California Academy of Science
Energy: A Day in My Life
If only we could harness the energy of fifth graders, our energy problems would be over! The class discusses where different forms of energy come from and how we use them. They complete a chart of the activities that they do daily...
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Baggie Science
Students observe and describe a chemical reaction. For this chemistry lesson, students record observations of the materials they will be using, then follow a written procedure to perform the experiment in a baggie and record their...
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Octopus Lesson Plan
Students read about the octopus and create an octopus out of ink and a deflated balloon. In this octopus lesson plan, students discuss the different defense mechanisms of the octopus and use the ink to demonstrate what happens if the...
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The Human Body Lesson
Students identify features of the human body, explore needs of the human body by explaining the importance of good health in relationship to the body, and study functions and care of the human body and its organs.
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Freshwater Sharks Bite Children at 35th Beach. A Play
Students delve into a study of sharks. In this science lesson plan, students examine the many different scientific occupations, as well as some possible specializations therein, and perhaps a little bit of other life considerations,...
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The Science of Color
Students use the scientific method to explore how to make different colors with paint. They problem solve ways to darken and lighten colors without using black and white paint. Students hypothesize how to create new colors, and describe...
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Science: Animal Body Parts
Students examine animal vocabulary words and identify which animals have those characteristics. In small groups, they play an animal card game involving more vocabulary words. Students continue to drill on terms by completing...
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Elementary Article: What's a Short Circuit?
Students read an article about short circuits. In this science reading comprehension lesson, students read about short circuits and study the diagram to learn more about electricity and energy.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Charting the Progress of New Horizons
In 2006, New Horizons began its mission to fly to Pluto. As it continues its journey, scholars track its progress with the help of an informative website, all the while reinforcing measurement concepts with the construction of a scaled...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
The Planets and Scale
Scholars gain an insight into the relative size of planets and distance between inner and outer planets with the help of informational text, a data table, and a series of four questions.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Planetary Distances on the Playground
There's no need to stay inside; get out of the classroom and create a scaled map of the solar system on your playground field! In collaborative groups, scholars identify the distance between the sun and other planets, place planet...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Growing Up With A Mission
New Horizons began its journey to Pluto in 2006. Ten years later, it continues its mission. In that time, scholars have surely grown, but how much more will they grow by the time New Horizons reaches its destination? Find out with an...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Where Are We Going?
Come take a ride on the space bus! Scholars go on an imaginary trip to pick up their peers from the inner and outer planets while reinforcing math skills. First, learners round decimals to identify each planets' distance from Earth....
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Forces of Flight - Lift
Students design and test paper airplanes to understand the concept of lift and how it affects flight. This technology-based Science lesson plan is excellent for use with upper-elementary and middle-level learners and uses spreadsheet...
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Creatasaurus
Upper elementary children still are intrigued by dinosaurs. Here is a dinosaur lesson that is geared toward their age group! The learners consider a list of prefixes and suffixes. Using the list, they can analyze the names of their...
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Classifying Plants and Insects
Art and science come together in a lesson based on Flower Still Life by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder. Learners classify plants and insects in the painting by color, leaf shape, size, reproduction, and season of bloom.
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Initial Fraction Ideas Lesson 7: Overview
Third graders recognize that the larger the denominator of a fraction, the smaller the piece you have. In this fraction lesson, 3rd graders compare fractions and order them from largest to smallest. Students complete an exercise...
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Physical Changes to Matter
Pupils explore matter by conducting an in-class experiment. They experiment with water's various forms by melting and freezing water, identifying its new shape. These observations are recorded to supplement later discussion. They also...
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Adaptation
The camel, polar bear, penguin, golden eagle, shark, and ostrich are displayed as examples of animal that have adapted to their particular environments. Each slide has a picture of the animal and a bullet-style list of the animal's...
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Poetry for the Elementary Classroom
Use Shel Silverstein's poem "Batty" to introduce poetry to young readers. This instructional activity is not formatted well, but the plan does suggest learners memorize a poem, recite the poem individually, and then recite the poem as a...
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Elementary Concepts in Heat
Third graders read a thermometer with accuracy, record observations and data, and infer conceptual meaning. They integrate mathematical charting and graphing skills to organize their data. They explore what happens when they touch or use...
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The West the Railroads made
Students investigate the effects of time and distance for the creation of a successful railroad. For this railroad lesson, students recognize the railroad's need for an exact time schedule was the cause for the creation of time...
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Capturing Light: The Science of Photography
Students explore light, and how it travels in straight path, recognize that light-sensitive chemical processes can be used to create images using light as catalyst, discover that light can be refracted by convex lens to focus camera,...
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Texture With Chemical Reactions
Students explore the use of different textures in watercolor paintings in this late-elementary activity. Emphasis is placed upon the art element of texture using the science of chemical reaction. The activity includes one possible...