Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recognizing Litter

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
When does trash become litter? Use this litter awareness lesson to help them understand the importance of trash disposal. Get learners engaged by reading Nancy Loewen's Lady Lulu Liked to Litter (not included). After discussing what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who's Range is it?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the habits of panthers by analyzing radio transmitted data.  In this animal life lesson plan, students utilize computers to view the range of different statistics dealing with Florida panthers.  Students...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

DNA Structure, Nucleic Acids, and Proteins

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What is in that double helix? Explain intricate concepts with a variety of creative activities in a lesson that incorporates multiple steps to cover DNA structure, nucleic acids, and proteins. Pupils explore the history of DNA structure,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Beneficial Bug Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Going on a scavenger hunt sounds like a great way to spice up any lesson plan. To better understand how beneficial insects are, the class goes outdoors to search for and observe a bug that has big benefits. Included in the lesson are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slip Slidin' Away

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students investigate mechanical weathering as a form of erosion. In this erosion lesson, students, define weathering and erosion before determining how the Earth's surface is in a constant state of change. They watch a video, access...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Draft-O-Meter

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore where there are drafts in their homes.  In this waste reduction instructional activity, students experiment with a learners made draft-o-meter and record drafts on a worksheet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crowley's Ridge: An Upland in the Lowlands

For Teachers 4th - 6th
This clever lesson combines elements of geography, art, literature, and storytelling. Pupils take a close look at the six geographical regions of Arkansas, and pay close attention to Crowley's Ridge - which is one of the six. In groups,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Boom and Bust in the Ozark Forests

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Here is a hard-hitting, cross-curricular lesson on the effects that the deforestation of the Ozark forests in the 19th century had on the people, animals, and ecosystems of the area. The Dr. Seuss book The Lorax is used as a way of...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Vapor Pressure and Colligative Properties

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Hate to vacuum, but enjoy using a vacuum pump? Explore a instructional activity that starts with a demonstration of boiling water at various temperatures by using a vacuum pump. Then scholars design their own experiments to measure vapor...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Field Guide to Schoolyard Insects and Their Relatives

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Sometimes all you need to complete your perfect lesson plan is an awesome hands-on learning experience. Here is an extension activity that is sure to excite your learners. They'll head outside to observe the local insect community. When...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

States of Matter

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Scientists have been studying exothermic reactions before they were cool. The lesson begins with a discussion and a demonstration of heat curves. Scholars then determine the heat of fusion of ice and the heat needed to...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Adaptation and Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Um may be the atomic symbol for confusion, but it won't be needed in this lesson. Scholars rotate through seven stations completing experiments, hands-on activities, writing exercises, and analysis. Stations include material on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Magnets and Magnetism

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Here is a very good lesson plan on magnets, magnetism, and magnitic fields that is chock full of great activities for you to implement with your young scientists. Learners discover the properties of magnets, look at the forces of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Animals Kingdom

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students are introduced to the classification system of animals. In groups, they set up an aquarium in which they must maintain throughout the year. They also observe earthworms and how they react to various stimuli and research the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Household Conservation/Efficiency

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Hook your class up to an online home energy usage calculator so that they can estimate the amount used per month by their families. Then give them Watt meters with which they will measure the power consumption of several small...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using MY NASA DATA to Determine Volcanic Activity

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore how aerosols are used in science to indicate volcanic activity and how biomass burning affects global aerosol activity. Students access data and import into MS Excel using graphical data to make inferences and draw...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hot and Cold Colors

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students experiment with the color and solar energy absorption. In this color and solar energy absorption lesson plan, students spend two days discussing and experimenting with the concept of energy absorption. They paint cans with...
Lesson Plan
University of California

Energy and Biomass Pyramids

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
Young scientists play tag as they act out the food pyramid in the ocean ecosystem. Energy circles pass from the smaller prey to the predators and at the end of the activity, a data chart and analysis questions allow pupils to apply their...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Molar Heat of Fusion for Water

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How can you describe heat of fusion in a way the class understands and relates the importance of this concept to present day issues? In this third lesson of the series, learners conduct an experiment, demonstrating the flow of heat...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Cycle - A SiteMaker Presentation

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Have your young scientists explore a single element of the water cycle and write a report to explain findings. Your class can take their writing through all the steps of the writing process and publish it using a Web-based multimedia...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arkansas: A Changing Climate, a Changing Land

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Here is a lesson on the climate zones and geography of Arkansas. In it, learners look at maps (embedded) of different climate zones found throughout Arkansas. They engage in discussions regarding how global warming and climate change is...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music: Caterpillars, How They Grow!

For Teachers 1st
Put on some music and get moving as a way to represent the life cycle of a caterpillar. Kids listen to the story The Very Hungary Caterpillar, discuss the life cycle, then create vocal expression that represent each stage of the cycle....
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

The Hydrologic Cycle

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
There is the same amount of water on earth now as there was when it was formed. The water from your faucet could contain molecules that dinosaurs drank! Young scientists build their own hydrologic cycle model and observe...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Melting the Ice: Energy Transfer

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students study thermal energy and energy transfer to sea ice processes. In this energy transfer lesson, students make their own ice cream and discuss energy transfer and thermal energy. Students view a radiation overhead and its role in...