Polar Trec
Touring the Poles
Would you want to vacation in the Arctic or Antarctic regions? Scholars research both regions and produce a travel brochure trying to convince tourists to visit. The project focuses on the geography, climate, flora, fauna, and indigenous...
Curated OER
"ART ZOO 'Blacks in the Westward Movement', 'What Can You Do with a Portrait', and 'Of Beetles, Worms, and Leaves of Grass'"
Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and investigate their natural environment. This humanities lesson provides a text that can be used to teach lessons in black history,...
Curated OER
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure
Students research the exploration of Antarctica by the explorer Sir Ernest Shackelton. In this Antarctic exploration lesson, students watch a movie about Sir Ernest Shackelton and his ship the Endurance. Students study a map of...
Curated OER
Break an Egg
Students research antarctic wildlife and create a diorama and fact sheet to present their research to the class. They create an Antarctic explorer's journal.
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
Curated OER
How Size Shapes Animals
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
Curated OER
Plants and Animals, Partners in Pollination
Students participate in multiple hands-on activities to explore reproduction and pollination. In groups, using a cotton swab and powder, students simulate being pollinators and plants. They name the parts of the flowers and the function...
Curated OER
Spy on a Spider
Students view slides or live specimens to name and describe the distinguishing features of groups of arthropods, especially spiders and insects. They complete worksheets, observe webs and then search for and record where spiders can be...
Curated OER
Penguins Marching in Your Classroom
Sixth graders examine how penguins adapt to their Antarctic environment. Once they locate Antarctica on a map, they describe its characteristics and differences from other continents. After describing how penguins differ from more...
Curated OER
Climate and Cultures of Africa
Students gain an understanding of the relationship between climate and culture in the sub- Saharan Africa. Students will complete short exercises pertaining to the various cultures of Africa and the climate in which they live....
Curated OER
Dinosaurs Were Real!
Students investigate the history of dinosaurs, as real animals. For this dinosaur lesson plan, students examine basic concepts that help them understand the history of all life. Included in this article is information on the world of...
Curated OER
Lift and Drag: Principles of Flight and the Soaring Imagination
Students construct models of early gas balloons and gliders. In this balloon and glider lesson plan, students create models of early gas balloons and gliders, discover how the forces of lift and drag effect aircraft in flight, and put...
Curated OER
Sea Connections
Students, after locating different marine habitats on a globe, play a card game about ecosystems, food webs and organisms.
Curated OER
The Awful 8: A Play
Middle schoolers perform a play that presents the causes and effects on people and the environment of the eight major air pollutants.
Curated OER
Butterflies
Students complete art projects about butterflies. In this butterflies lesson plan, students complete projects including tissue paper butterflies, edible caterpillars, coloring pages, and more.
Curated OER
The Awful Eight
Middle schoolers investigate the concept of a carpool and its contributions to either reducing or increasing air pollution. They conduct research using a variety of resources for background information. The information is used to write a...
Curated OER
Creatures from Planet X: Spiders
Students are given a description of some fascinating animals from "Planet X". They follow the descriptions given to illustrate one of these animals paying careful attention to introduced vocabulary such as 'appendages', 'receptors', and...
Curated OER
How Things Fly
Students, by drawing on their own experiences, discuss and examine the basic physics of flight. They participate in a variety of activities regarding flight.
Curated OER
Mineral Scavenger Hunt
Students complete a scavenger hunt worksheet as they find examples in their classroom, at home, etc., of minerals. Excellent worksheet!
Curated OER
Feature Column: Virtual Field Trips
Students discover ways to stay healthy by utilizing Internet education software. In this computer technology lesson, students investigate Internet programs that simulate a field trip by showing images and video. Students participate in...
Curated OER
Graphic Organizers Aid Comprehension
Students create story webs to aid comprehension of ecosystems. In this reading strategies lesson plan, students discover the importance of organizing information while reading a nonfiction text. Students produce story webs to communicate...
Curated OER
How Things Fly
Students observe photographs of selected twentieth-century aircraft at the National Air and Space Museum and note differences in the design of aircraft wings, fuselages, and engines.
Curated OER
Facts, Feats and Folklore: Spiders
Students review and discuss a variety of sayings, folklore and superstitions about spiders. They discuss this information and choose either an interesting fact or appealing foklore tradition to illustrate.