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Wild Constellations
Students examine the various constellations they can see at night. After listening to an expert speak, they discover how the Earth rotates and how that affects the constellations. To end the lesson, they make a representation of their...
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The Eruptor
Students use the internet to research facts about volcanoes. In groups, they locate the nearest volcano near them and find photographs of volcanoes erupting. To end the lesson, they build their own model of a volcano with different...
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Super Sale Store Game
Students help their teacher set up their classroom in the form of a store. Using construction paper, they make different amounts of paper money and items to buy. To end the lesson, they play the game to practice making change and adding...
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Roller Ball Race
Learners use problem-solving skills and creativity to build a roller ball race track with adjustable ramp levels and changeable friction surfaces. They hypothesize how fast or slow balls will roll down ramps, varying the shape and size...
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Draft-O-Meter
Students explore where there are drafts in their homes. In this waste reduction lesson, students experiment with a students made draft-o-meter and record drafts on a worksheet.
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Comparing Light Bulbs
Third graders learn how light bulbs are different and which are more cost efficient. In this energy and efficiency lesson, 3rd graders compare the cost of a light bulb and understand that its lifetime is important to their choice.
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Hot and Cold Colors
Students experiment with the color and solar energy absorption. In this color and solar energy absorption lesson, students spend two days discussing and experimenting with the concept of energy absorption. They paint cans with different...