American Museum of Natural History
Anatomy Adventure
Sometimes science is puzzling. Using an online animation, individuals manipulate skeletal bones of an ancient species to recreate its skeleton. Learners complete the skeletal puzzle and learn about the process of paleontology in person...
American Museum of Natural History
What Do You Know About PaleontOLogy?
Believe it or not, some dinosaurs are not extinct. Discover this and other interesting facts about dinosaurs in a 10-question online quiz. As individuals answer questions, the resource provides them with feedback and additional facts...
Curated OER
Primary Energy Sources Pros and Cons
Young scholars explore the different types of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. In this earth science lesson, students discuss the pros and cons of each type. They conduct a variety of experiments on renewable energy.
Curated OER
Bringing Dinosaurs Back to Life
Students explain how the earth makes fossils and how dinosaur remains become fossils. In this Bringing Dinosaurs Back to Life lesson, students solve paleo-puzzles which ask students to solve problems as if they were paleontologists....
Curated OER
Rocks and Soil
Students explore the physical properties of rocks. They explore the three different types of rocks and are able to compare and contrast their different properties. Students simulate the creation of sedimentary rock, they also...
Curated OER
TE Lesson: Using Heat from the Sun
Learners examine fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable fuels. They study investigate types of heat transfer such as convection, conduction, and radiation. They complete crossword puzzles based on the vocabulary. They design, construct and...
Curated OER
Industrialization of the American Landscape
Students explore the Chernobyl incident and the resulting environmental health impacts. They explore three different isotopes that were released into the atmosphere. Through inquiry, students determine the difference between types of...
Curated OER
Modeling an Oil Reserve
Students conduct an experiment. In this oil and natural gas lesson, students learn how geoscientists identify and explore reserves of petroleum. Students make a model of an oil reserve, record how much it would cost to drill for oil...
Curated OER
Rock vs. Mineral - Lesson #2
Students visually distinguish between those rocks that appear to be made of one substance, vs. those that appear to have more than one. This leads to the distinctions that indicate the different types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and...
Curated OER
Mastering the Keyboard
Sixth graders view an animated program showing how the continents fit together millions of years ago. In groups, they compare and contrast the distribution of rocks and fossils based on how the continents fit together. After reading a...
Curated OER
The Oregon Trail
Young scholars use maps and diagrams to examine the Oregon Trail. In groups, they create their own poster of the trail showing the different types of artifacts found along the way. To end the lesson, they identify the sources of water...
Curated OER
Where, Oh Where is All the Clean Air?
Students examine the history of air pollution dating back to the Roman Empire. In groups, they research the different types of pollutants in the air and how they can affect the environment. They participate in various experiments to...
Curated OER
The Magic of Solar Thermal: How the Sun Can Be Used to Heat Water
Students are introduced to how the sun is used to heat water. In this solar lesson students identify the different types of solar water heating and demonstrate how it works.
Curated OER
Eco-Kids: How Students Can Help Save the World
Fourth graders identify the different types of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. In this ecology activity, 4th graders create models of wind mills and hydropower. They discuss the pros and cons of using alternative forms of energy.
Curated OER
Fossils-Where Should We Place Archaeopteryx?
Students explore an interactive computer activity that provides the opportunity to look at features of various groups of animals and determine where an extinct organism might be classified.
Curated OER
Three Main Rock Groups
Students are introduced to igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. They use foods to demonstrate the basic formation of each type of rock, read books about rock formation and view related videos.
Curated OER
Dinosaur History (Part 4)
Students read the scripture that cooresponds with this lesson on dinosaurs. Using the text, they determine the types of animals on the ark with Noah. They identify the factors necessary for fossil formation and discuss how the ark...
Curated OER
Candy Quakes
Eighth graders use candy to show the effects of deformation forces on the earth's crust. In this rock and fossil formation lesson students construct models and simulations to describe and explain natural phenomena.
Curated OER
Superbugs and Antibiotic Resistance
Students complete experiments on antibiotics and antimicrobials. In groups, they explain how antibiotics affect the evolution of microorganisms. They test various types of bacteria to discover how much resistance they have to antibiotics.
Curated OER
Watershed Works: Unit 1
By constructing a watershed model and identifying watershed features in it, they discover how water erosion changes the landscape. As with most watershed modeling activities, this one is costly in terms of time and materials. It is,...
Curated OER
Grow it Now, Drive it Later?
What do corn and career exploration have in common? A lot, if you're considering an agricultural career that contributes to alternative fuel resources. Through a series of films, presentations, activities, and readings, learners will...
Center Science Education
Plugged In To CO2
Watt is going on here? Middle schoolers are learning about energy use and carbon dioxide emissions! In the first part of this instructional activity, learners measure how much energy different appliances consume and calculate the amount...
Curated OER
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mining
To understand the impact coal mining has on the environment, pupils will extract chocolate chips from a cookie. Imagine the cookie is the environment and the chips are the coal. Instruct them to mine as many chips as they can, then have...
Curated OER
How Sedimentary Rocks are Formed
Learners investigate the stripes in sedimentary rocks, using a structure at Petra, Jordan, as an example, and then do a hands-on activity using mixed nuts to illustrate the layering of sedimentary rocks.