Curated OER
Here Comes the Sun
Third graders watch a video on the solar system and examine the role of the sun. As a class, they complete a KWL chart and make different color temperature pockets to use during their experiment. In groups, they make predictions about...
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Dirty Pictures
Students investigate how food, clothing and shelter come from soil after they examine soil from their own backyards. They map soils on the color wheel before making glue and soil pictures and tie-dying T-shirts in red soil.
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Drosophila Melanogaster
Pupils manipulate flies, examine their external anatomy, begin a fly journal and make cultures of wild type flies.
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The Journey of Sacagawea
Students examine the life of Sacagawea, the exceptional woman chosen to appear on the Golden Dollar, and write journal entries based on their research.
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Rollin' On
Third graders investigate the effects of gravity on the motion of a marble on an inclined plane and a declined plane. They work in small cooperative groups to predict and explain outcomes.
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Do You See What I See?
Students hypothesize the role of rocks, soil, and water by observing a terrarium and create a model to explore the water cycle. This is part of a five station set up.
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Hey, Look Me Over!
Students make observations about mealworms using hand lenses, rulers, and cotton swabs. Students complete their own mealworm observation chart, then they share their observations with the class. This is one station out of five in an...
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Outdoor Explorations: Mystery Plot Vacant Lot
Students utilize observations skills as they work together in groups to solve a mystery. They discuss and perform strategies to solve mysteries that occurred on a vacant lot. Students use a field guide to identify plants and animals...
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Alphabetical Insects
Students research using the internet, the library, and other sources to create a list of insects beginning with each letter of the alphabet. They provide the common name, the resource where it was found, and a brief description of each...
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Rain Forests
Students investigate the animals and plants of the rainforests. They define rainforest, watch and discuss a National Geographic video, and write a short story.
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Looking at the Community Tree
Third graders review the characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. As a class, they observe a tree and describe the interactions between the living and nonliving organisms surrounding it. To end the lesson, they ask a question...
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Animal Life Histories Derived From Morphology
Young scholars learn the mechanisms of natural selection by deducing information from the physical appearance of the animal.
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Amazing Mazes
Learners locate corn mazes and explain how they are an example of farm tourism. They search for sites within their community that could generate farm tourism.
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Great Salt Lake
Third graders are introduced to the Great Salt Lake (GSL) environment and the various components of it. They make observations about algae and its environment and discuss why it is considered a living organism and various components of...
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Pond and Pond Organisms
Students explore pond ecosystems. In this pond organism activity, students will use pond water and a plastic bad in order to locate and identify freshwater organisms. The activity is designed for younger grades, but...
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The Bear Facts
Students explore various kinds of bears and gather information about them. In this research and habitats lesson, students chart their bear information on large posters with illustrations of their bears. Students map the...
Tech Museum of Innovation
Seed Dispersal
Engineering challenges are not just man-made ... nature has its own set of them. A hands-on STEM activity has groups designing a seed dispersal system. Each group can only use one sheet of paper — a tough task!
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Grid Frame Mapping
Young scholars map and describe small area of the schoolyard and discuss habitats.
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National Eye Care Month
Here are some activities to teach your students about the importance of maintaining healthy eyesight as part of National Eye Care Month.
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My World
Students study maps. In this social studies lesson, students draw a map of either their room at home or the route they take to school. Students label items on their maps.
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Making a Rainstick
Students construct a rainstick. In this music lesson, students investigate the history of the rainstick by reading the book Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema. Students express their feelings about the rain and create...
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Honing in on Hummingbirds
Students explore ruby-throated hummingbirds. In this cross-curricular hummingbirds instructional activity, students listen to the book The Mystery of the Missing Hummingbirds and choose related topics to research with a partner....
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Oyster Morphs: Adaptations to the Environment
Students demonstrate how organisms adapt to their environment. They examine prey and predators, natural selection, and adaptations by representing oyster morph.
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Writing a Historical Poem
Students work together to research a historical event. They create their own poems based on their research. They share their poems with the class and discuss the historical event further.