Scholars find Earth won't support humans much longer and need to identify a planet with water to inhabit. They test four unknown samples and determine which is the closest to water. Then they explain and defend their results.

Seventy thousand different types of soil exist in the United States alone. Young scientists learn about the importance of soil to the food supply. They test soil for a variety of factors and determine the best place to set up a community...

Evolution happens over generations, so how do we observe it? Scholars learn to look for patterns and create cladograms. Then they apply those lessons to the evolution of technology over many generations.

Mosses and liverworts lack vascular tissue, unlike other plants. Young scientists learn more about these rootless plants through hands-on dissection and research on their life cycles as they get their hands dirty for a fun science...

Vermont produces less than 35 percent of the electricity it consumes. Young scientists research alternative energy sources to find the best options for a Vermont town. They present and critique each option before voting on the best idea.

Scholars use springs to explore waves and their characteristics. Using data, learners formulate a math problem to investigate velocity, wavelength, and frequency. They will use that same formula to explain examples in nature.

Car crashes provide an excellent way to study kinetic energy transfer. Scholars explore energy through hands-on simulated crashes. They work together to design their own experiments and apply the knowledge gained to a situation that...

Scholars practice opening their minds to observations and make reasonable claims during an out-of-this-world lesson. After group discussions, pupils perform an experiment, relying on their observational skills, and present their findings...

Scholars learn not to overreact as they classify chemical reactions. Starting with learning the basics of classification and moving onto applying all of the correct scientific vocabulary, young scientists master chemical reactions. Six...

What caused the dust bowl, and should we worry about it happening again? Scholars look at various data to come up with their hypotheses. Then, they experiment to find some of the factors that contributed. Finally, the video has them look...

Around six percent of babies are born with serious genetic disorders. Young scientists learn more about what causes these disorders and the effect they have. They begin with a case study of cystic fibrosis before expanding to research...

Most have felt a static electricity shock, but what actually causes it? Scholars observe, develop a hypothesis, experiment, and learn about static electricity. Through multiple short writing samples, they describe static electricity in...

Whether new to inquiry-based learning or experienced with its protocols, you'll find much to value in High Tech High's comprehensive guide to project-based learning. Designed for educators, the guide has everything instructors need to...

What rights are guaranteed to students? Do they align with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was approved by the United Nations in 1948? Middle and high schoolers present persuasive arguments about the rights they believe...

Musicals have been adapted from stage plays, novels, and movies. With The Lion King, Disney transforms its animated film into show-stopping, live-action musical theatre. The guide Disney provides to accompany a study...

The political and economic climate during the 1930's was uncertain and tumultuous. But Americans' minds and hearts were eased with the reassuring words of their president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and addresses over the radio. High...

Can a negative perception of a president's foreign policy harm his or her historical legacy? A project that winds the clock back to the date of Theodore Roosevelt's death puts students at the editorial desk of a fictional newspaper....

Engage young scientists in a project where high fashion meets engineering! Using foam core and hot glue, partnered pupils design and create a functional, fashionable pair of shoes. Groups then put the footwear through its paces using a...

Looking for an engineering project that will tower above the rest? Try a design experiment that has built-in fun! Groups examine a variety of skyscraper designs, then compete to create their own slender towers. The teacher's guide is...

We would be lost without maps! How are they made? Introduce junior topographers to LIDAR technology with a fascinating activity. Set up a mock city, then have learners operate a laser measure to determine the shape of the landscape using...

When was the last time your class saw a catalyst in action? Chemistry scholars observe an activated complex during an engaging experiment. Through both color change and evolution of a gas, individuals gain insight into the...

Young citizens consider the American civil rights movement as part of the global struggle for human rights. After using a timeline activity to learn about the major events in the civil rights movement, class members study...

Encourage teenagers to get involved in ending violence among young people. A Common Core-aligned resource and curriculum guide, designed to be used with a reading of A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works...

The 41 slides in a professional development seminar model how to use close reading techniques to examine the many layers of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. In addition to passages from the novel, slides provide biographical...