Captain Planet Foundation
Worm Your Way Out of This
How can you provide healthy soil for your garden? Study worms, bacteria, and other microorganisms in a lesson about decomposition and organic compost. After discussing what you know about worms and watching a video, watch what worms do...
American Chemical Society
Curious Crystals
Crystals are more than meets the eye! Can learners tell them apart simply by observation? As they examine five samples with a magnifier, they find that appearance alone is not enough. This serves as an introduction to a mini unit on...
Exploratorium
Moire Patterns
By overlapping combs and window screening and by looking at a printed set of consecutively larger circles, learners observe Moire patterns, which provide a visual of what happens during wave interference.
American Chemical Society
Matter on the Move
Start this mini unit on matter out by demonstrating how food coloring behaves when placed in cold and in hot water. Then have the class experiment with warm water and soap film. Pupils will learn that an increase in thermal energy also...
Baylor College
Reebops: A “Model” Organism for Teaching Genetic Concepts
In a sweet simulation, junior geneticists examine the chromosomes of a fictitious Reebop marshmallow animal, combine chromosomes to produce offspring, and then make a model of the resulting Reebop baby. Phenotypes include number of...
Curated OER
Take Only Photos and Leave Only Bubbles
Students make careful observations and record their observations. They communicate their findings with their peers and analyze data collected about a site. They determine what it means to be a looter, and feel the direct effects of...
Curated OER
Human Fingerprints: No Two the Same
Sixth graders explore scientific observations by analyzing a group of data. In this fingerprint identification lesson, 6th graders identify the reasoning behind fingerprinting and create their own ink fingerprints. Students discuss the...
Curated OER
Artifact Identification-What is it?
Learners observe an artifact and make an inference about the artifact's purpose. They are going to role-play as archaeologists by using artifacts to hypothesize about the lives of past people.
Curated OER
Introducing the Use of Dichotomous Keys to Students
Students are introduced to the use of dichotomous keys as a simple means of beginning scientific observations in nature. They comprehend how to use a dichotomous key. Students distinguish characteristics of a group of organisms. They...
Curated OER
Magnetism
First graders investigate magnetism. In this magnetism lesson, 1st graders classify objects as being magnetic or nonmagnetic. Students receive a pile of objects to test. Students test the items and give a rationale of why they think the...
Curated OER
Hatching Chickens
Students observe chicks hatching from eggs. In this science lesson, students view a video to develop an understanding of the proper care and needs of eggs and live animals. This is a great precursor activity for hatching eggs in class.
Curated OER
The Scientific Method
In this scientific method activity, students complete a crossword puzzle given 21 clues about the steps of the scientific method. Topics include observations, hypotheses, variables, inferences, results and conclusions.
Curated OER
Time-Lapsed Observations
Learners explore timed observations for science investigations. They record ideas on a chart related to a classroom closed terrarium. They repeat their observations for several days and time observations for changing shadows during the...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Electrolysis Using a Microscale Hoffman Apparatus—Microscale Chemistry
Get big results out of a small-scale lab! Young chemists observe the electrolysis of sodium sulfate using a microscale experiment. A colorful indicator solution combined with the production of gas bubbles yields a variety of observations...
Science Friday
Ugh, a Bug!
Young entomologists familiarize themselves with the physical characteristics of insects. Composed of two activities, each lesson involves your scientists tapping into their prior knowledge of bugs and making observations of real live...
Workforce Solutions
On the Job
Four lessons spotlight a variety of professions while boosting listening and observational skills and making inferences. Lesson one challenges pupils to group cards based on a commonality then justify the relationship they see....
Science Matters
Seed Adaptations for Dispersal
After a grand conversation about seeds, adaptation, and dispersal, scholars work collaboratively to examine seeds and record their findings on a four-column chart. Small groups share their observations and further discuss seed...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Some Reactions of Carbon Dioxide—Microscale Chemistry
Precipitation reactions are always interesting. How about one that forms a precipitate using a gas? Chemists of any age will enjoy this twist on a standard solubility lab. Partners observe the lack of interaction between sodium...
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Treatment of Oil Spills—Microscale Chemistry
When oil spills happen, how is the oil cleaned up? Pupils of polymer science discover an amazing substance that turns oil into a solid during a microscale experiment. Individuals observe oil or paraffin before and after addition of the...
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: The Lorax
Accompany a reading of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and Tell Me, Tree by Gail Gibbons with an activity packet designed to bring awareness to nature, specifically trees. Scholars take to the outside, draw lines to create trees reminiscent of...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating the Effect of Concentration of Blackcurrant Squash on Osmosis in Chipped Potatoes
Model and explore osmosis using squash and potatoes. Young scientists expose chunks of potatoes to different concentrations of a squash solution. They compare the weights of the chunks before and after exposure to the solution and use...
Curated OER
A Guinea Pig Makes An Excellent Classroom Pet
Third graders live alongside guinea pigs. In this biology lesson plan, 3rd graders gain direct knowledge of the guinea pig's behavior and determine if it will make a good classroom pet.
Curated OER
Making a Terrarium
Students become familiar with the materials needed to build a terrarium. In this terrarium lesson, students create a terrarium in a bottle and observe how it grows and takes care of itself.
Curated OER
Observing Decomposition
For this science worksheet, students focus upon the concept of decomposition and collect data in order to make interpretations or observations.