Using a simple circuit with the battery representing the brain, future physiologists test to see which solutions conduct electrical "nerve impulses." Enlighten learners with plentiful information on electric signals in the nervous system...

Shocking! After viewing a short clip from the 1931 movie, Frankenstein and reviewing electricity references in Mary Shelley's novel, class members examine Luigi Galvani's and Alessandro Volta's observations on electricity and muscle...

After reading about the history and science of personal floatation devices, patents, and intellectual property, engineering teams design a life vest for a can of soup. To evaluate which groups considered the need for waterproofing, hold...

Garbage, recycle, compost: Does it really matter where we put our trash once we are done? By making detailed observations over seven weeks, kids will see which materials break down naturally to become a healthy part of the soil, and...

Six different lessons comprise this unit on marine debris. Science, language arts, social studies, and art projects make this an ideal interdisciplinary unit. The result will be well-informed future citizens who can help make a...

Marine biologists research sea ice communities. Assign some groups to construct paper models of sea ice communities in winter, and some to construct models of them in summer. The lesson is simplistic, but the Internet resources provided...

What to wear? Help your special needs class make independent choices about what they should wear during various weather conditions. They'll discuss weather-appropriate clothing, dress dolls for the weather outside, and even put on a...

What did you have for lunch? Did it contain all four food groups? Help your special education class make good food choices and recognize foods in each of the four food groups. They look at images and discuss the foods on the food pyramid...

Being able to recognize safety signs in your environment is a great start to staying safe. Kids with severe to moderate disabilities work to recognize and identify safety terms and signs. They use flashcards and decreasing prompts to...

Everyone needs to know how to eat well to stay healthy. Learners with mild disabilities log what they eat, discuss food choices, and review healthy foods. The lesson could be used to foster living skills in high-functioning individuals...

Addressing the idea of intelligent design, as well as a number of creation myths, this presentation gives a measured and scientific perspective to the beginning of the world.  It includes a graphic on the Big Bang Theory, evolution,...

Now this is a clever approach to familiarizing aspiring astronomers with the phases of the moon! They first record the specific dates for ten special events in their lives. Then they use an online moon phase calendar to find out which...

How far does the human hand reach?  Five interactive lessons lead classes through a unit exploring the human impact on ocean resources, pollution, and even extinction. Learners discover how their decisions affect the ocean...

The story of one bird provides valuable insight into general animal behaviors and interactions. Young researchers investigate the peregrine falcon using a web search. They analyze the behaviors of the raptor including its migration...

Life science learners read a set of six short Discovery Readings that describe historical events in the field of microbiology. For each, they identify clues about when the event occurred and then they try to arrange events in...

Kids compare what printed text looks like with the naked eye and under magnification. They discuss the extremely small scale that must be used to measure the size. They learn about the micrometer unit, then draw scale models of a variety...

Earth's thick atmosphere plays a vital role in the ability of the planet to sustain life. Learn about the layers of the atmosphere and their properties, how the gases surrounding the earth help protect the planet, and a little about...

You'll be strangely drawn to this activity! Physical science pupils learn how compasses work in an interesting interactive. The content covers magnetic poles, Earth's magnetic field, and what would happen if Earth's poles swapped places.

Some living things go to extreme measures to avoid the cold. A three-part activity guides learners through the migration of the monarch butterfly. After studying the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, pupils learn the process of...

A single-paged set of instructions and grading system for a mitosis project are laid out for your life science learners. (Note that the page is repeated, making this a two-page document.) Pairs of beginning biologists use clay to model...

As a way to combine life and physical science, or simply as an investigation of plant transpiration, this lesson plan is sure to inspire! Middle schoolers capture the moisture given off by plants that are placed in different conditions....

Earth science experts learn about the roles of nitrogen by taking a virtual journey through the nitrogen cycle. Completing a passport worksheet along the way, they move from place to place around the classroom by the toss of dice. Each...

Sixth graders investigate the various types of pollutants found in water and ways to help prevent water pollution. Through a hands-on experiment, students create samples of polluted water by mixing water with vegetable oil, dirt,...

Here is a hard-hitting, cross-curricular lesson on the effects that the deforestation of the Ozark forests in the 19th century had on the people, animals, and ecosystems of the area. The Dr. Seuss book The Lorax is used as a way of...