Fourth and fifth graders make a protractor and identify various angle types. In this protractor and angle lesson, learners make their own protractor and use it to measure a variety of angles. They complete worksheets while identifying...

Learners explore star color and size. In this space science instructional activity, students conduct various inquiry activities to explore how the color of a star affects the amount of heat produced. They also investigate how the color...

Eighth graders take a quiz to review the different objects in space. As a class, they define terms related to galaxies. In groups, they make a model of the Milky Way galaxy using materials provided to them by their teacher. To end the...

Students describe stellar objects using terms such as stars, planets, satellites, orbits and light. In this sun and stars unit, students research stellar objects through seven individual lessons discovering star characteristics, how...

Pupils work in small groups to organize stars into different categories. They consider size, luminosity, color and temperature, organize the groups and ten report their categories to the class.

Students examine the definitions and characteristics of plasma. After reading an article, they analyze new technologies to study plasma. In groups, they create a poster on how the different types of plasma work and write letters to their...

Learners model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science lesson, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a meteorite's size...

Students create instruments to capture different types of insects. In this The Greatest Show on Earth: The World's Smallest Animals lesson, students compare the attributes of certain insects and record the data on a chart. After catching...

Middle schoolers discuss the qualities of a good book club. They explore the behaviors that contribute to a good book club discussion. Also, they compare/contrast a response type that could be used any time in their reading logs.

Seventh graders explore random sampling by estimating the number of e's on the newspaper. They explain the possible error sources for this type of sampling, and compare the accuracy of sampling a small and large population. This is a...

Middle schoolers are introduced to the use of dichotomous keys as a simple means of beginning scientific observations in nature. They comprehend how to use a dichotomous key. Students distinguish characteristics of a group of organisms....

Students engage in a lesson that differentiates between right and wrong types of observations. In order to conduct the experiment they are provided with leaves and nameless objects with different designs. The two are compared and...

Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere.  In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.

Learners use a dichotomous key to distinguish between different types of clouds

Students identify the different types of meteorite using an interactive website. In this earth science instructional activity, students simulate how meteors crash on a surface. They relate meteor size to crater size.

Students use films to identify the characteristics of a good parent. In groups, they research the different types of parenting methods used during colonial times, the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement. As a class, they develop...

Students infer the galaxy shape.  In this structure of the galaxy lesson students observe the distribution of objects in the sky and answer questions.

Students examine the relationship between temperature and brightness.  In this astronomy lesson plan students will correlate the evolution of stars to the HR diagram plotted. 

Students identify and explain how various inventions and astronomers have improved our appreciation of the universe. Students identify at least two constellations in the sky and discuss how they were used in ancient times to tell time...

Students use the graphing calculator and the core equation: y=Ax^2+Bx+C where A = the acceleration of gravity/2, B = the initial velocity, and C = initial height above ground to graph parabolas for Earth and Mars. They experiment with...

Students photograph five objects from a bag and five objects from the outdoors. Students categorize things by living and non-living and by properties such as color, size, structure and needs. Students draw conclusions about the basic...

Students discover what a dictatorship is by examining the holocaust.  For this government lesson, students discuss the laws that were enacted for Nazis to take control of Germany, and the types of laws we have put place to prevent...

Students make transect and quadrat surveys using a provided worksheet in order to understand the techniques used to study coral reefs. Each type of survey is used to identify the species, diversity, and number of corals.

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...