Curated OER
Extraterrestrials
Learners discuss the possibility of intelligent life in space. In this space science lesson plan, students decipher a radio message electronically transmitted in space. They create their own extraterrestrial welcome greeting.
Curated OER
Make a Solar Sill
Middle schoolers design a solar still and purify water. For this earth process and design lesson, students observe how the heat of the sun helps to purify water. Middle schoolers analyze why this could be helpful on a desert...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students complete a data sheet. In this Earth composition lesson, students learn what happens when the Earth's plates push against each other. They watch a teacher demonstration and complete a data sheet.
Curated OER
Simulation: Yum, Yum Trees Simulation: Yum Yum Trees Conservation of Resources
Students weigh the uses of the yum yum tree against the problem of conserving them. In this conservation lesson, groups of students discuss and make suggestion to conserve the yum, yum trees. Students apply knowledge to renewable and...
Curated OER
Biomes: Extreme Climate
Middle schoolers discuss the causes of global warming. In this earth science lesson, students examine how global warming is connected to the arctic and world climate. They write a paragraph about their interconnection.
Curated OER
Take the Pulse of Your Classroom
Students discuss seismic waves. In this science lesson, students investigate the acceleration of the floor in the classroom similar to a seismograph. Students observe a three-component seismogram from an earthquake and determine what it...
Curated OER
Notes: Characteristics of Stars
Students investigate stars and the solar system by completing a worksheet. In this space science lesson, students complete a fill in the blank worksheet based on the stars and components of the cosmos.
Curated OER
Alkaline-Earth Metals
Students study the importance of alkaline earth metals. In this metals lesson students research the minerals that are essential for human health.
Curated OER
Ocean Life Lesson Plans
Students learn about life in the ocean with lessons that connect science, art, and environmental topics.
Project SMART
Rocks and Minerals: Touch the Earth
Students complete a unit of lessons on rocks and minerals. They conduct research, write e-mail questions to geologists, write daily journal entries, label maps demonstrating types of rocks/minerals found, and create a web page that...
University of Texas
Observing the Moon
Why does it look like there is a man on the moon? Why does the moon look different every night? These are the focus questions of a lesson that prompts class members to observe and record the nightly changes of Earth's natural...
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Life In A Nest: Exploring Life Cycles With Bird Cams
Why read about it when you can watch it happen? Bird cams make it possible for learners to experience the life cycle of a bird in real time! An engaging set of lessons provides activities to connect their learning to bird cam...
Curated OER
Amazon Water Cycle Role Play
Students participate in a role play where they play clouds, the ocean, rain drops, and more in order to learn about the water cycle. For this water cycle lesson plan, students have discussions and learn vocabulary.
Curated OER
Earths Waters
Middle schoolers research Everglades National Park, Three Gorges Dam, Hoover Dam, Roaring 40s, and Mariana Trench. After reviewing the sites, they choose one to illustrate a postcard with an image on one side and a description of the...
Curated OER
Moon Phases - Finally Making Sense of Them
Young scholars investigate the different phases of the moon. In this lunar cycle lesson, students create models of the sun, earth and moon and investigate why we observe the moon the way we do. Young scholars observe a...
Curated OER
Mission to Mars: The Journey Begins
Students take a trip through space. In this space science lesson, students travel on a simulated mission to a space station. Students write a script and perform a play based on the pretend trip.
Curated OER
Sky Pictures
Students investigate constellations. In this space science lesson plan, students view transparencies of constellations and identify the zodiac constellations. Students research the legends connected with the constellations.
Curated OER
The Aurora
Students study the Aurora Borealis lights known commonly as the Northern and Southern lights. In this space science lesson, students study pictures of the Auroras for Jupiter and Saturn. Students visit the given website for an...
Curated OER
Retrograde Motion of Mars
Students investigate the motion of Mars. In this space science lesson, students use transparencies to trace the path of Mars through constellations. Students discuss the characteristics of the planet.
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Volcano
Students research major volcanic eruptions. In this Earth science lesson, students take on the role of vulcanologist writing reports to the President of the United States on how to respond to a volcanic disaster. This lesson includes...
Curated OER
Weather Tools
Students explore Earth science by participating in a weather identification activity. In this scientific instrument instructional activity, students identify several weather related tools such as the weather vane, thermometer and rain...
Curated OER
How's the Weather?
Students explore earth science by researching the Internet. In this weather pattern lesson, students utilize the website weather.com to analyze the weather in different geographic locations. Students view charts and graphs based on...
Curated OER
Keep on Standing!!
Students construct an earthquake simulator and create building models to test. In this earthquake lesson, students use the Internet and a slinky to demonstrate P and S waves. They construct an earthquake simulator as a class and use it...
Curated OER
Mesozoic Murals
Middle schoolers create a mural of one of the Mesozoic Periods. In this geologic timeline lesson, students will research the plants and animals that lived in the Mesozoic Era in order to create a mural to scale that represents one of the...