Curated OER
Visit to Nature
Learners complete a science journal which contains pages in which they can predict what they think they will see before the field trip, and also pages to write down what they actually do see during the field trip.
Curated OER
Girls Around the World: Communicating Through First-Person Narratives
Teams select a society to investigate and create a chart comparing and contrasting the status of girls in that society with their own. They then craft and illustrate a personal narrative written from the point of view of a girl living in...
Curated OER
Design a Parachute
Students engage in a discussion about what a parachute is and how it works. They create a parachute using different materials that they think will work best. The students test their designs, which will be followed by a class discussion...
Curated OER
The Art of Science: Gravity
Through a series of experiments and demonstrations, fifth graders will learn about gravity. They will make predictions, drop various objects, write down their observations, and try to understand gravity through balance. This lesson seems...
Curated OER
The Long and Short of It- Shadows
Students trace shadows. In this light and shadows lesson, students conduct an experiment to determine what a shadow is and what is necessary to make a shadow. Students observe how shadows change as well as write and draw shadows in their...
Curated OER
That Is a Lot of Rain
Students investigate the amount of rainfall in Manu, Peru. They view and discuss a video and fill a rain guage with the amount of rainfall in Manu. They research and compare local rainfall amounts to those of Manu, and write about what...
Curated OER
Hands-On Humidity
Young scholars examine why humidity changes throughout the day. They study the concept of relative humidity, absolute humidity, and dew point temperature. They interpret phase diagrams and explain why relative humidity typically falls...
Curated OER
An Egg-celent Gravity Experiment
Fifth graders record at least four hypotheses concerning what happens when they drop an egg from a high spot. They record at least five observations or supporting ideas about the egg drop. Students test gravity by dropping an egg from a...
Curated OER
Flights of Fancy?
Students reflect on the dynamics of human flight and how objects fall through the air and how science principles are used in flight.
They create a How-It-Works poster diagramming the science behind one method of flying. In addition,...
Curated OER
Tubularastic Roller Coaster
Students observe the effect of gravity on objects. They use tubing and other materials to simulate a roller caster. Afterward, they create a journal to write their observations and summaries.
Curated OER
Let's Start Growing
Students investigate how a tree grows from a seed. In this plant biology lesson plan, students use potting soil, tree seeds, and a paper cup to observe seeds growing into plants. Students record observations in their science journals.
Curated OER
Seasons of Trees
Students examine how trees change over time. In this forestry lesson, students read the book The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree and choose three trees to observe over a period of time. Students record observations and seasonal changes in...
Curated OER
"The Pianist" As A Tool For Classroom Instruction About the Holocaust
Students watch "The Pianist" to gain insight on the Holocaust and World War II. They write an essay based on ideas from the film and read a variety of poems and writings from the time period. In groups, they discuss the diffuculties of...
Curated OER
Becoming a Meteorologist
Learners identify the job of a meteorologist. In this meteorologist instructional activity, students read Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and view clips of weather forecasts. Learners visit the Weather Channel website and sing a...
Curated OER
The Is No Such Thing as a Perfect Pumpkin
Students explore using descriptive words to describe physical appearance. In this appearance lesson, students look at pumpkins and discuss how there is not a perfect pumpkin. Students also hypothesize about what the perfect pumpkin's...
Desert Discoveries
Amazing Arthropods
Arthropods are the stars of a fine science lesson. Learners look at the diversity, characteristics, adaptations, and important roles that these insects play in the Sonoran Desert environment. A terrific document called "Amazing...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle (Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation)
The 3 steps of the water cycle, evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, are the focus of this lesson. After a neat demonstration of rain using hot water, a pie tin, and ice cubes, young scientists observe and discuss the elements...
Curated OER
Making Hail
Fourth graders investigate the different types of precipitation and conduct a hail experiment. They identify the types of precipitation during a slideshow, and define key vocabulary terms. Next, in small groups they follow the...
Curated OER
It's Alive!
Students define the term artificial intelligence and list devises that use it. After reading an article, they discuss how advances in this field affect our lives. In groups, they brainstorm about a device that could improve the life of...
Curated OER
A Place for the Birds
Students reflect on bird migrations and develop a project to collect data on bird species from across North America to further investigate the ranges and migrations of common birds. They create a field guide of North American birds.
Curated OER
What Goes Around Comes Around
Students investigate how the ocean plays a part in the water cycle. In this earth science lesson, students locate a puddle outside and mark it with chalk. Students observe the changes in the water during the next two days.
Curated OER
How is heat transferred through conduction?
Fifth graders observe different types of conductors. They answer orally about the conduction of heat energy with 100% accuracy. Students investigate some materials that conduct heat much better than others, and poor conductors can...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Fifth graders review and discuss, "The Water Cycle" and its key elements of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. They create a terrarium in groups to connect concepts of The Water Cycle and to view precipitation, condensation,...
Curated OER
Green Leaves
Third graders, after having conducted one experiment three times, record their observations results in a chart. They predict what hidden colors they believe that a leaf holds. Students record their predictions in their science note books...