Berkshire Museum
Meet a Naturalist: Researching, Writing, Interviewing
Young scholars reach out into the community and learn about different environmental science careers in this inquiry-based instructional activity. Beginning with a short research assignment, children gain background knowledge about...
NOAA
The Biogeochemical Cycle
The biogeochemical cycle ... no physics? The fourth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program introduces the biogeochemical cycle by having pupils simulate movement between Earth's...
Curated OER
Rubber Duckies and Ocean Currents
Students explore marine life by conducting a rubber duck experiment. In this water currents lesson plan, students practice identifying latitude and longitude coordinates on a map and define the currents of major oceans. Students discuss...
NOAA
Deep-Sea Ecosystems – Life is Weird!
A pool of brine in the deep sea can be up to four times as salty as the surrounding sea water. The deep sea ecosystem relies on chemosynthesis and the organisms that live there are often strange to us. The lesson focuses on researching...
Curated OER
AP Environmental Science-Food Fight
The content in this lesson is of a controversial nature. Please review to make sure it is suitable for your class. A video, The Meatrix is shown to the class, and then they discuss the emotionally-charged language that it uses. They are...
Curated OER
Life Science: Heavy Weight
Learners investigate adolescent obesity and its health impact. In this health and obesity lesson plan, students research the problem, develop a survey regarding eating habits, then analyze the nutritional information on commonly eaten...
Curated OER
Exploring Careers in High Demand Industries
The class works in teams to research and report on careers in high growth industries. They consider industrial growth of a particular career, education needed, current demand for that skills, and average salary. They use their findings...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Cracking the Code
Some interesting reading on the history of barcodes opens this technology lesson plan. Readers find out how engineers contribute, and then they gather into groups to discuss possible improvements to our current UPC barcode system. Know...
Curated OER
SeaWorld: Education, Entertainment, or Exploitation?
Students discuss SeaWorld, research marine animal biology, investigate one animal currently collected by SeaWorld, and decide whether they oppose or support SeaWorld's collection policy. Students then gather information relating to...
Curated OER
Problem Based Learning Scenario
Students research about the function of MPA's. In this marine science lesson, students explore how humans influence changes near these areas. They explore different MPA's in the Great Lakes region.
Curated OER
Where Did They Come From?
Give science learners nine questions about the biogeography of hydrothermal vents and turn them loose to research this fascinating habitat. Working in cooperative groups, they prepare a report that addresses each of the questions. A...
National Wildlife Federation
Quantifying Land Changes Over Time in Areas of Deforestation and Urbanization
Is qualitative or quantitative research more convincing when it comes to climate change? In the eighth lesson during this 21-part series, scholars begin by performing a quantitative analysis of deforestation and urbanization. Then, they...
Curated OER
Current Groundwater Contamination Research
Students research the effects of groundwater pollutants on life. They name and describe 1 environmental factor that has an effect on our drinking water. Students read the Water-Groundwater and Pollution Article. They discuss and...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Alzheimer’s Disease: Piecing Together the Evidence
5.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer's disease. With limited funding for research, where should scientists focus? Young scientists learn about current research and create their own questions. They then decide the best areas to focus...
Curated OER
Ocean Currents
Fourth graders work in groups to research ocean currents and create posters with their findings. They locate the patterns and names of major ocean currents and identify them on a map. Students also use red pencil to show ocean currents...
Curated OER
Exploring Marine Ecosystems in the Caribbean and Maine
Students compare the marine habitats of Maine and the Caribbean using temperature, tides, ocean currents, latitude and longitude. In this marine ecosystems lesson, students analyze maps to complete graphic organizers that evaluate the...
Curated OER
Artists Teach Us to See the World through Visual Symbols
Tenth graders analyze a biographical piece of art by Raymond Saunders. They identify shapes, symbols, and lines that are used, and how the piece relates to the artist's life and modern society. They design and create an original piece of...
Curated OER
Agriculture Awareness Through Poetry
Whether you are viewing a landscape painting of a farm, examining a still-life portrait of a bowl of fruit, or reading a descriptive poem about cultivating food, you can't deny that agriculture plays a major role in visual and language...
Curated OER
Stranded Along The Coast
Students reflect and investigate how a seacoast is the dynamic border between two worlds-the terrestrial and the marine. In the realm of life science, we can observe marine animals that inhabit the shoreline and tidepools. In the realm...
Kenan Fellows
Terrarium in a Bottle: Modeling the Atmosphere, Greenhouse Effect, and Water Cycle
You've heard of farm to table ... but what about farm in classroom? Junior agriculturalists embark upon a two-week journey into the science of growing things. Based upon the classic terrarium in a two-liter experiment, the lesson plan...
Curated OER
Stream Study
Students study the characteristics of a stream habitat. In this life science lesson, students use sieves, nets, and jars to collect aquatic organisms. Students also measure the temperature of the stream and calculate the speed of the...
Curated OER
Conserving Marine Life
Students discuss the different threats to various marine life. Through research, groups examine threats to specific marine life, evaluate the situation, and develop possible solutions to help marine life regain stability. Conservation...
Curated OER
What Do You Know About Horseshoe Crabs?
High schoolers create a learning tool based on information given on the assigned website. In this ocean life lesson, students read about the horseshoe crab and develop a worksheet, scavenger hunt, board game or any tool to aid learning....
Curated OER
Interactions of Science and Technologies
Young scholars explore how science and technology interact. They discuss important inventions, discoveries and technologies. They research a specific technological advance, or invention, and prepare a presentation that includes the...