Curated OER
Earth Science - Earth's Atmosphere
Students build an understanding of the dynamics and composition of the atmosphere and its local and global processes influencing climate and air quality. They analyze global atmospheric changes including changes in CO2, CH4, and...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of the Mealworm
Fourth graders provide a habitat for live mealworms and observe their life cycle. In this animal life cycle and scientific inquiry lesson, 4th graders create a habitat for a live mealworm and observe and record related data as it grows....
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sentence Structure of Technical Writing
Most teachers and scholars look for a way to simplify information. Informational how-to slides simplify the process of technical writing into a step-by-step process. Learners gather information on what to do, as well as what to avoid....
Virginia Department of Education
Go with the Flow
How does nature's hierarchy relate to our local human environment? Answer this question, along with others, as the class visually depicts the natural hierarchy provided by nature. Pupils discuss each piece of the pyramid and its energy...
Code.org
Text Compression
The second lesson in a unit of 15 introduces pupils to text compression. The class begins with discussing how they already use text compression when sending text messages. Pairs learn more about the subject as they work to compress a...
Curated OER
All About Me: My Senses
Students describe the basic senses and then use their senses to describe what they learned.
Curated OER
Who Will Get the Job?
Seventh graders demonstrate their ability to identify interview skills that lead to success in the job-seeking process by participating in and observing an interview with an employer. Students also use a checklist to validate their...
Acoustical Society of America
Anatomy of a Wave
Pair physical science learners up, and have one describe a transverse wave while the other blindly attempts to draw it. Then reveal an actual diagram and explain the different parts of the wave: crest, trough, wavelength. Though most of...
Curated OER
Qualitative Vs. Quantitative
Fourth graders examine the difference between qualitative and quantitative observations by doing a simple lab activity. This lesson can be used at any grade level. It involves the basic observation process skill.
Science 4 Inquiry
"Something Old, Something New..."
Young scientists learn about DNA replication through a video and model creation. They answer analysis questions before exploring the role of mutations and then complete a summative assessment.
Center for Precollegiate Education and Training
Buoyancy Boats
What did the sea say to the boat? Nothing, it just waved. An inquiry-based activity starts with a simple concept on the Archimedes Principle and challenges pupils to make something out of clay that floats. Then, they...
Curated OER
Utilizing Community Resources
Learners gain an understanding of scientific methods and use process skills (such as observing, classifying, and predicting) to solve a problem. They develop an understanding of the need for natural preservation.
Curated OER
Contour Basics: JAVA Mac/PC
Students explore how to draw contour lines from limited data and extend this knowledge to real data sets. They participate in many opportunities from students to assess their own progress and the exercise is completely online.
Curated OER
The Tree Detective - Basic Dendrology
Students identify tree species by their leaf characteristics. In this dendrology lesson plan, students learn leaf vocabulary and collect leaves. They identify the leaves using the leaf characteristics and the vocabulary that they learned.
Curated OER
Basics of Archaeology
Students identify what and how to complete an Archaeological excavation is conducted. They identify the transition from one layer to the next more easily if the colors of the layers are different. When creating a dig, the teacher...
Teach Engineering
Clay Boats
Clay itself sinks, but clay boats float. Why? Young engineers build clay boats to learn about buoyancy. They test the weight the boats can hold using washers and then tweak their designs to make improvements, following the engineering...
Baylor College
Air: The Math Link
Inflate this unit on the science of air with these math skills practice and word problems. Accompanying the children's story Mr. Slaptail's Secret, this resource covers a wide range of math topics including the four basic...
Teach Engineering
Things That Matter to Flocculants
How does the dirt get out of your drinking water? A hands-on activity introduces the use of flocculants to help clear solid particles out of water. The plan walks learners through the process of setting up an experiment that...
Illustrative Mathematics
How Thick Is a Soda Can I?
The humble soda can gets the geometric treatment in an activity that links math and science calculations. After a few basic assumptions are made and discussed, surface area calculations combine with density information to develop an...
Curated OER
How Do Cells Reproduce?
Students examine cell division and the process of mitosis. In this cell reproduction lesson students grow yeast and observe the results, and learn about the career of scientific illustration.
Curated OER
Dinosaurs
Learners are introduced to the various types of dinosaurs and write in their journals about their favorite one. After listening to a story and watching a filmstrip, they color a few pages in their Dinosaur Friends Book. They also examine...
Curated OER
Bacterial Transformation
High schoolers discuss a bacterial experiment they previously performed and complete a pre-assessment. They participate in a lecture discussion given by the teacher through PowerPoint and then complete a cartoon worksheet and...
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
A Healthy Retirement?
Do men and women experience heart disease the same way? High school and college-level biologists examine a case study about a woman, Nancy, who is experiencing intermittent health issues; looking at her diet, exercise, and lifestyle...
Curated OER
Colors of Stars
Students observe the colors found in the flame of a burning candle and examine the basic concepts of matter and energy. Students apply this information to the color's of starts and the temperature of the stars photosphere. Students...