Adopt a plant and get to know its phenophases. The third instructional activity in a six-part series combines plant identification and phenology. Pupils begin by creating their own field guides to learn about the features and...

Bees get all the attention, but so many more creatures contribute to pollination. Scientists explore the role of pollinators as they learn about the parts of a flower and how it reproduces. They discover how plants rely on many different...

Everyone should take an interest in the fate of wild cats. A thorough lesson explores the habitat changes of native North American wild cats and asks learners to make connections to human development. They consider the implications of...

Modeling is a powerful teaching tool. The final installment in a six-part series has pupils complete an activity to model a food web and discover the interconnected relationships in an ecosystem. They then read about changes in migratory...

Studying data over time can paint a pretty interesting picture. Learners use data they collected in the previous lesson to compare to historical data in a similar region. They graph the data of the first bloom of a specific species over...

Reading the cues from nature can be as much an art as a science. The second installment in a six-part unit on climate teaches learners that environmental and biological events have significance. They first learn the difference between...

Observing plant succession doesn't have to be a decade long process. A hands-on lesson plan has groups study succession over a designated space. Learners use their observation skills to record differences in plant and soil...

Bats are a misunderstood species. Pupils learn about the characteristics of bats in a three-part lesson. They begin by examining the adaptations of different types of bats, then explore the misconceptions humans have about the species....

Less than one percent of the water on Earth is usable in people's homes. As pupils consider this fact, they reflect on their own water usage before designing a survey to collect information on water usage by others. They then analyze...

How prevalent is pollution in the water system? A hands-on activity focuses on one area that is prone to pollution. Learners use game chips to represent clean water and polluted water and complete an activity that demonstrates how...

Natural design is amazing. Young scientists connect the features of a bison to an assortment of everyday items. A bison's tail is an ideal flyswatter, and a pot stores water just like a bison's stomach. The lesson plan connects the...

Catch the fast wave. Using a computer simulation, pupils experiment with amplitude, frequency, damping, and tension of a string to determine which affects the speed of the wave. Learners record the observations to determine their...

Try to find the triangles in various polygons. An investigation has learners develop a formula for the sum of the measures of the interior angles of a polygon. They use manipulatives to partition each polygon into triangles, then...

Examining tree rings shows more than just age. The third installment of a five-part Family Nature Program unit has learners examine all parts of trees including tree rings to tell stories about the life of the tree. They then use their...

How have birds evolved from prehistoric animals? With the three-part instructional activity, small groups first research different prehistoric animals and determine whether they are birds. Then, scholars explore different bird...

Make young citizens aware of their environmental impact early. An inquiry-based lesson helps learners analyze their own water usage patterns and understand the effects of their habits. Individuals look at data to spot trends and see how...

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...

DNA is the code for all biological traits, both plant and animal. Using an exploratory lesson, learners begin to explore the concept of a biological code by decoding word puzzles. They then extract DNA from plant cells using detergent to...

Human migration—often the result of push and pull factors—sometimes has dramatic outcomes for both those leaving their homelands and the host countries. Using a variety of case studies, learners consider those issues. Then, by completing...

Sometimes science is all fun and games! A hands-on STEM lesson asks learners to design and create models of roller coasters. They analyze the motion using a marble and describe the areas of maximum kinetic and potential energy.

What would Rudolph ask for in his ideal home? Pupils analyze the characteristics of the reindeer to create their perfect zoo habitats. A STEM lesson focuses on the design of the habitat while factoring constraints such as space, diet,...

Sitting Bull was not expected to be a great warrior. Yet, he led the Lakota people and other tribes to several pivotal victories against the United States government when federal troops threatened their land. Using primary sources, such...

Could you develop your own way to add fractions with unlike denominators? An in-depth task has scholars examine a fictional conversation between several people in which they discuss a method of adding fractions with unlike denominators....

Three heads are better than one. After reading a conversation between three friends about how to compare fractions, scholars analyze and discuss each presented strategy. These include using unit fractions, using benchmark fractions,...