Curated OER
Solids in Bottles
Students use funnels to put the five solid materials into clear bottles with caps. They observe how the particulate materials look, sound, and move when they shake and roll the bottle. Finally, students write "sound and touch" poetry.
Curated OER
Michigan's Lumbering history: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Fourth graders explore lumbering in Michigan. For this lumbering instructional activity, 4th graders examine the life of a modern day lumberjack and how technology can interfere with natural ecology. Students create a list of...
Curated OER
Traveling Sound
Young scholars explore how sound waves move through liquids, solids and gases in a series of simple sound energy experiments. They describe how sound needs molecules to move and that changing the medium that it travels through changes...
Curated OER
A Tour of the Solar System
Students construct a spacecraft out of Lego blocks and other materials. They work on their models in small groups while building. They become familar with the planets while working cooperatively.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Your identity, your heritage
Students list memorable moments fro childhood. They complete the worksheet "Your identity, your heritage." Students look a sites regarding genealogy and discuss information about their families' genealogy or heritage. Students visit the...
Curated OER
Reflection of Light
Students experiment with reflections of two plane mirrors placed at a 90 degree angle to see what will be reflected.
Curated OER
The "Wright" Puzzle
A crossword puzzle based on the lives of the Wright brothers. Students research on their own or in small groups several brief biographies of the Wright brothers.They complete a crossword puzzle based on their reading.
NASA
Launch Altitude Tracker
Using PVC pipe and aquarium tubing, build an altitude tracker. Pupils then use the altitude tracker, along with a tangent table, to calculate the altitude of a launched rocket using the included data collection sheet.
NASA
Rocket Wind Tunnel
Using a teacher-built wind tunnel constructed from a paper concrete tube form, a fan, and a balance, individuals determine the amount of drag their rocket design will experience in flight. Pupils make modifications to increase the...
NASA
Pop! Rockets
Off they go — launching rockets is fun. The lesson plan contains templates to build paper rockets that can be launched from a PVC pipe launcher. Individuals or groups build the rockets and determine the shapes for their fins. Included...
Curated OER
Rover Landing Design Challenge
Young scholars examine the concepts of forces and motion. They work together to design protective devices for their egg rovers as they are dropped from a specific height. They record their observations and discuss.
Curated OER
Fire Brigade
Pupils examine how a community works together to protect them from fire. They work together to design a functional tool that could be helpful in fighting fires. They share their tool with the class.
Curated OER
Measure Up!
Discover ways to measure items without standard tools. In this measurements lesson, learners estimate how long certain objects are by measuring with a non-standard measuring tool. Students check their estimates with a ruler and share...
Curated OER
Principles of Flight: Flying Paper Airplanes
Students investigate ways to enhance an object's flying ability. In this model construction lesson, students construct two paper airplanes, one of which is twice as big as the first. Students compare and contrast the two...
Curated OER
Civil Rights and Americans with Disabilities
Students apply the principles of American democracy to people with disabilities. They analyze how individuals and groups in American society have struggled to achieve the liberties and equality promised in the principles of American...
Curated OER
Exercise Your Options for Stronger Bones
Young scholars investigate ways to improve their bone strength. In this bone strength lesson, students explore the link between exercise and bone growth. Young scholars study the effects of proper nutrition and exercise.
Curated OER
Gold Mountain
Students read primary and secondary sources to find jobs as a Chinese immigrant. In groups they create a chart listing jobs for Chinese and write a letter about employment and living conditions to a Chinese friend.
Curated OER
Watch It Slide!
Students work together to examine inclined planes. They create a plan to raise rocks to build pyramids. They discover the changes that occur when the angle is increased or decreased.
Curated OER
Electrical motors
Students investigate and experiement with a 9-volt motor. They will use the connecting wire and battery pack to discover fans.
Curated OER
Create a Country
Young scholars work in small groups to list features and elements found on a variety of grade- appropriate maps. They develop a class list of map features and elements to draw from as they create a map of an imaginary country.
Curated OER
Paper Dart Airplane
Students create a paper dart airplane and measure its flight pattern. In this flight instructional activity, students follow the included directions to build their own paper airplane. The students change the aileron configurations to see...
Curated OER
"101 Amazing Earth Facts" Game
Young scholars read for comprehension, work cooperatively to learn "101 Amazing Earth Facts," and compete as teams in a Jeopardy-like game.
