SF Environment
Compost Tag
Composting is a great way to get children involved in recycling. First, they discuss how biodegradable products decompose to make compost. Then, they talk about what can and cannot be composted. They play a game similar to around the...
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What Are Physical Changes in Matter?
In this matter worksheet, students write down 3 causes and effects of physical changes in matter. This worksheet is a graphic organizer.
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"Heat Transfer and Ice Cream!"
Learners analyze earth science by creating a frozen treat in class. In this heat transfer activity, students discuss how matter is transformed from solid to liquid and liquid to gas when energy is removed from the equation. Learners...
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Hot Stuff
Students investigate if heat can change the form of matter. In this physics lesson, students use heat sources to observe the changes in an ice cube. Students graph which heat source changed the matter the fastest.
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Marshland Ecosystem
Students classify animals based on their physical characteristics and eating habits. In this animal identification lesson plan, students investigate the life forms shown on a Parisian ceramic basin, and discover ecosystem the...
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Breaking it Down
Students discover how water expands when frozen during a glacier. In this matter lesson, students fill a glass jar with water, leaving no room for air in the jar and place it in the freezer. Students retrieve the jar and notice the...
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Rising Water!
Students observe water change from a liquid to a gas state when heated and then return to its liquid stage when cooled. They learn that gas molecules move faster than liquid molecules. They discover physical properties that describe how...
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Plant Nutrition and Nutrients
Students observe seeds growth and examine the different parts of the seedling. In this biology lesson, students compare the growth of seeds planted in soil and in hydroponics. They record their observations in their science journal and...
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What Do You SUBpose?
Submarines are the fous of this math and science lesson. In it, learners explore the world of submarines: how they work, and what they are used for. They engage in hands-on activities, watch video clips, and work in cooperative groups in...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
What is the Water Cycle? Activity A
Hydrologists create a concept map about how water is used and a sentence strip defining water and describing its unique properties. Small groups work together to fill a small milk carton and compute the mass of water inside. The next...
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Somethin' Sweet
Students make their own candy. In this science lesson plan, students observe how molecules interact with each other in physical changes and observe how the addition of heat can cause molecules to interact and form new molecules in...
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Touch and Discover
Students identify the physical properties of items using the sense of touch. In this touch and discover instructional activity, students describe items. Students sort items using a Venn diagram.
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Marshland Ecosystems
Learners identify animals in ecosystem depicted on 16th Century ceramic basin and classify them as herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores based on physical characteristics and prior knowledge, determine which life forms in ecosystem are...
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Insects!
Students explore the diet of insects. In this "insects" biology lesson, students take a nature walk and collect various natural materials they think may be eaten by insects. Students sort and classify these materials into three diet...
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The Nature of Chemical Change: Acting Out An Example
Learners illustrate the molecular nature of matter and show that chemical change involves alteration of molecules.
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Religion and Ethics: Living with Special Needs
Students explore human behavior by exploring mental and physical disabilities. In this learning disability lesson, students identify the different disabilities students have which prevent them from working at the same pace as the rest of...
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Saltwater Science
Students conduct an experiment that shows them how salt water allows things to float. In this salt water lesson plan, students mix ingredients together to create salt water and observe how it makes the oceans dense. They then interpret...
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Toboggan Science
Students conduct toboggan time trials to investigate the variables that have the greatest effect on toboggan speed. In small groups, they develop a hypothesis to test and perform three trials on the toboggan run for each variable.
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Earth Matters
Students identify Earth's equator, prime meridian, lines of latitude, lines of longitude, parallels, and meridians.
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Circle of Pong
Students, in groups, use given materials to devise a way to deposit a ping-pong ball into a paper cup that is located in the middle of a 6-foot diameter circle, while standing outside the circle.
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Design a Bobsled
Learners apply their knowledge of friction, drag, mass and gravity as they design, build, and test mini-bobsleds.
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Electricity and Magnetism
Fourth graders compare electricity and magnetism. In this science lesson plan, 4th graders discuss the concepts of electricity and magnetism and brainstorm examples of electrical and magnetic forces.
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Energy Type
In this simple handout, junior scientists read a phrase and identify the type of energy in use. This would serve as a succinct quiz on the forms of energy for your upper elementary learners.
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The Same But Different
Fourth graders identify the characteristics of a simple physical change. They describe objects by the properties of the materials from which they are made. Students discuss the different states of matter and their distinct physical...