Unit Plan
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PBS

Blow the Roof Off!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Blow the minds of young scientists with this collection of inquiry-based investigations. Based on a series of eight videos, these "hands-on, minds-on" science lessons engage young learners in exploring a wide range of topics...
Lesson Plan
Science 4 Inquiry

Frenemies, Bros and Killers: A Lesson in Symbiosis

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Animals and plants develop relationships and rely on each other to survive. Pupils learn more about symbiosis through a video, a hands-on matching activity, and a game. They differentiate and describe each type on a written evaluation.
Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Transpiring Trees: Plant Transpiration and the Water Cycle

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Looking for a tree-rific addition to your water cycle unit? Teams of young foresters examine the role of transpiration in the water cycle through a week's worth of activities. Pupils analyze how trees take in and transport water during...
Lesson Plan
Science 4 Inquiry

The Classification of Living Things

For Teachers 6th - 12th
It's a classification sensation! Demystify why we classify using an inquiry activity that helps your class sort things out. Groups begin by classifying a variety of shoes before they research organisms and design their own dichotomous...
Lesson Plan
Kenan Fellows

Electricity: Sources, Usage, Challenges, and the Future

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What does the future of energy look like? Junior engineers collaborate to discover a solution to the global energy crisis during a very hands-on lesson. The unit focuses on learning through collaboration to develop a deep understanding...
Unit Plan
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Core Knowledge Foundation

A Time for All Seasons - Spring

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
Celebrate the arrival of spring with this fun primary grade science unit. Engaging young scientists with a variety of hands-on activities and inquiry-based investigations, these lessons are a great way to teach children about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitat Basics

For Teachers 1st
First graders get out and explore two different habitats to examine how each one meets the needs of the plants and animals that dwell there. They discuss what they've learned about animal habitats as they explore the outdoor environment....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes a Seed Breathe Faster?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Here's a five-star lesson plan in which inquisitors conduct sophisticated experimentation with cellular respiration in plant seeds. Placing seeds in a closed system they measure the amount carbon dioxide produced and relate it to...
Lesson Plan
Mascil Project

Water Quality

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How do you prevent the spread of water-borne illness in large public swimming areas? Scholars discover the challenges to identifying safe water through an inquiry experiment. They then produce posters sharing their understanding of water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Absorption of Solar Energy

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Two sequential parts to this lesson introduce your class to the electromagnetic spectrum, the ability to absorb radiant energy, and the pigments in leaves that are responsible for collecting sunlight to be used in the photosynthetic...
Lesson Plan
Science 4 Inquiry

Eukaryotic Cells: The Factories of Life

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Eukaryotes include humans, animals, and plants. Scholars learn about the parts of eukaryotic cells. They design models of a store and match the correct function of each part to the function of a part of the cell. They review their...
Lesson Plan
Science 4 Inquiry

Plant Structures Lab Stations

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
In China, hibiscus is known as the shoe flower because it is used to polish shoes, while in Hawaii, it is honored as the state flower. Young scientists learn about the structure and function of flowers. They dissect hibiscus...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Effects of Weathering

For Teachers 3rd
Here's a great geology lesson for 3rd graders on weathering and erosion of soil. After a class discussion on how nature can "move a mountain," learners take a look at how a modern phenoma called acid rain can also cause weathering and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hey - It's a Rainy Forest Out There!

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Elementary schoolers take part in a very good lesson which has them watch video, conduct experiments, complete hands-on activities, and work in cooperative groups. The educationally-rich activities are clearly-explained, and the group...
Lesson Plan
Science 4 Inquiry

The Yin and Yang of Photosynthesis: Day vs. Night

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Floating fragments of elodea can grow even without roots. Young scientists use eldoea plants to observe the oxygen production from photosynthesis. They study the difference between having access to high amounts of light and low amounts...
Lesson Plan
US Environmental Protection Agency

Carbon Through the Seasons

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Meteorologists view an animated video by the Environmental Protection Agency to learn how the carbon cycle works, and then move into groups to analyze and graph actual data of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from Hawaii's...