Curated OER
What in the World..?!?
Students photograph mystery images. For this observation skills lesson, students gather everyday objects and place them under a digital microscope. They magnify the image and take a photograph of it. The image is then displayed on the...
Curated OER
Critters in the Classroom
Students investigate with sea urchins. In this ocean habitat lesson, students observe sea urchins and other ocean grazers. Students work with lab equipment to examine the anatomy of these creatures.
Curated OER
Chemosynthesis in the Classroom
Students observe the development of chemosynthesis in bacterial communities. In this bacteria lesson students explore that chemosynthesis is and how it is relevant to biological communities.
Curated OER
Invisible Life
By setting up an aquarium in the classroom, learners are able to describe some macroscopic and microscopic organisms that are found inside. This well-designed, and educationally rich instructional activity requires pupils to use...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
The Micro and Macro World Around Us
Don't let your eyes play tricks on you ... use scale to keep your eyes in check! Young scholars observe images without scale and try to identify the structure. Then, they look at the same image with a scale bar and assess whether their...
Curated OER
It's Just Dirt
Students discover how seed germination varies according to the soil type. In this soil science instructional activity, students discuss what plants need in order to grow and investigate various types of soil. Students use their senses to...
American Museum of Natural History
What do You Know About Life on Earth?
Humans have only inhabited the earth for a fraction of the time that life has existed. Young scientists explore the facts about the emergence of life on Earth with an interactive resource. While highlighting different types of life, the...
Curated OER
Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
Plug into interactive whiteboards to spark creativity in the classroom.
Curated OER
Chemosynthesis for the Classroom
Explorers set up Windogradsky columns with local mud so that they can culture microorganisms. After three and six weeks they make observations of the mud and the organisms growing in it. In this way they observe succession and relate...
Curated OER
Micros-organisms
Sixth graders examine mold with a microscope. In this micro-organisms lesson, 6th graders use teacher-prepared mold samples to prepare a wet-mount slide and examine the mold under a microscope then draw and label what they see.
Curated OER
Get Crafty! Integrate Art and Science
By combining diverse subjects, you will create some of your most memorable lessons.
Curated OER
Homeschooling Chronicles - Microscopes
Microscopes are more than instruments. They are windows into the scientific world.
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can a Dam Affect a River? Activity A
Written for Washington state students in life science, this lesson provides an opportunity to examine the residents of local freshwater habitats. You or the class collects a water sample, and learners try to examine what organisms live...
Cornell University
Plant Cell Crime Scene
Use science to solve the mystery of the Poplar murder. Pupils use forensic botany to determine if a suspect could be the killer. By analyzing images from a Transmission Electron Microscope, learners determine if the material found on the...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Taking a Closer Look at Objects
Take a close look at the world around you with an activity that magnifies everyday objects. Five explorations examine items under intense magnification and pose a series of questions that encourage critical thinking and following...
Film Foundation
Film Language and Elements of Style
How do you read a frame? How do you read a shot? Here's a resource that shows viewers how to read films. As part of the study, class members examine the camera angles, lighting, movement, and cinematic point of view in Mr. Smith Goes to...
Baylor College
Magnifying and Observing Cells
Though it isn't a novel activity to prepare onion cell and Elodea plant cell slides as examples of cells in a microbiology unit, this resource will leave you thoroughly prepared. As pupils examine the slides that they prepare, they draw...
Curated OER
Creatures That Glow In The Night
Students investigate the different bioluminescent organisms. They use microscopes in order to make observations and draw what is seen. Students demonstrate they have studies the differences between the process of photosynthesis and...
Curated OER
Bacteria's Role in Food
Students grow bacteria cultures on agar in petri dishes and do a plate count. They participate in a yogurt making lab to see how bacteria produce lactic acid. They prepare a recipe and identify fungi, fermentation and the role of...
Curated OER
Creating a Universally Designed Lesson Plan
Students investigate plant cells. In this multiple intelligences lesson, students engage in a variety of activities to foster an understanding of plant cells and how they work. Students read, write, observe, and role-play parts and...
Curated OER
Living Organisms as Indicators of Pollutants in Fresh Water Ecosystems
Students observe the effects of pollution on living organisms. In this pollution lesson plan, students observe fresh water Hydra and look at their structures and movement. They place samples of pond and lake water on the Hydra and...
Discovery Education
Fuss About Dust
Dust is everywhere around us; it's unavoidable. But what exactly is dust and are certain locations dustier than others? These are the questions students try to answer in an interesting scientific investigation. Working independently or...
Curated OER
Life In the Soil: Home Sweet Home: Red Worms
In this soil worksheet, students complete 2 pages about the importance of soil in plant growth. Students read about red worms and answer 2 questions about composting. Students fill out a chart with their observations of plants planted in...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Microbes and Microbes Are Everywhere
Seventh graders define the term microbe. They identify the five main groups of microbes. Students give examples of ways in which microbes have impacted or currently impact human life. They create a hypotheses for where they expect to...