Facing History and Ourselves
Emmett Till: Confronting the Murder
The 1955 murder of Emmett Till is often regarded as the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. Learn more about the brutal crime—and, as many believe, the miscarriage of justice—that began a national conversation...
Curated OER
Differentiate Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures
Pupils examine the differences between elements, compounds and mixtures. Using diagrams, they compare and contrast atoms and molecules and describe various chemical reactions. They distinguish the differences between ionic and covalent...
Curated OER
Reaction Reasoning
Third graders experiment with chemical reactions and examine what happens to the atoms when different reactions occur. In this matter lesson students divide into groups and complete a lab experiment.
Curated OER
Pendulum Activity
Fourth graders conduct a lab activity that measures the factors that change the swing rate of a pendulum. They create a hypothesis and test it during the experiment. They record their observations using the recording sheets and journal...
Curated OER
Islam in America
Pupils examine the cultural and religious diversity within the United States. Using the differences, they discover they are a source of growth and change as well as conflict. They identify the changes that occur when new immigrants...
Curated OER
Solids in Bottles
Students use funnels to put the five solid materials into clear bottles with caps. They observe how the particulate materials look, sound, and move when they shake and roll the bottle. Finally, students write "sound and touch" poetry.
Curated OER
Comparison of Juan Bautista de Anza and George Washington
Fifth graders discover that Anza and Washington lived at the same time but on opposite sides of the American Continent. They identify differences and similarities in their lives. They present the data in an illustrated time line
Colorado State University
What Is a "Model"?
Model the transfer of energy during a typical 24-hour period. Young scholars use a game-like approach to learning the patterns of heat transfer through the day and night. Groups of four exchange different tokens as the energy...
University of California
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Calories are not tiny creatures that sew your clothes tighter every night, but what are they? A science lesson, presented at multiple levels, has learners experiment with heat, heat transfer, and graph the function over time....
University of California
Energy and Biomass Pyramids
Young scientists play tag as they act out the food pyramid in the ocean ecosystem. Energy circles pass from the smaller prey to the predators and at the end of the activity, a data chart and analysis questions allow pupils to apply their...
Channel Islands Film
Human Impact on the Food Web of Santa Cruz Island
What happens when a non-native species is introduced onto an island? Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Island chain located off the coast of southern California, provides the perfect laboratory for young environmental scientists to...
Curated OER
Solids and Water
Learners investigate mixtures made of water and familiar solid materials. They observe and discuss the changes that occur immediately and set the mixtures aside for a day. Finally, students observe the mixtures, note changes, and graph...
Curated OER
Heat Absorption
Students examine how heat moves from substance to another. In this heat absorption instructional activity students identify ways that heat is transferred and analyze data.
Curated OER
Hurricanes
Young scholars listen to a transcript of an interview about an upswing in hurricanes with Stanley Goldenberg, a researcher with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. students participate in a series of discussion...
Curated OER
Gases, Liquids and Solids, evaporate, shape volume,
Students conduct an online experiment to discover what happens to solids, liquids and gases in different temperatures. For this states of matter lesson, students get into pairs and work in a virtual laboratory to...
Curated OER
Color Matters
Students create a spreadsheet to chart favorite colors, then collect data, create appropriate charts, and use percentages to describe quantities.
Curated OER
States of Matter: Liquid
Students work in a mini lab where they measure the temperature every 30 seconds for several minutes as water is heated. They are asked what makes liquid different from a solid. Students view a PowerPoint on the model of liquids,...
Curated OER
Changing Perspectives on the Japanese Internment Experiment
Pupils discover the characteristics of Japanese internment during World War II. They discuss racist policies and use the internet to gather information to write their own version of history. They write essays from different points of...
Curated OER
A Matter of Proportion
Students measure the relative heights of the mosaic giraffe and its trainer and compare their proportions to an actual giraffe and zoo trainer.
Curated OER
Changing the World, One Month at a Time
Young scholars participate in kindness and good citizenship activities in this lesson plan. Each month of the school year, they are assigned a different activity. For example, in August the theme is "Getting to Know You!" The students...
Curated OER
Solid Water
Students turn solid water (ice) into liquid water. In this solid and liquid water lesson plan, students use water, ice, cups, and heat in order to change water from one state to another. They draw their findings as well.
Curated OER
ZIPPLY Delicious Ice Cream
Second graders explore states of matter when they change a liquid to a solid. Working students make ice cream in a zip-lock bag.
Curated OER
Making Ice Cream
Student examine the physical changes of matter and are able to describe them. They make ice cream in plastic bags to observe the changes in matter. They describe and record the changes in the ice cream mixture as it freezes.
Curated OER
How Much Carbon is Held by the World's Forests?
Seventh graders identify how much carbon is held by the world's forests. For this forestry activity, 7th graders study the carbon cycle and discuss what role humans have had on climate change. Students write a one page paper on how...