Baylor College
Hormones and Stress
As a more personal part of a unit on brain chemistry, your class discusses stressful situations and the body's response to them. They talk about how, while the reactions are initially helpful, some can be harmful to your health. Finally,...
Curated OER
Science-Related Field Trips That Won’t Break the Bank
Try some of these tips to put a new spin on the old field trip favorites.
BioEd Online
The Skeleton
Don't be chicken to try a lesson plan that compares the anatomy of birds to humans. Read the background information so you don't have to wing it when it comes to the anatomy of a chicken. Prepare cooked chicken bones by soaking them in a...
BioEd Online
Bone Structure: Hollow vs. Solid
What is meant by the phrase "form follows function?" Allow your budding biologists to discover first-hand through two activities. In the first, groups work together to discover whether a solid cylinder or an empty cylinder can support...
BioEd Online
Arm Model
Arm your young scientists with knowledge about anatomy as they build their own model of the elbow joint. Help them get a firm grasp on how muscles and bones interact to allow movement as they try different positions for the muscles on...
BioEd Online
Spiders in Space
Does a spider spin its web differently in space? What other ways might microgravity affect an arachnid? Pick a topic to research, plan an investigation, and follow astronauts on the International Space Station as they perform some of the...
BioEd Online
Butterflies in Space
How does gravity affect the life cycle of a butterfly? Learn first-hand what types of investigations astronauts perform in space by following along with one of NASA's experiments. Create butterfly habitats in the classroom with specific...
Baylor College
Water in Your Body
Do you know how much water you have had in the last 24 hours? Do you know how much your body needs? In this hands-on activity, your class members will estimate how much water our bodies lose each day by filling and emptying one-liter...
Curated OER
Human Body Series - Respiratory System - Captain Oxygen Storyboard
Kids love superheroes, and for this assignment they create a comic about Captain Oxygen! Direct your class to make sure that their knowledge of the respiratory system is displayed through the dialogue. Note that though the publisher has...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Human Body
A brief set of anatomy slides introduces viewers to the five levels of organization (cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms). The slides focus on the muscular, circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems.
Scholastic
Study Jams! Muscular System
A professionally created set of slides strengthens viewers' knowledge of the muscular system. Some slides display microscope enlargements of muscle fibers and neurons, while others are beautifully detailed graphic images. The difference...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Plant Cells
Eight fine-quality slides depict the cells that make up plants. Viewers will see colorful microscope views of the nucleus, cell wall, vacuole, chloroplasts, tracheids, and pollen grains. The resource would apply in either a cell...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Respiratory System
Inhale, exhale, and rest easy when looking for a supportive tool for your activity on the respiratory system. Seven slides introduce the class to the function of the organs: lungs trachea, diaphragm, bronchial tubes, bronchioles, and...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Food Chains
Rhinozilla is Mia's bearded dragon and the focus of this lesson on energy flow in an ecosystem. She uses him to explain the energy pyramid, from producers through third level consumers, and she likens the food chain to a video game. Mia...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Kingdoms of Life
Zoe and RJ discuss the way scientists classify organisms into five kingdoms. Characteristics of each group are highlighted within their conversation and with text. First-time taxonomists can view the animation at home, take the...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Animal Life Cycles
Only five slides, but worth the while for introducing upper-elementary zoologists to different animal life cycles. Two types of metamorphoses are explained: complete and incomplete. Stunning photography flows before the eyes of the...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Scientific Methods
Middle school scientists learn the steps of the scientific method by watching this phenomenal film and by singing a karaoke song! They are introduced to making observations and hypotheses, determining variables, data collection, and...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Senses: Touching
Beauty is only skin deep, but knowledge goes deeper with this brief presentation! Three of the five slides are photos of a hand touching an object, one is a colorful graphic display of the epidermis and dermis, while another may be an...
Curated OER
Ecological Cycles Part 1
Knowing about the hydrologic cycle is the first step to understanding the carbon cycle. Upper graders discuss the earth's water content, polar ice caps, and the concept of the ecological cycle as it applies to carbon, nitrogen, and other...
Curated OER
Polar Scientists: Polar Science
Research skills are extremely important and they can be linked to any subject. Get your class thinking about scientists that study the polar region, what they do, and how they get funded to continue their research. Each child uses a...
Curated OER
Bering Sea Buffet - A Foodweb Activity
Life in the Bering Sea, food webs, and the ocean ecosystem are introduced with a map activity. The lesson starts as kids explore maps and images of the Bering Sea, then it kicks into high gear as they start to discuss the types of...
Polar Trec
Family Polar Fun Day
Family fun days are great for connecting home and school life, building strong parent/teacher relationships, and engaging students in a fun and social way. Here are several activity ideas to help you and your class run your own Family...
Curated OER
Water is Life
Krill is a very small ocean animal that is key to keeping the ocean ecosystem going. The class reviews food webs and chains, learns about the importance of krill, discusses krill anatomy, builds a model of a krill, and then has a...
Polar Trec
South Pole Ice Cream!
How can you turn an ice cream activity into a scientific investigation? It's easy if you know ionic compounds, heat transfer, and the exothermic and endothermic process. Learners will explore the science behind freezing, insulation, and...