Tired of your students taking you for granite? Use a unit that offers multiple hands-on weathering and erosion labs and interactive activities. Some of the exciting lessons include planning a tour of Australia, using ice...

Winter, spring, summer, and fall—take the learning of the seasons beyond the elementary level to the middle school classroom. Curious learners begin by watching videos about the seasons and the rotation of planet Earth. Then,...

Historically, scientists had to be creative to study subatomic structure. Scholars step into their minds to recreate the procedure Rutherford used to create his atomic model. Learners identify the creative efforts of early scientists...

Sometimes conservationists use specific plants to prevent erosion or fight invasive species. A 50-slide presentation covers both nonvascular and vascular plants. It discusses the plants, their stages and life cycles, reproduction, uses,...

You won't regret being stuck with this activity. By mixing a variety of household items, pupils create their own glue. They test the tensile strength of their glue and compare it to that of other adhesives.

A sturdy beam made of foam seems like an oxymoron. Scholars design a 48-inch beam that can hold a one-pound weight. The beam should be sturdy enough so it doesn't bend too much. If it does, the egg placed underneath the beam will break.

Does the size of a sample change the physical properties of that substance? It turns out it can! Young scientists combine physics and chemistry to synthesize CdSe quantum dots and record their color properties. Learners should...

Rings and golden nuggets contain the element gold, but how small can you break it down before it is no longer considered gold? A helpful presentation explains the basics about atoms, elements, and isotopes through a presentation.

Where did actors perform plays during Shakespeare's era? Using the handout, pupils learn about London's historical Globe Theatre and discover which of Shakespeare's plays actors performed there. Scholars also explore the cause of the...

Shore up engineering knowledge with some building activities. Scholars design a foam beam, create a structure from playing cards, and construct a paper tower that won't topple over in the wind. Along the way, they learn about engineering...

The road to a better understanding of engineering lies with bridges and tunnels. A set of four engaging activities teaches learners about engineering concepts related to construction projects. They perform an experiment to find the...

In this algebraic expressions worksheet, learners write algebraic expressions to answer 5 different questions. Students also use the expressions they write to solve the problems.

What do your learners know about mining? Invite them to read about all of the materials that come from mining that go into building a house. Additionally, they answer four questions at the bottom of the worksheet.

Science learners simulate what happens when ice breaks up and floats on water and how increased pressure on ice causes it to melt faster. They view a clip from the movie, The Day After Tomorrow, and relate their lab activities to what...

Every measuring job requires a tool, but which is the right one? Scholars read four measuring tasks and select the proper tool for each. Next, they switch the exercise by choosing from a list of measuring tasks given a tool. Note there...

Who knew that paper is an amazing building material? Scholars learn about the properties of planar materials, such as paper, as well as their structural capabilities in the sixth lesson a series of 11 on architecture. Working in groups,...

Students visualize consistency of mudflows and how they move down stream valleys away from a volcano's summit. They use topographic maps of Mount St. Helens before the 1980 eruptions to forecast the path mudflows might take during an...

Students, in pairs, use observation skills to identify objects from the past and present in our environment made of rocks and minerals of Illinois.

Students investigate the Bamum people of Cameroon and the use of symbols in African societies. They read a handout, and design a palace using African symbols, presenting and describing their design to the class.

Students identify the location and characteristics of different regions throughout the world. Using this information, they compare and contrast the regions and discover how they change over time. They use the internet to research a place...

Learners work collaboratively to create artistic renderings of digital photographs using a color value scale and grid techniques in this late-elementary school instructional activity based upon Ted Rose's book Discovering Drawing. The...

Ninth graders operate a model to observe the type of motion that occurs at a fault during an earthquake. They explore the effects of several variables. Students measure movement, calculate averages and plot and graph information.

Students are introduced to the process of photosynthesis. In groups, they test the effects of the lack of sunlight on plant leaves and compare the results with their hypothesis. They note the characteristics that plants and animals share...

Learners identify and spell words containing the short /e/ sound. They rehearse a fun tongue twister which contains words emphasizing the short /e/ sound. They then read Red Gets Fed as a class. Have your group clap every time they hear...