American Museum of Natural History
The Tree of Life
Groups of species can have more in common than meets the eye. An interactive cladogram shows some of the connections between important groups of species. Learners click on sections of the diagram to learn more about the connections or on...
US Department of Commerce
Community Change
America is a country on the move. Analyzing data from the Census Bureau, class members gauge the people moving in and out of their areas. An interactive web feature allows pupils to see who is moving out and moving in, while discussion...
University of Waikato
Groundwater Contamination
Scientists study how pollution occurs in hopes of minimizing its effects. A quick activity shows how point and non-point source pollution enters groundwater and aquifers. Learners mimic the phenomenon with models that show how rain...
University of Waikato
Melting Glacial Ice
There are many factors that affect how fast the glaciers are melting. A lab investigation has learners examine how the surrounding water affect the rate glaciers melt. They collect data from two samples of ice to determine how quickly...
University of Waikato
Testing Water for Nitrate
How much is too much nitrate in the water? Young scientists discuss the question after they run their own nitrate tests. They also consider sources of nitrates and offer explanations for the levels.
University of Waikato
Constructing an Aquifer
Rainwater doesn't stay where it falls. Learners use modeling to demonstrate how rainwater disperses once it hits the ground. The activity includes an investigation of the height of the water table in an aquifer and how it is affected by...
University of Waikato
Building a Water Cycle
Bring the water cycle to life with in the classroom. Young scientists use household materials to create and monitor a water cycle model. They record changes in the water levels and make observations of where and how fast precipitation...
University of Waikato
Looking at Water - Solid, Liquid, or Gas
Here's a tip: only one substance is commonly found as a solid, liquid, and gas. Learners use that knowledge as they investigate the properties of water in each state. They interact with water in each of its three phases and record what...
University of Waikato
Build a Marine Food Web
Dive into a lesson on marine ecosystem interactions. Individuals learn about and devise a marine food web. The resource provides organism cards and pupils use article resources to discover interactions before modeling them in a food web.
American Museum of Natural History
Life in the City
Believe it or not, biodiversity exists even in areas of disturbed habitat. An interactive activity challenges learners to look for species with a magnifying lens in an image of a city habitat. Pop-up images and descriptions explain how...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Preparing for Project BudBurst
Adopt a plant and get to know its phenophases. The third instructional activity in a six-part series combines plant identification and phenology. Pupils begin by creating their own field guides to learn about the features and...
National Wildlife Federation
The Pollinator's Journey: Grades K-8
Bees get all the attention, but so many more creatures contribute to pollination. Scientists explore the role of pollinators as they learn about the parts of a flower and how it reproduces. They discover how plants rely on many different...
National Wildlife Federation
Controversy Over Wild Cats
Everyone should take an interest in the fate of wild cats. A thorough lesson explores the habitat changes of native North American wild cats and asks learners to make connections to human development. They consider the implications of...
Radford University
Statistical Study
Put your knowledge of sample surveys to good use. Pupils begin by conducting a survey of class members. They identify an appropriate topic and sampling technique; collect and organize their data; compute and analyze statistical measures;...
Radford University
PHamily PHeud: An Exploration in Surveys
Get to know the class much better. Scholars brainstorm a topic of interest and then design and conduct a class survey. Using the top responses, they create a game similar to Family Feud and take part in a class competition.
Radford University
Analyzing Data from Peer Survey
We all want to know what we're thinking. Scholars analyze and report data collected in a previous survey on peer attitudes toward current events. They calculate the mean, median, range, and standard deviation before creating histograms...
Radford University
Peer Survey on Current Events
Stay up to date on current events as well as how the class views the issues. A performance task has scholars select a current event of interest and design a class survey on the topic. They conduct the survey, analyze, and report the...
Radford University
The Next Big Thing
Make sure the next product is a hit. An engaging task has scholars design an item to sell at a sports event and then conduct a marketing survey. They decide whether to use random sampling, stratified sampling, or cluster sampling, and...
Radford University
Survey Activity
It's time to take a survey. After looking at an example of a survey on lunch preferences, groups design their own surveys. They consider the sample size and sampling technique, then conduct the surveys. As a final activity, they create...
Radford University
Data Analysis Activity
What do classmates think? In groups, learners design surveys to investigate chosen topics. They conduct the survey, then analyze the results. As part of the activity, they must calculate the mean, median, mode, variance, and standard...
Radford University
Connecting Theoretical and Experimental Probability
Play some games, develop a law, and then call it a day. Learners first perform a small number of trials for a probability experiment, then predict the result for a larger number of trials. They then compile data from the entire class to...
Radford University
Basketball Math
Shoot for a better knowledge of optimization strategies. During the first part of the task, scholars use given basketball shooting percentages for different players to predict the winner by examining systems of inequalities. For the...
Radford University
Geyser Graphical Activity
Thar she blows! An engaging activity teaches pupils about geysers. They first read information about the Strokkur geyser in Iceland and analyze data on its eruptions by creating multiple data representations. Once finished, they research...
Radford University
Modeling Statistical Data
Can people predict the number of future divorces? Scholars research and analyze data on the number of divorces and teenage pregnancies in Virginia over time. They use the data to create graphs, determine the best-fit equations, and make...