Curated OER
Science Trail
Students explore the solar system by conducting Earth science experiments. In this Sun lesson, students identify the different seasons on Earth and discuss their purpose and cause. Students create a sundial and observe the changes to...
Discovery Education
Weathering Cubes
Weathering is not necessarily a result of the weather. Scholars conduct an experiment to explore the effect of surface area and volume on the weathering process. They create their own sugar cube rocks using the same number of cubes—but...
Curated OER
Heavy Ice: Day Five
Learners explore physics by conducting a class experiment. In this density lesson plan, students examine a list of items and discuss whether they will sink or float and then determine their density. Learners examine the objects over five...
Curated OER
Gravity - The Glue of the Universe
Students explore physics by conducting a class experiment. In this gravitational force lesson plan, students define several scientific terms associated with force. Students utilize a styrofoam cup and marbles to simulate a satellite...
Curated OER
Flight Dreams - Flight Factors
Students investigate the physics of flight by experimenting in class. In this history of flight activity, students define terms such as gravity, lift, and drag in order to better understand how a plane is able to stay in the air....
Curated OER
Energetic Atoms - Active & Spaced Out
Students discover the power of the sun through an outdoor experiment. In this solar power lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation on atoms before they complete an atom worksheet. Students utilize a solar bag to...
Curated OER
Sally Ride: Forging a Path to the Stars
Carry on the legacy of the heroic astronaut/educator who spent 30 years nurturing science learning for young girls.
University of Wisconsin
What’s a Square Foot Anyway? Laying Out the Design Plan
Clever! Participants don square-foot cardboard shoes to mark out the rain garden plot that they have spent the last few weeks designing. In this way, they are practicing scale modeling as well! Note that this activity is part of a unit,...
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
Traveling Sound
Students 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 the...
Curated OER
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Students create a design for a school garden. In this garden design lesson, students analyze what plants grow best in their school's climate and work in teams to design a garden. Students measure the existing space, determine the...
Curated OER
Aqua-Thrusters!
Students construct their own rocket-powered boat called an "aqua-thruster." These aqua-thrusters will be made from a film canister and will use carbon dioxide gas - produced from a chemical reaction between an antacid tablet and water -...
Curated OER
Wind Power
Fourth graders develop an understanding of how engineers use wind to generate electricity. They will build a model anemometer to better understand and measure wind speed. They discover that engineers design wind turbines that generate...
Curated OER
2.0 "Water Is Life" Global Water Awareness Mini-Unit (Grades3-5)
Students study the amount of potable water on the Earth. In this water lesson, students examine the amount of potable water as compared to all the water on the Earth. They discuss why many parts of the world do not have access to good...
Curated OER
The Case of the Mysterious Red Light
Students investigate why some sunrises and sunsets are unusually bright red.
Curated OER
Playground Modeling
Students build a model of their school playground. They view models from the classroom (such as a globe, doll house, or cars). Students share observations about the models. They use a paper mat to represent the playground and use...