Curated OER
Living With the Heat: The Ring of Fire
Students investigate the planet Earth's infamous ring of fire and the life that thrives from it. In this ocean environment lesson, students investigate hydrothermal vents and how organisms thrive off their heat. Students...
Curated OER
Water Quality: Water Filtration
Students build a water filtration system. For this water quality lesson, students work in groups to construct water filtration units that can purify contaminated water. This lesson is part of a larger unit on water quality.
Curated OER
Revolutionary Money
Examine paper money from the American revolution! Historians study the paper bills and discuss the history of money. How has money changed over the times? Activities are included.
Curated OER
Stratigraphy and Cross-Dating
Students interpret archaeological strata using the law of superposition. They apply cross-dating to determine the age of other artifacts.
GNS Science
Think like a Geologist: 1
How well do pupils play the role of geologist? Test their abilities in the first installment of a two-part series. Presented with a series of rock formation diagrams, learners write stories to match what they see in the diagrams. The...
Colorado State University
Can Energy Be Created or Destroyed?
Energy doesn't come out of nowhere! An engaging lesson has learners investigate energy as it transforms from one type to another. They collect data to prove that energy is not lost as it changes.
Colorado State University
How Can Freezing Make Something Warmer?
Crazy fact—freezing liquid actually gives off heat! Young scholars investigate the transfer of energy when liquids freeze using a chemical heat pack. The heat pack gives off heat as its liquid core freezes.
Curated OER
Volcanoes A-Z
Students examine terminology related to the study of volcanoes, geology, or the ecosystems that surround them. They make note of key words while reading exhibits, interpretive signs, or labels, or hearing them from each other, their...
Curated OER
Greenhouse Effect ...Building Our Own
Pupils explore the greenhouse effect. They set up a simplified model of the earth and the greenhouse effect. Students compare temperatures inside a jar to temperatures outside the jar. Pupils collect information and create a line graph....
Curated OER
Solar History
Using the sun's light as a source of energy is not a new concept. Give your environmental studies, engineering, or physical science class this list of how humans have used solar energy throughout history. Assign groups a certain time...
Curated OER
Avalanche!
Students explain that when forces on an object are balanced, the motion of object does not change. They describe how an object changes its motion when forces on it are unbalanced. They plan and conduct a scientific investigation to test...
Curated OER
Transforming Energy
Sixth graders study about alternate energy sources and discuss with their neighbor how alternative energy sources affect environmental conditions so that an entire species could be affected.
Curated OER
Deep Sea Drilling
Students explore ocean vessels that drill the ocean floor. In this ocean drilling instructional activity, students watch videos about drilling the ocean floor and discuss. Students get into groups, go outside and use string to...
Curated OER
Milestones of Flight
Students identify significant milestones in the history of flight. In this aviation history activity, students study various resource materials and construct timelines of significant achievements.
Curated OER
Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students examine letters of Japanese-American children during internment in World War II. They discover what it was like in the camps and how they were treated once they were released. They also view photographs of the camps.
Curated OER
Alphabetical Autobiography PowerPoint
Sixth graders produce an autobiography, They complete a PowerPoint including one graphic image on each slide, and a subtle or moderate animation. They include 26 slides for each letter of the alphabet, use note pages to present...
Curated OER
Geographic Luck
Students examine why some countries are rich while others remain poor. They view a video on the website, Guns, Germs and Steel, analyze primary sources to conduct research about plants and animals, and create a game based on their research.
Curated OER
Air Masses
Students examine the physical characteristics of several types of air masses to discover how air masses can be identified and defined by their temperature and moisture content.
Curated OER
Frozen Film
Students are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.
Curated OER
Studying Shadows
Students measure shadows and explore the altitude of the sun. In this sun instructional activity students will graph the length of shadows and solar altitude against time.
Curated OER
Is Air a Fluid?
Students discuss the physical properties of fluids and then demonstrate that air carbon dioxide and oxygen) is a fluid by creating currents.
Curated OER
Air Pollution Over Where?
Students predict the movement of an air borne pollutant using their understanding of air currents. They determine which governments and/or communities should be contacted to be forewarned. They also explore the properties of their...
Curated OER
The Planets Moon
Pupils explore the theories of the creation of the universe and examine the properties of celestial bodies. They analyze the relationship between the sun, Earth and other planets. They discover the infinite potential of the science of...
Curated OER
Reopen: A Study of Five Closed Mines
Students analyze data to determine which of the fived closed mines would be beneficial to have reopen. They acquire knowledge of rocks and minerals in the area to give reasons why that mine should open again. Students gain knowledge in...