Curated OER
The Tibetan Plateau
Young scholars discuss the characteristics of the biosphere, with a focus on the Tibetan Plateau. They participate in a question and answer period discussing biomes and climate patterns. They compare and contrast different ecosystems.
University of Colorado
Great Red Spot Pinwheel
The great red spot on Jupiter is 12,400 miles long and 7,500 miles wide. In this sixth part of a 22-part series, individuals model the rotation of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. To round out the activity, they discuss their findings as a...
Curated OER
Can You Hear a Tree Fall in Space?
How does sound travel in space? Fifth graders investigate this question with a science activity, in which they research the properties of sound. Schedule a lab visit for individual Internet research, or include the activity after you...
Curated OER
Air Pressure
Learners participate in a series of demonstrations about Bernoulli's principle. They explain how air pressure varies with air speed. They write a detailed lab report about the activity. This is a great way to explore this concept.
Curated OER
Regolith Formation
Students explain the difference between regolith formation on Earth and the Moon. In this space science lesson, students model the different factors affecting regolith formation on Earth. They identify the different types of weathering.
Curated OER
Circuit Diagrams: Switching Circuits
Use a lab sheet on circuit diagrams in your electricity unit. Fifth graders draw two series circuits with diagrams, based on two examples. A science experiment prompts learners to use 3x5 cards to illustrate the way a series circuit works.
Curated OER
Continental Drift
Be sure to come prepared to discuss the theory of Pangaea and the two super-continents, Laurasia and Gondwanaland. Collaborative learners look for fossil evidence that supports the theory that one super-continent divided into two. They...
Colorado State University
Why Do Clouds Form in the Afternoon?
The stability of the atmosphere changes on a daily basis. A kinesthetic lesson models how the stability of the air changes as it's warmed by the sun. Learners connect their models to the changing air currents and movement of warm and...
Curated OER
Coal Formation
Learners perform an in-depth study of coal - one of most important fossil fuels. Over a three-week period of time, they become familiar with how coal is formed underground, and will create a "fossil" right there in the classroom in order...
Curated OER
Analyzing Tree Rings to Determine Climate Change
Students examine how to locate and access data sets. For this climate change lesson students import data into Excel and graph it.
Colorado State University
What Is a "Convection Cell"?
Round and round in circles it goes! A hands-on activity has learners recreate a model of a convection cell. They watch as the difference in density of their materials creates a current.
Curated OER
The High Cost of Chemical Dependency
Sixth graders explore, analyze and study the effect and impact that humans have on the environment based on their choices as individuals, businesses and governments. They assess the balance between human activities and aquatic pollution.
Curated OER
Discovery Science Library: The Basics Physical Science
Middle schoolers examine friction and gravity. affect four sports. In this scientific discovery lesson, students examine how friction and gravity affect sports. They discuss, write, and illustrate the effect of different forces on...
Curated OER
How Do You Move Along the Earth?
Students determine their own walking and running velocity. In this physics lesson, students calculate velocity using distance and time information. They compare human and animal speeds.
Curated OER
Reworking a Butterfly Garden
Sixth graders determine how physical and biological agents and processes form and affect the soil. They analyze soil properties. Students evaluate ways in which human activities have affected the earth's pedosphere.
Curated OER
Frisbee Physics
Students explain how a Frisbee flies, why it's shaped he way it is and how fast and how far the Frisbee can go.
Curated OER
Help I've Fallen And I Can't Get Up
Students examine how natural disasters impact humans and how to develop a disaster relief plan. They develop a list of natural disasters, and in disaster relief teams, create an emergency plan for their families to follow if a selected...
Curated OER
Local Animal Sort
Students examine the concepts of sorting and classifying animal. They use familiar animals to determine the connections between physical characteristics and categorization.
Curated OER
Simple Atomic Structure
Atomic structure is reviewed with connection to the gain or loss of electrons. The movement of electrons and the resulting behavior is summarized. Practical uses of static electricity is explained, with diagrams of the most common...
Curated OER
The Toilet Paper Solar System
Explore the solar system with this lesson. Learners create a model of the solar system using toilet paper. With this creative approach, learners create a solar system according to distance and scale parameters, and write down a list of...
Curated OER
The Seasons
Discover the change of the seasons by modeling the Earth-Sun system. Learners model the orbit of the Earth around the sun and explore how and why the patterns of winter and summer occur.
Curated OER
Magnets
Learners explore how the earth is a magnet and that magnets have two "poles". In this magnetic lesson plan students complete an activity by designing their own compass.
Curated OER
The Effects Of Earthquakes
Students investigate the concept of how earthquakes occur and the after effects of how they effect landforms. They conduct research it using a variety of resources and measure the varying intensities of how earthquakes effect the...
Curated OER
Tsunami! Examining Earth's Most Destructive Waves.
Students discover what creates a tsunami In this earth science lesson, student research using the Internet how tsunami's develop. Students read accounts of first responders to the Sri Lanka tsunami.