Curated OER
What Color is the Ocean?
Learners view satellite pictures of the ocean, and discuss the presence of phytoplankton and the colors of the ocean. Students compare/contrast ocean satellite images with maps and globes, then color world maps to replicate the satellite...
Orange County Water Atlas
Location, Location, Location…
Young geographers discover not only how to read and recognize coordinates on a map, but also gain a deeper understanding of latitude and longitude and how climate changes can vary significantly across latitudes.
Curated OER
An Exploration of Cradle-to-Cradle Design Thinking
Introduce cradle-to-cradle design thinking. Scholars first discuss the importance of natural laws and rights. They then use a variety of online and print resources to research eco-efficiency and cradle-to-cradle design.
Prince William Network
The Incredible Journey
Divide your school gym into breeding grounds and non-breeding grounds so that your zoologists can play a game simulating the seasonal migration of shorebirds. Players pick one of the included game cards and follow its directions, which...
Science Matters
Seismic Activity and California Landforms
By the 19th lesson in the 20-part series, scholars realize volcanoes and earthquakes are related to plate boundaries. The lesson extends and applies the knowledge by having individuals create a bumper sticker for one specific area of...
NOAA
Climate, Corals and Change
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
CK-12 Foundation
Location and Direction: Angle from the Equator
From any angle, this interactive is helpful. Earth science super stars explore a location's angle from the equator through a hands-on activity. Questions guide learners as they test their knowledge of direction and geometry used in...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Understanding Variation
Does where we live influence how our bodies express genetic traits? Explore variation in human skin color with an activity that incorporate video and hands-on learning. Individuals model the relationship between phenotypes and genotypes,...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Natural Selection and the Evolution of Darwin's Finches
Darwin explained the connection between species of finches 150 years before scientists understood DNA. Technology and progressing science proved he was right, yet many struggle to understand how natural selection happens. Scholars use...
Curated OER
Introducting the Concept of Medical Ecology
Tenth graders examine the effects of the breakout of the West Nile Virus. They make predictions on its origin. They develop and present an action plan to stop the virus from spreading.
Curated OER
CSAP Preparation: "Strike While the Iron is Hot"
Students survey several concepts in literature, science, history, and geography as a preparation for the CSAP standardized testing experience. This nine lesson unit provides exposure to the format and content of the test.
Curated OER
Exploring the USA and the World with Cartograms
Students investigate cartograms in order to explore the different countries on Earth. In this world geography lesson, students use the Internet to analyze data on different cartograms. Students compare data, such as population density,...
Curated OER
A Natural Connection to the Azores
Students use primary sources to examine whaling voyages, biology, and geography. In this geography lesson, students analyze ship logs and plot locations of animals and determine routes using latitude and longitude.
Curated OER
Habitats of the World
Students complete a unit of eighteen lessons that cover climate, geography, location, plants, and animals of each of the five habitats. They are also introduced to habitat destruction and discuss ways to protect the environment. They do...
Curated OER
Urban Planning: Plan a City
Students analyze the concept of urbanization by planning the placement of some of the major urban/suburban features that make up most cities. They arrange the cultural features to benefit the people who live there, and maintain respect...
Curated OER
Making Good Decisions
Students examine the consequences of behaviors and what the concept of trade offs are. In this good decision lesson plan students read an article and answer questions on making good decisions.
Curated OER
Wegener and Plate Tectonics: A Hands-On Lesson
Students are introduced to and experiment with the basic concepts of plate tectonic theory as well as assess the history of the theory of plate tectonics. They explain and illustrate the basic concepts through diagrams and models of...
Curated OER
Get Smart
Young scholars study sustainability and smart growth. For this geography lesson students identify the benefits that are expected from smart growth.
Curated OER
Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can
Students investigate the manufacture of aluminum cans and consider the energy and resources saved when the cans are made from recycled material. They explore the concept of closed-loop recycling using charts, worksheets and discussion.
Curated OER
Island Biogeography and Evolution
Students develop likely phylogenies for seven related populations of lizards living on the Canary Islands using real data. They organize charts, and record the data for geography, geology, morphology, and molecular genetics.
Curated OER
Follow That Ship!
Learners in this exercise are introduced to the distinct ways of measuring distance (nautical miles) and speed (knots) at sea, as well as the concepts of latitude and longitude for establishing location.
Curated OER
Properties of Soil
Students encounter various pieces of knowledge utilizing lessons that addresses a diversity of learners with multiple intelligences. They cover various concepts: science, Earth, scientific inquiry, geometry, data analysis, probability,...
Curated OER
Protecting Habitats and Species
Students recognize that scientists continuously gather and interpret data to understand and predict relationships among natural phenomena. They research various volcanoes and plot the volcano locations on a world map.
Curated OER
What's Goin' Down?
Middle schoolers explore the concept of environmental stewardship. For this service learning lesson, students investigate the locations of the world's rain forests and concerns regarding the world's rain forests.