Curated OER
Water Power
Students observe a model of a waterwheel to investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine into work. They work as engineers to create a model for a new waterwheel while considering resources,...
Curated OER
Capturing the Sun's Warmth
Students explore the variety of ways to use solar energy. They investigate the thermal energy storage capacities of different test materials to determine which to use in passive solar building design. They explain how passive solar...
Curated OER
Stations of Light
Student groups rotate through four stations to examine light energy behavior: refraction, magnification, prisms and polarization. They see how a beam of light is refracted (bent) through various transparent mediums. Students investigate...
Curated OER
The Phenomenon of Sound: Waves
Students explore sound waves. In this sound waves lesson, students brainstorm different sounds and how sounds move or travel. Students then create a KWL chart and work through six different lab activities to examine how sound waves...
Curated OER
Thar She Blows!: Wind Power
Students examine how wind energy is transformed into electrical energy. In pairs, they build miniature wind turbines and measure how much electrical current they produce. They asses the importance of design and position in energy...
Curated OER
Measuring Calories in Food
Students measure the amount of calories in food. In this food energy lesson, students discuss what a calorie is, how our bodies use a calorie, and how many we need. Then, students use a calorimeter to calculate the amount of energy in a...
Curated OER
The 1980s Series - Breakdancing
Students examine how breakdancing influenced Keith Haring. They translate a flat image into movement. They breakdance along to music of the 1980's to experience the energy and innovation of that decade. They create flipbooks of their own...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Digestive System
Fourth graders simulate how the digestive system works. In this hands-on simulation, 4th graders complete six group activities that help students visualize how our body breaks down food into nutrients.
Curated OER
Light Reflections
Students explore light. In this physical science light lesson, students display objects on a projection screen and investigate how light absorbs, refracts, transmits and reflects. Students discuss common features of light based on their...
Curated OER
Electricity
Fourth graders experiment to find out how to light a bulb with simple materials. They make predictions if a light bulb set-up could work and gain knowledge to tell the difference between an open and closed circuit. They also figure out...
Michigan Sea Grant
Invasive Species
Learners identify invasive species to the Great Lakes and analyze their impact on the ecosystem. Using photo cards with pictures and facts, young scientists work in small groups to match invasive species with their corresponding...
Curated OER
Lighten Up!
Third graders observe light as a form of energy, that it can be reflected/bounced, refracted/bent and absorbed. They explore how different types of light affect our lives as a whole. Songs are researched that involve light (ex. "You...
Curated OER
Hunger and Malnutrition
Students recognize that our bodies cannot function without certain essential foods. In this hunger and malnutrition lesson, students become familiar with the problems associated with malnutrition such as medical problems, problems...
Curated OER
Good Food, Good Health
Students investigate how food provides energy for the human body. In this physical health instructional activity, students access online resources to identify how certain foods can affect their health. Students discuss how many servings...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Cycles, Systems, and Webs
Fourth graders review the parts of the plant and their functions. In this plant lesson plan, 4th graders recognize that plants must transfer energy to make food. Students understand the interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem.
Curated OER
The Human Memory
This is a well-designed, creative lesson plan to help learners learn more about the human memory. Working in pairs, students complete tasks and gather data. Excellent websites for resources are also provided.
Curated OER
Earth's Water
If the majority of our planet is covered with water, why do we need to bother conserving it? With a thorough and varied investigation into the location and types of water on the earth, learners will gain an understanding of why this...
PBS
Breaking it Down
After challenging themselves to correctly choose the form of erosion and length of time required for a given landform to develop, earth science class members model mechanical and chemical weathering with various lab demonstrations over...
K12 Reader
Charge It!
Electrify your pupils' interest in conductors and insulators with a brief reading passage! After reading the text, learners respond to five questions that relate to the content of the passage.
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Your class sets up a mini water cycle model to examine the process. Then they watch an animation, following a water molecule through the cycle. A well-developed lab sheet guides learners through the lesson and a PowerPoint presentation...
Curated OER
Parts of a Solar Panel-Part I
Students examine electrical contacts, solar cells, and rechargeable batteries and compare and contrast the characteristics of a solar cell to a rechargeable battery in a hands-on activity. Students complete a worksheet as they...
Curated OER
Rat Round Up
Learners build a device that captures and carries a pet rat safely back to its cage with out "harming" the rat or themselves. They build and experiment with wind-up or battery operated rat cat toys after predicting the outcome of their...
Curated OER
Sounds Like Great Science!
A phenomenal lesson on sound is here for your third graders! In it, learners engage in hands-on activities, watch video, take part in Internet activities, and complete tasks in cooperative groups in order to explore the world of sound...
Curated OER
Destination Outer Space
Young scholars investigate space travel. In this space travel lesson students examine space exploration history, engineers and scientists involved in space exploration, and Newton's third law of motion. Young scholars make rockets.