Biology Junction
Birds
Birds adapted to almost every climate on the planet, from the Arctic to the rain forests. A presentation focused on birds covers their similarities and differences. It starts with their evolution from reptiles, their many physical...
Purdue University
Reptiles, Amphibians, and the Scientific Method
What do a reptile and an amphibian have in common? A three-part lesson allows scholars to investigate the similarities and differences between the two types of animals by identifying specific body parts. The lesson highlights the...
NASA
Einstein's Gravity
Assist your high school class with researching and applying the principles of gravity so they may further understand why Einstein is so widely recognized, even today. Individuals compare and contrast two different models that demonstrate...
Curated OER
What's the Difference?
Students analyze the similarities in different species. This lesson is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. For this segment, students classify shoes to mimic the scientific categories of the classification system.
Curated OER
Small Pox Scare Wks 1-2
Young scholars identify basic similarities and differences between B- and T-lymphocytes, stressing function, location, and role. They complete a worksheet that requires them to apply knowledge about ELISA and antibodies.
Curated OER
Splish-Splash: Daily Use of Water
Students explore the daily use of water in Kenya and Ghana. In this Peace Corps lesson, students compare similarities and differences between water use by people in Kenya and Ghana and their own communities as they create books that...
Curated OER
Building Bodies
Students identify key anatomical similarities and differences between great apes and humans. They infer likely anatomical features in ancient human ancestors and list principal anatomical changes in primates necessary for adaptation to...
Curated OER
Stella the Swan
Students study the similarities and differences between ducks, geese, and swans. They tell the story about how water fowl adapt to life in water using props.
Curated OER
Houses: Compare and Contrast
A series of different houses is shown, defined by their architectural details, and then used in a compare and contrast activity. Learners will compare various houses with a peer and then note similarities and differences between their...
Curated OER
Volcanoes in Space
Young scholars research volcanoes on the Internet to compare/contrast the volcanoes on Earth to the ones found on Io, a moon of Jupiter. Students list the similarities and differences in science journals, and illustrate pictures of the...
Curated OER
Are You One Of Us?
Students discover how to classify things based on their similarities and differences. Students give the characteristics of insects and create a classification list. Given examples of various types of insects, students classify them...
Curated OER
Different Weather
In this weather picture worksheet, students study 4 pictures in a box; three are identical weather symbols and one is different. Students draw an X on the picture that does not belong. There are 4 boxes on the page.
Curated OER
How Are We Alike and Different?
Students review an online database and look for similarities and differences among the plants, animals, and non-living things that were listed. They compose a narrative based on their conclusions.
Journey Through the Universe
How Far is Far?
The earth only revolves around one thing — and it's not any of your pupils. The lesson includes two activities dealing with the distance to the sun and the moon. First, scholars create a pin hole camera and use the rules of similar...
Teach Engineering
Egg-cellent Landing
The classic egg-drop experiment gets a new bounce with an activity that asks pairs to design a lander similar to one used to land a rover on Mars within a fixed budget. The activity provides a great introduction to the idea of terminal...
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 activity on genetics. Scholars read about three...
National First Ladies' Library
"Just a Little Bit Different": Inclusive Classrooms, Inclusive Schools
Learners explore visible and invisible differences, those of language, religion, dress, ethnicity, gender, etc. with their classmates. They play Bingo with a created list of classroom differences. Afterward, they write a short paper...
Curated OER
Backyard Bugs
Explore the concept of scientific classification and the similarities and differences between plant and animal species. Your class will participate in hands-on activities by investigating dichotomous keys and classifying their shoes. To...
Curated OER
Peace Corps Challenge Game-National Trees
Students explore trees around the world. In this world geography and tree lesson, students compare familiar local trees and discuss similarities and differences. Students give opinions about why the oak tree was chosen as our national...
NOAA
What Little Herc Saw
See the underwater world through a different pair of eyes! Middle school marine biologists identify deep-sea organisms by examining images taken by an ROV from the Okeanos Explorer. After determining what creatures lie beneath the...
Curated OER
Classify Machines that Fly!
Eighth graders explore flight and the dichotomous key. In this flight lesson, 8th graders gain understanding of the dichotomous key and create one of their own. Students then use their dichotomous key to classify types of aircraft.
Teach Engineering
DNA Forensics and Color Pigments
Use food coloring in electrophoresis. The last segment in a four-part series mimics DNA fingerprinting by using chromatography. Teams conduct chromatography on food coloring to find colors that use similar pigmentation in their makeup.
Discovery Education
Cool It!
Adjust the melting time of ice without varying the temperature! Learners experiment with different materials to decide how the materials affect the rate an ice cube melts. They then connect their findings to the conductivity of each...
CK-12 Foundation
Intrusive and Extrusive Igneous Rocks
Check out a resource that's erupting with engaging material! Earth science scholars discover how igneous rocks form in a well-rounded interactive. They manipulate the cooling time of lava to watch crystals form, learn visual...