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...
Purdue University
Trees of the Midwest
All trees are not created equal. A set of three wildlife conservation lessons has learners examine the characteristics of individual trees. They look at the life cycle of the tree using a story and reference a field guide to identify...
World Intellectual Property Organization
Learn from the Past, Create the Future: Inventions and Patents
3D printers, selfie sticks, smart watches. GPS, self-driving cars, YouTube. Imagine life without inventions. Believe it or not, these items were all invented in the last 10 years. Inventions, and the inventors responsible for them,...
Curated OER
Marine Organisms
Peek into marine life with this mathematics worksheet. A data sheet includes a list of animals and the ocean depth where they can be found. Learners use this information to write the depths as negative integers, order the depths, and...
Curated OER
Long Island Beach Life
Have your class learn about marine life through this resource. This comprehensive lesson has learners discuss marine life, learn key vocabulary, discuss environmental concerns, and play games related to migration and predator/prey...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Life Vest Challenge
After reading about the history and science of personal floatation devices, patents, and intellectual property, engineering teams design a life vest for a can of soup. To evaluate which groups considered the need for waterproofing, hold...
California Academy of Science
Composting: A Scientific Investigation: California Academy of Sciences
Garbage, recycle, compost: Does it really matter where we put our trash once we are done? By making detailed observations over seven weeks, kids will see which materials break down naturally to become a healthy part of the soil, and...
Science Matters
Blubber Gloves: It’s All About Insulation
Instill the concept of adaptation with the help of Blubber Gloves—ziplock bags, shortening, and duct tape. Scholars discuss how animals and plants keep warm in polar regions, record their predictions, and try on their Blubber Gloves to...
Curated OER
Investigate Science Using Crayfish
Young scientists discover the importance of scientific investigation by observing live crayfish. They carefully observe the patterns of crayfish in different environments. Then they discuss their conclusions and define what all living...
Baylor College
How Much Water Do Humans Need?
Physical or life science learners measure the amounts of water eliminated by intestines and the urinary system, and the amounts lost via respiration and perspiration. In doing so, they discover that the body's water must be replenished...
Curated OER
The Impact of Fishing
Students explore the concept of fishing as it relates to oceans and how some fishing practices can damage the health of the marine ecosystems. In this lesson on the impact of fishing, students research the many places in the world where...
Curated OER
Home Living / Daily Living: Dressing for the Weather
What to wear? Help your special needs class make independent choices about what they should wear during various weather conditions. They'll discuss weather-appropriate clothing, dress dolls for the weather outside, and even put on a...
Curated OER
Home Living/ Daily Living: Food Pyramid
What did you have for lunch? Did it contain all four food groups? Help your special education class make good food choices and recognize foods in each of the four food groups. They look at images and discuss the foods on the food pyramid...
Curated OER
Home Living / Daily Living: Safety Terms
Being able to recognize safety signs in your environment is a great start to staying safe. Kids with severe to moderate disabilities work to recognize and identify safety terms and signs. They use flashcards and decreasing prompts to...
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...
Weebly
Phases of Life Poster Project
Now this is a clever approach to familiarizing aspiring astronomers with the phases of the moon! They first record the specific dates for ten special events in their lives. Then they use an online moon phase calendar to find out which...
University of Southern California
Human Impact on the Sea
How far does the human hand reach? Five interactive lessons lead classes through a unit exploring the human impact on ocean resources, pollution, and even extinction. Learners discover how their decisions affect the ocean...
Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey
The Great Peregrine Scavenger Hunt - On the Internet
The story of one bird provides valuable insight into general animal behaviors and interactions. Young researchers investigate the peregrine falcon using a web search. They analyze the behaviors of the raptor including its migration...
Curated OER
Solar Arrays for the Space Station
Students explore the challenges that are faced when transporting materials into space. They review the various forms of energy, including solar arrays, that are used on the International Space Station and how generating this energy calls...
Curated OER
The Long Road to Coffee
Learners discover how coffee is processed from a plant, to a drink. In this life cycle lesson, students study that cells and organisms go through a cycle of growth and change. Learners organize picture cards, illustrate how coffee...
Curated OER
Exercise and the Human Heart
Interpret data and learn about the human heart in one activity! After learning about the way blood flows in the body, fifth graders answer two questions about a graph displaying pulse rate. They then take their own pulses to find the...
National Wildlife Federation
Massive Migrations
Turn your students into flocks of migratory birds for this fun lesson plan on animal migration. Prior to the activity, the teacher creates four different migration routes in the classroom or any available open space,...
Curated OER
Recognizing the Importance of Sight
Students discover the true value of their senses. In this sight lesson, students discover the difficulty of life without sight by performing everyday activities without the help of their eyes. The students examine their results and the...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Earth's Atmosphere
Earth's thick atmosphere plays a vital role in the ability of the planet to sustain life. Learn about the layers of the atmosphere and their properties, how the gases surrounding the earth help protect the planet, and a little about...