National Endowment for the Humanities
Kennewick Man: Science and Sacred Rights
"Have respect for the dead!" Scholars investigate how science and religion often clash. As they look into the laws of science and the laws of religion, the legal ramifications at the federal level of both play into an argument they...
Curated OER
Mystery of Mirrors: Discovery Stations
Hands-on stations in which groups of primary learners experience what mirrors can do provide opportunities for experimenting and authentic discovery. Recording their observations in complete sentences seems age-inappropriate. Drawing...
Baylor College
Body Strength
Your young learners will discover how muscular strength and endurance can increase with this truly hands-on activity! Beginning by writing an acrostic for the word strength, class members then engage in tracking their ability to squeeze...
Colorado Unit Writing Project
Simple Machines
Planning an elementary science unit has never been simpler! These twelve lessons guide young scientists through an exploration of simple machines and their many uses in the real world before asking them to apply their learning...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Gorongosa: Making Observations Activity
Do you have young scientists wanting to make new discoveries rather than just completing the same experiments? Young scientists use their observational skills to identify animals and patterns in animal behavior. Through tracking...
Curated OER
Tide Pool Discovery
First graders visit the Discovery Pool, where they use their senses to investigate the different tide pool species. They touch different species. Students describe how each one feels, and what they look like in words. They draw the...
Curated OER
Discovery Science Center Activities
Fourth graders complete a variety of experiments to meet science goals. For this life sciences lesson, 4th graders make yogurt, discover the attraction of opposite charges in electricity, learn the effects of glaciers, and explore...
Curated OER
What is Science?
Students explore physical science by conducting a plant experiment. In this scientific method lesson plan, students discuss questions scientists ask in order to properly explore certain subjects. Students utilize two plants and place one...
Curated OER
Botanical Discoveries
Sixth graders examine the Lewis and Clark Expedition. In this plant discovery activity, 6th graders put in chronological order the plant discoveries of Lewis and Clark. Students understand the characteristics of leaves and find the area...
Curated OER
The Discovery of OXygen
Students conduct experiments to identify the different properties of oxygen. In this chemistry lesson, students examine its importance to life on Earth. They explore the historic dispute about oxygen's discovery.
NASA
The Discovery of Jupiter Radio Waves
Lead your class on a journey to the planet Jupiter and provide them with fun facts in the process. Learners explore radio waves emitted by Jupiter to further understand how this data helps our daily lives. They conclude by discussing...
Curated OER
Science Discovery Lesson: Air is All Around Us
Students explore the concept that air is everywhere. They assess that it can't be seen, but is all around us. Each student becomes aware that air takes up space and listen to the book, "Air is All Around You," by Franklin M. Branley.
Curated OER
Mining in a Nutshell
Your class will love this geology-inspired set of activities that demonstrate the processes through which we are able to use mineral resources. They describe the major steps that a company must follow from initial discovery of a mineral...
Curated OER
Acids, Bases, and Indicators
Chemistry or physical science fledglings get comfortable identifying acids and bases with a variety of pH indicators. They discover that different indicator solutions have different ranges, practice testing soil acidity, and use antacids...
Curated OER
Laws of Motion
Do you need some new ideas for teaching Newton's Laws of Motion? This series of activities will spring your curriculum to life! Choose from five activities to demonstrate or have your science stars perform. As a result, they...
Curated OER
Radioactivity, Time, and Age
Four activities demonstrate the chain reaction of nuclear fission to your physical science fans: falling dominoes, snapping mouse traps, throwing paper wads, and igniting a series of matches. They perform additional...
Curated OER
Discovering Saturn, The Real "Lord of the Rings"
Reading, writing, and rings! A lesson plan from NASA combines space science with authentic reading and writing tasks. Included in this lesson plan are pre-reading activities, four mini informational booklets on Saturn, a...
Curated OER
Pharmaceuticals and Treatments
Young scholars perform an experiment involving reverse transcriptase-polymerized chain reaction HIV replication to better examine the biotechnology used by scientists in pharmaceutical research of infections diseases like HIV. Students...
Curated OER
Crickets Guided Discovery
Sixth graders investigate insect anatomy by analyzing a live cricket. In this insect science lesson, 6th graders discuss their knowledge of insects and describe their characteristics from memory. Students observe live...
Curated OER
Sink/Float Discovery bottle
Investigate which items float and which ones sink using this resource. Learners participate in an activity in which they investigate this phenomena. Then they describe the experimental process, and learn how to display their results.
Curated OER
# 18 Gas Chromatography: Introduction and Application
Students are introduced to a gas chromatography using a discovery-based approach. They are presented with a scenario/industrial application where their job is to verify that the company's mouthwash contains a specific percentage of...
Curated OER
Can Young Children Distinguish Between Living and Non-living Things?
What does it mean to be living? Help your young scientists identify living and non-living things as a result of their learning through discovery. Observation of and interaction with a set of natural phenomena in their community will make...
Curated OER
# 05 Color Me Analytical
Students are introduced to colorimeter on two levels. They investigate how to physically manipulate the colorimeters. Secondly, the students start on a pathway of discovery to one of the most important principles in analytical chemistry:...
Chymist
How Do We Affect the Quality of Our Atmosphere
Explore the makeup of the earth's atmosphere. Using the set of specific experiments, pupils examine the main elements and compounds present in the atmosphere. Their study extends to investigate the effects of atmospheric...