Curated OER
Who Needs What?
Young scholars identify the physical needs of animals and if plants need the same things as animals. They conduct an experiment to see if plants need light and water to grow. They compare the growth of the plants exposed to the...
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Mussel Identification Activity
Students identify given species of animals, such as various
mussels, by sets of physical characteristics as they use a key. They also read about mussels on the Illinois River and look at mussel species in the online database. Finally,...
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Water Wonders
Students explore hydrology concepts. In this environment and biology instructional activity, students identify and describe macroinvertebrates using a variety of pictures and resources. Students observe and write about a classroom...
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Newton Rocket Car
Learners observe a demonstration of Newton's third law of motion using a small wooden car. They discuss Newton's third law of motion and what happens to motion if the mass or acceleration is increased, construct their car, and record...
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Birds Around the Village
Students observe the physical characteristics of birds and identify birds found in their village. They describe characteristics, behaviors and habitats of local birds in this series of lessons.
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Making Life Easier
Students use a chart of the six simple machines and become aware of how the machines improve our ability to meet the following needs: shelter, food, water, and transportation. Students use model cars to experiment with force. They divide...
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Sound
Students identify sources and importance of sound, discuss sounds heard on way to school, explain why sound waves can be "seen", and participate in various classroom activities and experiments that illustrate how sound travels.
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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...
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Magnets
Students explore how the earth is a magnet and that magnets have two "poles". In this magnetic instructional activity students complete an activity by designing their own compass.
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Toying Around with a System
Second graders look at the system that could be present in common toys. They manipulate and identify parts that have to work together in order to form a system. When working or not students should comprehend how things go together.
Curated OER
Properties of Color
Second graders explore the properties of primary color and investigate what happens when primary colors are mixed. They listen to the story The Crayon Box That Talked and list the colors. They experiment mixing primary colors and...
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Making Changes
Students observe and record the changes they see when adding heat and cold to objects. For this changes lesson plan, students experiment with different objects and see if heat and cold change the makeup of the object. They then record...
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Understanding How Potatoes Grow
Second graders make a KWL chart and brainstorm what they need for the project of growing potatoes. They choose one potato and plant it in water or peat moss cups and choose a location in which meets the needs of the plants and make their...
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Scrambled Eggs Anyone?
Students listen to Nursery Rhymes highlighting GRAVITY, pull ropes during a Rope Pull Activity and even drop eggs from a height during a Gravity Contest. This is a fantastic lesson which highly motivates Students!
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How Wathersheds Work
Students describe a watershed. They identify factors that effect the flow of water within a watershed. They explain how water can flow from inland waterways to the ocean.
Curated OER
Does One Tree a Forest Make?
Students take a walk around the schoolyard looking at and identifying the trees. One leaf for each tree is collected. A chart is developed that represents the population of trees on the school ground. They keep journals and write an essay.
Curated OER
Movement of Air Diorama Activity
Students make a diorama to illustrate the process of mechanical airflow. In this movement of air lesson, students discuss ventilation and air movement indoors. Students discuss ventilation systems and study pictures of the systems....
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How Can Sounds Be Different
Second graders explore energy and motion. They investigate how sound energy moves in waves. Students explore how sounds are varied and how the instruments that make those sounds are built. They observe sounds being produced and predict...
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Strawkets and Thrust
Students investigate the effect of thrust on rocket flight. They construct two paper rockets, one with a smaller exit nozzle, and compare/contrast the distances traveled by the rockets.
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Pop Rockets
Students work together to design and build a paper rocket. They place a propellant in the contraption to make it fly. They discover Newton's third law of motion.
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Look At Those Leaves!
Students observe, measure, and sort tree leaves. They examine leaves individually, in groups, and in relationship to the entire tree. Pupils take a walk outside for a "Leaf Walk." Students are each given a lunch size paper bag, so that...
Curated OER
"I can move" but why?
Students analyze the movements they can do with their bones, muscles and joints. They explore, have discovery and review knowledge of movement. Students are asked to find their personal space.
NASA
Foam Rocket
When going for distance, does it make a difference at what angle you launch the rocket? Teams of three launch foam rockets, varying the launch angle and determining how far they flew. After conducting the series of flights three times,...
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Oceanography (Rivers and Streams)
Second graders examine the characteristics of streams and rivers. They identify the types of resources lakes, ponds and oceans provide. They ask questions to complete the lesson.