Curated OER
TE Activity: Testing the Caverns
Students make model caverns out of paper mache or clay. They bury them in a tray of sand, and test the models by dropping balls into them simulating as asteroid hitting the earth. They discuss the results of the activity in a whole class...
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How Things Fly
Students observe photographs of selected twentieth-century aircraft at the National Air and Space Museum and note differences in the design of aircraft wings, fuselages, and engines.
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Pictures Telling Stories
Learners see the importance of primary sources in the study of history, but also the limitations of relying only on primary sources of taking the money, as it were, at face value.
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A Tasty Experiment
Students work together to determine if smell is important to being able to recongize food by taste. They try different foods with different textures and hold their nose. They create a graph of their results.
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Hot Stuff!
Students observe different demonstrations on the greenhouse effect. They build their own models to show the phenomenon. They discus the role of greenhouse gases on global warming.
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How Do Things Fall?
Students observe falling objects. They discover the rate of falling is based on air resistance and not the weight of the objects. They discuss how engineers use this type of information to design aerodynamic shapes.
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Couch Potato or Inertia Victim?
Sixth graders how primary research is carried out. They design a simple survey questionnaire to interview people about their week average television watching time. They analyze the results and write a report based on the information.
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Satellite Tracker
Students use satellite tracking software to monitor different satellites. They predict and graph the motion of the space station. They create a 3-D display of its path and share it with the class.
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Sliding and Stuttering
Students measure frictional force existing between a moving cup and the surface it slides on. They conduct the experiment and answer discussion questions.
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State Your Position
Middle schoolers practice using a global positioning system. They discuss the use of celestial objects as navigation points and its problems. They list the advantages and disadvantages of GPS as well.
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TE Activity: Racing with the Sun - Creating a Solar Car
Learners use a purchased kit to build a solar powered car. They connect a solar photovoltaic panel to a motor which runs the car forward and backward. They determine how to wire the car to move in both directions.
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Power, Work and the Waterwheel
Students use a two-liter bottle, dowel rod and index cards to design and construct a water wheel. They then calculate the power created and measure the work done by the water wheel in Watts and Joules.
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Where Has All the Water Gone?
Students identify how we use water everyday. They determine the amount of water used in different activities. They finally explain why the water supply is limited and how we can conserve water.
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Spy on a Spider
Learners view slides or live specimens to name and describe the distinguishing features of groups of arthropods, especially spiders and insects. They complete worksheets, observe webs and then search for and record where spiders can be...
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Creatures from Planet X: Spiders
Students are given a description of some fascinating animals from "Planet X". They follow the descriptions given to illustrate one of these animals paying careful attention to introduced vocabulary such as 'appendages', 'receptors', and...
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Primary Level: Earth Day
Students research the environment prior to brainstorming a list of ways they can help stop Global Warming. Students then design posters to hang throughout the school and choose at least 1 action to implement in their household.
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Lewis and Clark: The Language of Discovery
Students replicate some of the trailblazing methods of Lewis and Clark on a fifteen-minute "writing journey" through the school or neighborhood.
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How Things Fly
Students, by drawing on their own experiences, discuss and examine the basic physics of flight. They participate in a variety of activities regarding flight.
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Money Talks
Students move from fact finding to interpretation as they examine paper money from the time of the American Revolution. In the final exercise, they use the issue dates of the bills to construct a chronology of political changes during...
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Raptor Poster Project
Students create posters about raptors. They synthesize information they read about raptors and select a raptor. They draw a picture of their raptor and include facts relating to where it lives, characteristics, feeding habits, size, name...
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Design an Egyptian Playground
Middle schoolers are broken up into four groups. Each group will use their knowledge about Egypt to originate a playground for Egyptian children. This will involve brainstorming ideas on paper, building a prototype with Legos or other...
Microsoft
Microsoft Education Lesson Plan: Making Money From Lemons
Simulation where learners apply mathematics and economics concepts in the lemonade business. Learners set up a virtual lemonade stand and must determine production costs, product variables, and profits. Students record data collected on...
Microsoft
Microsoft Education Lesson Plan: Candy Is Dandy
Explore color distribution of M&M candies using this detailed lesson plan. An engaging integrated lesson that requires understanding of spreadsheets and formulas, and logical reasoning. Links to related websites.
Other
Duke: Center for Inquiry Based Learning
Duke University has established the Center for Inquiry-Based Learning. It serves to enhance math and science lessons. Click on Resources for good examples of Inquiry-based lesson plans.