Curated OER
String Cells
Use this resource to have your class learn about the cell. This resource walks learners through the construction of a model of a cell. This project is completed in a cooperative learning group, and reinforces the higher-order thinking...
PBS
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Earth's surface constantly changes thanks to a variety of geological forces; in fact, Australia currently moves faster than GPS technology. Scholars connect the idea of continental drift to earthquakes and volcanoes with the help of an...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
How Animals Use Sound to Communicate
Communication involves the visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile senses. Scholars observe groups of animals communicating through multiple senses. They note and learn why different species use different senses depending on their...
It's About Time
How Might Global Warming Affect Your Community?
What effects will global warming have on your community? This last installment of a six-part series focuses on the effects that global warming may have on a community. Brainstorming and discussion allow groups to independently develop...
Curated OER
Biggest Trees in the United States
Young scholars use the Internet (or printed sources) to locate information. They fill in missing information on a graphic organizer (chart) and use the data to answer questions. The research skills help students to develop higher order...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Plant Phenology Data Analysis
Studying data over time can paint a pretty interesting picture. Learners use data they collected in the previous instructional activity to compare to historical data in a similar region. They graph the data of the first bloom of a...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
How Did Dinosaurs Regulate Their Body Temperature?
Are dinosaurs more like birds or reptiles? Learners put the question to the test by analyzing body temperature data from a 2014 study. With their analysis, they develop a theory about the body temperature regulation of dinosaurs.
Purdue University
Yucky Water? No Problem!
Young scholars study the process of water filtration in a three-part STEM lesson. After analyzing samples of dirty water, teams design and build their own filtration systems and measure their efficiency.
Cornell University
Shedding a "Little" Light on Cancer Surgery
Many types of cancer treatments now depend on nanotechnology—a big "little" discovery. Scholars begin by removing "malignant" tissue from simulated brains, one using fluorescent markers thanks to nanotechnology and one without. This...
LABScI
Harmonic Motion: Pendulum Lab
Several times throughout history, groups of soldiers marching in rhythm across a suspension bridge have caused it to collapse. Scholars experiment with pendulums, resonance, and force to determine why this would happen. First, pupils...
Curated OER
Using Bloom's Taxonomy in Science
Help your students internalize knowledge by creating activities that utilize higher level thinking skills.
Pingry School
Comparing Activities of Selected Metals
Don't overreact! A simple experiment demonstrates chemical reactions as scholars mix chemical solutions and metals in a large well plate. They note all changes to the metals, solutions, precipitate, colors, and more. A full data table...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Factors Affecting the Heart Rate of Daphnia
What variables change heart rate? Young scientists observe the beating heart in Daphnia to understand these variables. They make changes in temperature, chemicals, and other factors as they graph the heart rates. Analysis questions help...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Unit 3 Pre-Test, Grades 7–9
Earth's systems respond to changes in environments in all types of ways including migration, extinction, adaptation, immigration, and emigration to name a few. Part one in a series of seven is a pre-test consisting of 14 questions. Some...
Nuffield Foundation
Interpreting an Investigation of Plant Hormones
How important is the tip of a new shoot on a growing plant? Individuals learn about the results of experiments on shoot tips and must interpret them. They apply previous learning and connect complex ideas through advanced analysis.
NASA
Modeling the Periodic Table
Imagine a race to complete a puzzle where each person has the same 50 pieces, knows they are missing other pieces, and must figure out how everything fits together. The winner gets fame, listed in books for years to come, and a financial...
Pingry School
Solubility Product of an Ionic Compound
How do scientists determine when a solution is fully saturated? Scholars address the topic as they observe patterns of precipitation in various concentrations of ions. Using a well plate, pipette, and common chemicals, they collect data...
University of Colorado
Phases of Charon
Pluto, although no longer considered a planet, has five moons. Pluto's moon, Charon, is the focus of a resource that describes how the moon is viewed from the surface of Pluto. Photos help individuals see how Charon would look at...
Serendip
Soap Opera Genetics – Genetics to Resolve Family Arguments
Did she cheat on her husband? Did the hospital switch the babies? Should they have children? As much as this sounds like the plot for a soap opera, all of these questions fit into a single lesson on genetics. Scholars read about three...
Curated OER
Science Experiment Using Lima Beans
Fourth graders tie together elements about the world and their environment. Students incorporate styles of higher order thinking skills. Students measure skills of observations, conclusions, inferences and predictions.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Explore Saturn and Titan with Spectral Data
Titan is Saturn's largest moon and has its own atmosphere. An attention-grabbing tutorial allows learners to analyze the spectrum of Saturn and Titan to determine their elemental compositions. Scholars compare a known element's spectrum...
LABScI
Acoustics: The Sound Lab
If the delay between a sound and its echo is less than 1/10th of a second, the human ear can’t distinguish it. Through the use of a Slinky, rubber band guitar, and straws, scholars explore where sound comes from and how it travels. Whole...
Chemistry Collective
Virtual Lab: Determining Stoichiometric Coefficients
Investigate the reaction between four unknown substances using a virtual activity. Eager chemists examine the reaction between the four solutions to build a stoichiometric equation. The virtual workbench provides the tools necessary to...
Nuffield Foundation
Observing Water Moving Through Plants
We know plants assist in the water cycle, but how do plants get water from the ground into the air? Through a series of demonstrations or labs, scholars observe the movement of water through plants. They microscopically view the cells...