Baylor College
How Much Water Do Humans Need?
Physical or life science learners measure the amounts of water eliminated by intestines and the urinary system, and the amounts lost via respiration and perspiration. In doing so, they discover that the body's water must be replenished...
Virginia Department of Education
Exponential Modeling
Investigate exponential growth and decay. A set of six activities has pupils collecting and researching data in a variety of situations involving exponential relationships. They model these situations with exponential functions and solve...
Code.org
Public Key Cryptography
Investigate how public key cryptography works. Scholars continue their study of one-way functions and asymmetric keys and apply this information to public key cryptography. They use an app to explore public key cryptography and its...
Baylor College
Lungometer
Life science learners construct lung-o-meters from gallon-sized milk jugs and then measure their lung capacities. For older students, have them graph the vital lung capacities of each person in the class. Cross-curricular pieces are...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
Freedom of speech is not always free. Scholars investigate how the First Amendment provides for the right to express opinions. Through the court case Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, they analyze free speech using primary documents—and hopefully...
Maker Media
Makerspace Playbook
Make the most of project-based learning with Makerspace. A playbook shows instructors and other interested parties how to set up a Makerspace and Maker community to foster STEM projects. It gives ideas for startup activities and for...
Mascil Project
Design a Parking Garage
Parking structures don't build themselves. Investigate the process of designing and planning the construction of a parking garage. After considering the factors that must go into the design, scholars create their own models from a set of...
Curated OER
Nounmania and Verbmania
Students illustrate as many nouns and verbs as they can in a limited amount of time. Students review all the words that they came up with. They help each other figure out which ones were right and wrong. Students make a new list of nouns...
Kenan Fellows
Dinner Party: Using Pattern Trains to Demonstrate Linear Functions
Nothing fancy here ... just your run-of-the-mill Algebra party! Learners explore the patterns of linear functions while designing seating arrangements for a dinner party. Comparing the number of tables to the perimeter of the combined...
Serendip
From Gene to Protein via Transcription and Translation
DNA carries the codes for creating just the right protein. A well-designed lesson plan leads pupils through the process from start to finish and everywhere in between. Guiding questions with supporting video help scholars understand the...
Curated OER
Stochastic and Deterministic Modeling
Explore the difference between stochastic and deterministic modeling through programming. First have the class write algorithms for relatively simple tasks using pseudocode. Use the Python 2.7 program app to simulate Mendel's Pea Pod...
Curated OER
Mean and Standard Deviation
Get two activities with one lesson. The first lesson, is appropriate for grades 6-12 and takes about 20 minutes. It introduces the concept of measures of central tendency, primarily the mean, and discusses its uses as well as its...
Curated OER
Application and Modeling of Standard Deviation
The first activity in this resource has learners computing the mean and standard deviation of two different data sets and drawing conclusions based on their results. The second activity has them using a dice-rolling simulation to...
Curated OER
The Internet of Things: IoT
How has the Internet of Things affected our lives? Scholars examine the massive influence of mobile devices in this analysis instructional activity, which begins with a seven-minute documentary clip. They also read a New York Times...
Curated OER
Redistricting: Drawing the Lines
Difficult redistricting concepts are covered in a context that will make it understandable to your government scholars. They begin with a KWL on the term redistricting and then watch a video to answer some questions. They analyze...
New York City Department of Education
Egypt
This six-week unit encompasses all subjects with a focus study on world history and the development of ancient civilizations. As gifted and talented students dive into the interesting yet challenging topic of Egypt, they think critically...
Curated OER
Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back
Explore nutrition and healthy eating habits with a study on youth obesity. Learners watch a PBS documentary on the obesity epidemic which discusses government programs aimed at healthier choices, as well as more localized efforts. Kids...
Curated OER
Immigration Debate
The 2010 immigration bill passed in Arizona provides class members with an opportunity to examine various perspectives of the immigration debate by watching news videos, reading interview, editorials, and viewing images. Discussion...
Curated OER
Is Grandpa Right, Were Winters Colder When He Was a Boy?
Young scholars compare current weather data to historic data to see if there is a temperature change. In this weather instructional activity students complete a lab activity and determine average changes in temperature, precipitation...
Curated OER
How Much Water is Available in the Atmosphere for Precipitation?
Students explore the relationship between the amount of water in the atmosphere available for precipitation and the actual precipitation observed by satellite. They examine seasonal changes in precipitation. They practice using Internet...
Curated OER
Slope-Intercept Form of a Line
Using the subscriber website Explorelearning.com, young mathematicians observe changes in the slope and y-intercept and their effect on the graph of lines. This activity helps young scholars develop an intuitive sense of the connection...
Curated OER
Point-Slope Form of a Line
This activity helps young mathematicians connect the graph and the point-slope form of a line, by first solving a real-world problem and then using that example to motivate the understanding of the equation. By manipulating the gizmo,...
Curated OER
Targeting Young Speeders
Students research the police ticketing of teens in their city or county. They determine if the police are targeting teens and why. Students explore other ways the community tries to ensure safer teen drivers. They survey teens in school....
Curated OER
Apple Energy
Ninth graders evaluate the energy associated with the production of five different forms of apple products. They develop a poster to advertise one of the five apple products to the class. Students provide additional examples of consumer...