ReadWriteThink
Webcams in the Classroom: Animal Inquiry and Observation
Boost observational skills with an inquiry-based lesson that takes scholars on a virtual field trip. With help from webcams, learners observe animals in a zoo or aquarium. Observations go into a journal and a discussion is held to review...
Berkshire Museum
Meet a Naturalist: Researching, Writing, Interviewing
Young scholars reach out into the community and learn about different environmental science careers in this inquiry-based instructional activity. Beginning with a short research assignment, children gain background knowledge about...
National Science Teachers Association
Hop into Action
Young scientists find out what makes amphibians such unique and interesting animals in this simple life science lesson. After looking at pictures and discussing the characteristics of amphibians, learners complete a series of three Venn...
Curated OER
Skull Science
What can your class learn from a skull? With proper facilitation, they can learn about diet, physical adaptations, special differences, and even the environment. Pupils will examine a series of mammal skulls and pelts to help them...
Curated OER
Whodunnit?
Want to create an exciting mystery activity? Investigators will identify the elements of a mystery, review mystery stories, then write their own mysteries. They engage in forensic science experiments related to mysteries and learn to ask...
Baylor College
Serving Sizes
Are serving sizes for different foods always appropriate for what you need? In this hands-on activity, learners work in groups to estimate what one serving size of various foods are, and then evaluate their hypotheses by measuring real...
Polar Trec
Animal Monitoring Introduction
Not only do mealworms taste great, they are also great for classroom science lessons. In pairs, young scientists observe and record what they see as they check out what their mealworms are doing from minute to minute. Each minute...
Curated OER
Dancing Lights
Learners view artwork and navigate the Internet, and read books to learn about the Aurora Borealis. In this Northern Lights lesson, students complete a KWL and separate the facts from the myths about the Northern lights. Learners answer...
Curated OER
Acid or Base? Toxie's on the Case
Students recognize the difference between acids and bases. In this ToxMystery lesson, students play a computer game and experiment to find the difference between acids and bases. Students use litmus paper to determine if household...
Curated OER
ToxMystery Lesson Plan 2 : Case Book: Catch That Hazard!!!
Students explore toxic hazards. In this personal health lesson, students discover appropriate uses for household chemicals as they identify potentially harmful products in their homes.
Curated OER
Natural Inquirer Ecosystem Article Lesson
Students discover new ways to preserve the ecosystem by completing graphic organizers. In this environmental activity, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer in small groups and fill out a graphic organizer based on the...
Curated OER
Exploring Magnets and Magnetism
Here is a very good lesson on magnets, magnetism, and magnitic fields that is chock full of great activities for you to implement with your young scientists. Learners discover the properties of magnets, look at the forces of attraction...
Curated OER
Be "Sun-sible" about Heating Water
Students create a solar water heater. For this solar energy lesson, students conduct an experiment to determine which colors absorb more radiant heat. Students investigate the relationship of heat loss to insulation. Students then create...
Curated OER
How Hot and How Big?
Students explore star color and size. In this space science instructional activity, students conduct various inquiry activities to explore how the color of a star affects the amount of heat produced. They also investigate how the color...
Curated OER
Design a Tornado-Proof Building
Students design a tornado-proof building. For this inquiry-based lesson, students demonstrate their knowledge of tornadoes and the damage they can cause by trying to design a building that can withstand a tornado.
University of Minnesota
Welcome To Your Senses
Sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell—oh the world of senses! What do these five senses have to do with the brain? The answer: everything. Explore how the brain sends and receives messages by having the class participate in several sense...
Curated OER
Water Pressure Blaster
Third graders complete an experiment to introduce them to the concept of water pressure. In this water pressure lesson plan, 3rd graders create pressure in a water bottle and observe the force of water that is created.
Curated OER
The Bouncing Ball
Students use the scientific method to conduct an experiment to test how a ball bounces. In this inquiry-based physical science and scientific method instructional activity, students drop a ball from specified heights and record the...
Curated OER
The Five Classes of Vertebrates
What a terrific lesson! Learners discuss the animal kingdom, and classify them as vertebrates and invertebrates. They also identify them as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. There is even a taxonomic breakdown of popular...
Curated OER
Make a Windmill
Students explore Earth science by conducting an energy experiment in class. In this windmill lesson, students identify how wind has been used to pump water throughout history and the latest developments wind energy has produced. Students...
NOAA
Seafood and Human Health
Whether your young biologists realize it or not, humans play a significant role in marine ecosystems. To help them understand this fact children first create graphical representations that show homo sapiens' place in marine food chains,...
Curated OER
Bouncing Light
Students design an experiment to investigate how light reflects. In this physics lesson, students apply the scientific method in conducting the experiment. They collect data and formulate a conclusion.
Curated OER
Solar Relatives
Young scholars examine the solar system by creating a model representation. In this space science instructional activity, students research our solar system and the distances between planets. Young scholars create a model solar system...
Curated OER
The Human Organism
In this digestion and nutrition lesson, 3rd graders test foods to find their vitamin content. Students test for starch and fats then compare their findings on charts and oral reports. The lesson concludes with a teacher directed class...