Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Permafrost Thaw Depth and Ground Cover

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
The thaw depth of tundra creates a positive feedback loop with both global warming and the carbon cycle. Scholars sort photos and develop a hypothesis for ground cover and permafrost depth. Then they review the data and measurements...
Lesson Plan
Willow Tree

Ratios and Proportions with Congruent and Similar Polygons

For Students 8th - 11th Standards
Investigate how similar and congruent figures compare. Learners understand congruent figures have congruent sides and angles, but similar figures only have congruent angles — their sides are proportional. After learning the...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Biological Oceanographic Investigations – Through Robot Eyes

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How can a robot measure the length of something when we don't know how far the camera is from the object? The instructional activity explains the concept of perspective and many others. Scholars apply this knowledge to judge the length...
Lesson Plan
NASA

Determining the Nature, Size, and Age of the Universe

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Prompt scholars to discover the expansion of the universe themselves. Using photographs of other galaxies, they measure and then graph the size and distance of each. Finally, they draw conclusions and prove the universe is...
Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Do Microorganisms Live in Antarctica?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Can microorganisms live in the dry, cold climate of Antarctica? Young scientists view a research project measuring microorganisms in the Taylor Glacier. They record the findings from dirty ice, clean ice, boots, sediment, and more. Then...
Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Ozone Data Comparison over the South Pole

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Did you know the hole in the ozone is seasonal and filled by January every year? The lesson uses scientific measurements of the ozone over the South Pole to understand patterns. Scholars learn that the hole grew bigger annually before...
Activity
101 Questions

Stopping Distances

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
In 2016, one in every four fatal car crashes listed speeding as a contributing factor. Pupils view videos of a car trying to come to a quick stop from four different rates of speed. They use context clues to measure and determine the...
Activity
101 Questions

Safe Cracking

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
How long would it take to break into a safe by testing every possible combination of codes? Pupils view a video clip of this happening and must determine the total amount of time before success. They measure how long each step takes, add...
Interactive
NOAA

Investigating Sea Level Using Real Data

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
The news reports on rising sea level, but how do scientists measure this rise? Scholars use NOAA data including maps, apps, and images to work through five levels of activities related to sea level. Each level in the series adds a new...
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Franklin Roosevelt's Proposal for Reforming the Supreme Court: 168 Days of National Debate

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Was it overreach or wise executive functioning? Scholars have long debated Franklin Roosevelt's court-packing scheme when he attempted to stack the court with justices friendlier to his New Deal measures. Now, learners pick up the...
Activity
Serendip

Where Does a Plant's Mass Come From?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Where does the mass for a growing tree come from? Scholars consider a few different hypotheses and guess which is correct. They then analyze data from different experiments to understand which concepts science supports.
Lesson Plan
Center Science Education

Investigating the Climate

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What do graphs of atmospheric gases over time show us? Do they indicate that carbon sources and carbon sinks are not in balance? Up-and-coming meteorologists watch video clips, read information, and analyze data from the HIPPO...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Forensic Science: Case of the Missing Diamond Maker

For Teachers 5th - 9th Standards
Someone stole a diamond-making machine. Who done it? Scholars use forensic science at six different stations to determine the culprit. They analyze fingerprints, use their senses, and complete chemistry experiments to determine the...
Lesson Plan
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Population Dynamics

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Will human population growth always be exponential, or will we find a limiting factor we can't avoid? Young scientists learn about both exponential and logistic growth models in various animal populations. They use case studies to...
Lesson Plan
American Statistical Association

Happy Birthday to . . . Two?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
How many people do you need in a room before two likely share the same birthday? Scholars consider this puzzle by analyzing a set of data. They ponder how to divide the data and determine the proper size of a group for this event to...
Lesson Plan
American Statistical Association

Bear Hugs

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Scholars research arm span to determine who gives the best bear hugs. They use data from a national study to find the standard statistics for arm span. It includes mean, median, quartiles, spread, standard deviation, and more.
Lesson Plan
American Statistical Association

Scatter It! (Predict Billy’s Height)

For Teachers 8th Standards
How do doctors predict a child's future height? Scholars use one case study to determine the height of a child two years into the future. They graph the given data, determine the line of best fit, and use that to estimate the height in...
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Historical Climate Cycles

For Students 7th - 9th Standards
Scientists use ice core samples to obtain temperatures of the earth from 400,000 years ago! The third of five lessons instructs pupils to interpret historical climate data to see changes over time. In part I, participants interpret...
Lesson Plan
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Montana State University

Who’s on Top?

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
What's it like to climb Mount Everest? An educational resource encourages an in-depth knowledge of Mount Everest's scientific missions through a variety of activities, including an analysis of maps, a KWL chart, videos, a simulation, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water in Earth's Hydrosphere

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Environmentalists test stream water for temperature, pH, and turbidity. Each group shares their information and then the class makes an overall evaluation of the water quality. A slide show sets the backdrop for the teaching portion and...
Lesson Plan
US Environmental Protection Agency

Mapping Greenhouse Gas Emissions Where You Live

For Teachers 5th - 10th
After investigating the US Environmental Protection Agency's climate change website, your environmental studies students discuss greenhouse gas emissions. They use an online interactive tool to look at data from power production...
Lesson Plan
US Environmental Protection Agency

Tree Rings: Living Records of Climate

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Open with a discussion on weather and climate and then explain how tree rings can provide scientists with information about the earth's past climate. Pupils analyze graphics of simulated tree rings from various US locations for the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tennis Balls in a Can

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Make your classroom interesting by teaching or assessing through tasks. Deepen the understanding of Geometry and motivate young mathematicians. The task uses investigation with tennis balls and their container to prompt learners to...
Lesson Plan
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Virginia Department of Education

Geometry and Volume

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
The history of math is fascinating! Utilize a woodcut primary source image from 1492 and posters from the 1930s to help geometers apply their volume-calculation skills to real-life questions. 

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