+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compost Cake

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students examine the decomposition process. They create their own class compost pile and record their observations. They discover which materials decompose at a different rate.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Unmixables: Investigating Immiscible Liquids

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Young scholars build an understanding of the properties of liquids and research the immiscible properties of different milks through group experiments. In this immiscible liquids experiment, students investigate what happens when certain...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Terrarium

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students become familiar with the materials needed to build a terrarium. In this terrarium instructional activity, students create a terrarium in a bottle and observe how it grows and takes care of itself.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spectroscope

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how to apply conservation of energy and properties of matter to a spectroscope.  In this energy lesson students build their own spectroscope and observe three kinds of spectra.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oasis in the Desert

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars explore the challenges of building a thriving human civilization in a desert environment. They design new technologies to assist people living in the desert.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Experimentation With Plants

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experiment with different varieties of plants and draw conclusions after performing a series of lab activities. A very helpful student worksheet is given. This is a nicely done introductory lesson plan for life science.
+
Activity
Curated OER

The Electric House Project

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students design and build a foam core house which has a light in each room. They demonstrate an understanding of series, parallel, and complex circuits. They complete a worksheet, in complete, sentences expressing these electrical concepts.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Red Light, Green Light

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students investigate the friction between tires and the road and how it affects the movement of cars while driving. They discuss and define friction, experiment with sandpaper and wax paper to determine which material provides the least...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Lesson: Tsunami Attack!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners examine how earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides can trigger tsunami waves. They determine how engineers use sensors to detect the dangerous wave, and how they help design building that will survive the wave force and water.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bubble in the Hot Tub

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students participate in a Science and Technology unit designed to introduce the particle theory through drama, demonstrations, and hands-on investigations. They assume the role of engineers and design and build a hot tub for their...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Activity Plan 5-6: Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students become entomologists for a day. In this life science lesson, students go on an insect hunt and investigate insects and their homes. This leads to the creation of an insect by each student. Lesson includes a take-home activity...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dig Into Soil

For Teachers K - 4th
Students discuss what is found in soil. In this science lesson, students observe the soil outside and write down information in regards to location, vegetation, and topography. Students experiment with the soil and its many properties...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mud Fossils

For Teachers K - 4th
Students observe real fossils. In this science lesson, students make their own mud fossils by pressing material into the mud and letting it dry in the sun for 3-4 days. Students then get the fossils out displaying their mud fossils.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Junkyard Wars: Wild Watercraft

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students develop a fast travelling hull for a boat. In this physical science lesson plan, the students' hulls will be tested in a channel (built by the teacher) with a fan as the driving force. The students will compete for who has the...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Systems of the Body: Movement and Choreography

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create movements that connect art and science. In this body systems lesson, students interpret the function of body systems, organs, and processes as they create movements to exhibit their research findings.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constructing a Periodic Table of Elements

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners create a periodic table of elements. In this chemistry lesson, students work together to build all of the different elements into a complete mini periodic table. They identify similarity and difference of the elements.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Under Pressure

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the implications of blood pressure. They use film canisters and balloons to build models that help them explain how blood pressure works.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Dinosaur Body

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students recognize that body design affects balance. They investigate the basic structure of a dinosaur body to see how it achieved balance, then build any dinosaur body system they want, using small marshmallows and extra straws as needed.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insects

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders brainstorm and identify several types of common insects. They play bug bingo, building bugs and an insect tree, observing real insects in the classroom and examining some of the things insects make.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FLIGHT FAIR

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars conduct their personal investigations into paper airplane flight. Cooperative teams are formed, with students choosing the paper airplane design that they are most interested in building.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Map the Constellations

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students build constellation guides from empty sotf drink cans. Using star charts, they use straight pins to mark the major stars in the constellations. After turning the charts over, they connect the dots. When they look through cans...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Storm That Drowned a City

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students use a map to locate New Orleans and watch a video on the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. As a class, they watch a demonstration on how a wetland can reduce the impact of a hurricane. In groups, they perform their own...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Physics of Flight

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students discuss how the invention of flight changed the way people live today. In groups, they compare and contrast the differences between weight, lift, thrust and drag. Using these principles, they create a glider and propeller with...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Digestive System Journey

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students explore what happens to the food they eat as it passes through their body. They demonstrate their understanding of the digestive system functions by choosing to create a poster, build a model, produce a multimedia presentation,...