Curated OER
The Nervous System
Students investigate the nervous system. In this anatomy lesson, students identify and define vocabulary related to the nervous system. Students role play the parts of a nervous system and perform an experiment measuring and comparing...
Curated OER
Diversity of Life
Students study the classification of viruses and describe their structure. In this investigative lesson students complete an activity and answer questions about viruses.
Curated OER
Sinking Races
Young scholars build plankton models and compete to see which sinks most slowly. They write, or orally present ,the adaptations they incorporated to slow the sinking rate of their organisms. Race results can be grounds for some prizes!
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Mature Forest Mime
Students come to understand vocabulary words through pantomime. In this vocabulary lesson plan, students first review several vocabulary words and their meaning, then they work in groups to pantomime the definitions.
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Egg Carton Coral
Students use egg cartons to construct models of coral colonies showing
many aspects of the coral's natural history - including the structure of
coral polyps and the coral colony's colonial life style.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Scale Models
With instructions to adapt the activities for any grade K-12, any teacher can incorporate the concept of scale into the classroom with a simple, yet effective lesson.
Curated OER
Dating a Volcanic Eruption
Students discover the various ways in which tree rings can give information. After a brief disucssion of concentric tree rings, they use cross section cut outs of tree rings to identify the time and type of various naturally occuring...
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Plants
In this science worksheet, students investigate plants by first reading a paragraph of information. Students then choose a plant, illustrate and write about it.
Curated OER
Filter Feeding in Reef Sponges
Young scholars investigate the role of sponges in our oceans. In this biology lesson, students create a diagram visualizing how sponges bring food into their bodies through a filtering process. Young scholars discuss the connections...
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The Basics of Biochemistry
Science teachers can introduce basic chemical concepts to biology students.
Curated OER
Use Concept Maps to Teach the Transfer of Energy
Practical tips, lessons, and ideas for teaching the transfer of energy.
Curated OER
How Does a Green Plant Grow?
Students of all ages can explore the question "how do seeds grow?", design an experiment to answer the question, predict the outcome of the experiment then conduct the experiment.
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What a Waste!
Fourth graders explore the kidney, bladder, and function of the excretory (urinary) system.
Curated OER
Knowledge Quiz: Bacteria
For this bacteria quiz worksheet, students complete a set of 10 multiple choice questions covering a variety of concepts related to bacteria. A reference web site is included for additional resources.
Curated OER
The Skeleton Within
Fourth graders explore the bones, joints, and other attributes of the skeletal system.
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You Have Nerve!
Fourth graders investigate the nervous system and how it communicates messages to and from the brain.
Curated OER
How Does a Green Plant Grow?
Students examine how a seed grows, and design an experiment to explore this concept. They make predictions, conduct the experiment, record the results, and interpret the results.
Curated OER
Candy DNA Model Lesson
Students explore DNA structure using materials such as Twizzlers, small colored gumdrops and/or toothpicks.
Curated OER
Rotten Truth
Young scholars complete activities to study decomposition. In this decomposition lesson, students work in pairs to observe a decay buffet experiment. Young scholars keep compost bag journals. Students define and discuss the process of...
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Organs and What They Do - Lecture
Students read information about the internal organs and body systems. For this organs and systems lesson, students read descriptions of the heart, lungs, stomach, small and large intestine, and liver and gall bladder. Students study...
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Com-Post With Us? Learn About Recycling While Having Fun
Students examine the importance of recycling to help the environment. In groups, they make a compost bin on the school grounds recording how the material changes from week to week. They collect other materials for recycling like cell...
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Parasites: Our Tiny Companions
Students consider parasites that seek human hosts. They prepare nutrient agar plates and cultivate samples of bacteria taken from their own bodies. They experiment with disinfectants and soaps to determine which method kills the most...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Plant and Animal Adaptations
Fourth graders identify behavioral and structural adaptations to plant and animal life. In this unit overview, 4th graders discuss the importance of variation and adaptation in a species survival. This is a unit overview and does not...
Curated OER
Applying the Laws of Inheritance
Biology and mathematics can be integrated through a study of Mendelian Genetics.