Students explore functions, function rules, and data tables. They explore terms of linear functions. Students use computers to analyze the functions. Students write short sentences to explain data tables and simple algebraic expressions.

Students examine a science journal to develop an understanding of graphs in science.  In this data analysis lesson, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer and discuss the meaning of the included graph.  Students...

High schoolers in chemistry or health courses look at the material safety data sheet (MSDS) and periodic table of elements to gather information about mercury and lead, two toxic materials that have been found in food products. They read...

Young scholars practice taking surveys to answer different questions about radio.  In this communications lesson plan, students brainstorm to create questions they can ask strangers about how often they listen to their radio....

Teens experience natural selection firsthand (or first beak) in an activity that has them act as finches foraging for food. Using different household items  to act as different beak styles, your little finches will collect as much...

Students practice the basic principles of probability by conducting an experiment, determining if a game is fair, collecting data, interpreting data, displaying data, conducting analysis, and stating and applying the rule for probability.

Space science stars journey through our night sky and take virtual photos of galaxies to investigate simple random samples. Higher math is used to analyze the data collected. Copy the evaluation/assessment questions onto a handout...

Explore politics by analyzing the voting process. Pupils discuss the purpose of casting votes in an election, then examine graphs based on the data from a previously held election's turnout. The lesson concludes as they answer study...

Ninth graders participate in a demonstration of the concept of "The Tragedy of the Commons." They conduct a "fishing" simulation demonstrating overfishing, complete two data tables, and answer discussion questions.

With colored toothpicks representing genes, youngsters practice passing them through generations of fish and learn about heredity. Consider this as an introductory activity since it does not represent recessive genes with lowercase...

Young scholars investigate wind and weather by creating a weathervane.  In this environment lesson, students identify the purpose of a weathervane and observe weathervanes in action on their campus.  Young scholars create a...

What a waste! The last installment of a nine-part technology/engineering series teaches learners about medical waste disposal systems. Conducting a simulation allows individuals to understand how monetary considerations constrain waste...

Mmmmm! Radioactive "candium!" Nuclear physics or chemistry classes use M&M'S® to demonstrate the process of radioactive decay. Individuals pour out a bag of candies and record the number that fall M-side-up to represent the...

Students collect, organize by table, and examine census data in a simulation, estimate the size of the population in the simulation and make predictions based on the collection of census simulation data.

Third graders are introduced to the importance of science safety. As a class, they role play through different safety procedures and decide which senses need to be protected for different scenerios. They discuss how to avoid hazardous...

Young scholars examine how populations grow and how invasive species can affect the balance of ecosystems. They simulate the growth of lily pads, analyze and record the data, and simulate the results of an invasive species on an ecosystem.

Second graders, using two dice, participate in a car race game called Cars on the Curve. They predict which car wins the game and records it in their Data Diary.

Fifth graders use the dots to simulate water pollutants in a lake. They use cups to collect a sample of "water." Students sort the dots by color and record the number of each dot color under the correct pollutant name in the Lake Water...

In spring, the Bering Sea turns green due to phytoplankton, which live at the surface, experiencing a population explosion. Groups of scholars play a food chain game, writing down food chains as the game is played. After five to six...

How do scientists identify which elements originate from meteorites? Scholars learn about a sample of material found in a remote location, analyzing the sample to determine if it might be from Earth or not. They study elements, isotopes,...

Seventh graders investigate the temperature change in open and closed containers. In this earth science lesson, 7th graders relate this lab activity to greenhouse effect. They create a line graph from data collected in the experiment.

Eighth graders experiment with M&M's and a cup attached to a spring to to simulate a bungee jump. They graph the results of the experiment and make predictions for continuing the experiment. They determine the "line of best fit."

Students play a game in which they simulate the interactions between a predator, lynx, and a prey, rabbit. Students collect data on the interactions, graph data, and make predictions for populations of several more generations.

Students acquire census information and create maps of the population density of the United States on different scales. They role play the roles of workers of a retail company and they use the population data to market to their customers.