How can you tell if a number of items is reasonable? Combine math and language arts with a fun lesson based on Jeff Shepard's The Right Number of Elephants. After reading the book, kids discuss amounts of other items and create...

Measure the amount of energy in a peanut by igniting a chemical reaction. Classes use a laboratory setup to burn a peanut and measure the amount of heat it releases through a temperature analysis. They calculate the number of Joules of...

The battle of the sexes? Scholars first examine data on hurricane-related deaths and create graphical displays. They then use the data and displays to consider whether hurricanes with female names result in more deaths than hurricanes...

Turn up the heat! Young mathematicians develop models to represent different climates and collect temperature data. They analyze the data with regression and residual applications. Using that information, they make conclusions about...

All soil is not created equal! A lab activity asks learners to collect and analyze soil. Specific calculations determine the amount of sand, silt, and clay in a sample and allow individuals to identify the soil texture. 

Explore the mathematical relationship between a solvent and solute. Learners use technology to measure the cooling patterns of a solvent with varying concentrations of solute. Through an analysis of the data, pupils realize that the...

Sew up pupil interest with an engaging, hands-on instructional activity. Learners first design a sports bag given constraints on the dimensions of fabric. They then evaluate provided sample responses to identify strengths and weaknesses...

Third graders discuss what they think the word "observation" means and discover different ways that we observe. They observe as the teacher demonstrates how to use a hand lens as a tool for observing tiny details. They then use hand...

Students discuss HVAC to assess prior knowledge. Students create a rubric to assess their modals of HVAC units, and build the models according to instructions and discussion by the teacher.

Students work in groups to create a script for a one minute commercial on how to conserve our reusable energy sources. When the scripts are written, explain to the students that a story board is similar to a cartoon.

Students graph data on fetal and infant mortality rates collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They identify trends in the data and propose potential causes for the trends.

Fifth graders determine what muscles do and identify the different types. In this muscle lesson, 5th graders discuss what they know about muscles before looking at the book, The Human Body by Jonathan Miller. They take a teacher made...

Students culminate a study of the water cycle by following step-by-step directions to make a three dimensional cloud. On the model, they draw a diagram of the water cycle and label it, and add a written report they completed in a...

Students examine the effects of pesticides on the environment and bugs. They answer questions as an assessment.

Students investigate the planets in our solar system. They conduct research using a variety of resources in order for students to make cognitive connections with the demonstrations made by the teacher. Students discover how to recognize...

Learners review the definitions for efficiency and productivity. In groups, they observe a group of working people and develop ways they can increase their productivity. They write up their formal recommendations and then present them...

Utilizing computer software, learners demonstrate the color spectrum. They investigate the life of the artist Piet Mondrian and define his style of artwork. Then they use Photoshop to recreate some of his designs while discovering the...

Working in small groups students develop three alternative boat designs. They discuss the rationale for the type of hull, propeller, location of ballast, and type of building material used in their design. They build their boat.

Note-taking is an essential study skill, and it needs to be taught! In the context of a research project on energy sources, learners find multiple sources, evaluating, paraphrasing, and citing them correctly. Two lists with note-taking...

Students observe and identify characteristics of artifacts and fossils; explain how artifacts and fossils are used to explore the past; and identify ways that Native Americans prepared food and made tools

Students perform an experiment, collect, and analyze data of a rolling marble down a ramp. They report results after they complete their experiment. Students are assessed in science and writing.

Students determine which of several soil samples (sand, soil, and slit) produces puddles, providing insight into the permeability of these different soils. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect,...

Eighth graders determine the presence of starch and sugar in unknown solutions. This task assesses students' abilities to observe, record and interpret data, classify, generalize/infer, construct data tables, and identify sugar and...

Students follow directions for a simple chemical experiment. They use the appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data. Students identify a substance that has characteristic properties, such as density, a...