Curated OER
Investigative Case - Living in an Alkaline Environment
Young scholars are shown many ways in which Mono Lake water and distilled water are different. They demonstrate that the survival of common soil bacteria declines as pH increases. Students examine the behaviors, adaptations, energy...
Curated OER
Sun Path: Interactive On-line Mac or PC
Students use SunPath in the yearly mode to investigate seasonal changes in sunrise, sunset, length of day and sun altitude at their own latitude. Sun Path JAVA applet uses equations for a spherical Earth to calculate the sunrise and...
Curated OER
Magnetic Discovery Bottle
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data. In this magnet lesson plan students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets.
Curated OER
Digital Wildflower Collection
Students examine biodiversity and classify organisms. In this wildflower activity students go out and take pictures of plants then create a presentation to show the class.
Curated OER
The Solar System: Why do we Explore?
Third graders act as scientists. In this property discovery lesson, 3rd graders explore the substance "Oobleck" (cornstarch, water, food coloring). They work in groups to investigate the substance and make observations as a scientist...
Curated OER
Cladistics Is a Zip...Baggie
Learners explore how the grouping of organisms based on their shared derived characters forms the basis of a cladogram.
Curated OER
Petrology in the Gravel Pit
Students are introduced to a wide range of rock types when they examine pebbles and boulders exposed in a gravel pit. Students practice rock description and identification and categorize the rocks sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic.
Curated OER
Names in the Field: A Simple GPS Field Exercise
Students explore basic methods of GPS data collection, uploading the data to a computer, and making simple maps of their data using GIS software. They create a map of the data using GIS software (or Excel)
Curated OER
Fish and Oxygen
Young scholars explore what factors affect population dynamics, identify factors affecting fish populations, and use Stella to model how dissolved oxygen affects fish populations.
Curated OER
Palm use in Astronomy
Students identify and recall common constellations by using a palm pilot with astronomy software. Students will use their Palm to assist them in correctly identifying constellations using a telescope.
Curated OER
Into the Pond
Seventh graders use a pond to explore macroinvertebrates and other organisms. They use a dichotomous key to classify the organisms and maintain a journal recording their findings.
Curated OER
Floodplains in the field (with GIS)
Students measure a topographic and geologic cross-section across a floodplain by simple surveying and auguring techniques. They consider the spatial context of the field observations, use GPS measurements, and desktop GIS analyses.
Curated OER
Earthworms
Fifth graders research the earthworm and write a one paragraph report on its anatomy and habitat. They learn about worms and how to dissect them through Video Streaming and virtual dissections, along with actually dissect a worm as...
Curated OER
Territorial Behavior in Dragonflies and Damselflies
Students explore dragonfiles/damselfiles and their behaviors. They examine their differences and their life cycles. Students observe the dragonflies in a field and determine the number of different species.
Curated OER
Groundwater Pump Test
Students observe groundwater flowing to a pump, changes in groundwater table as a result of pumping, and the quantity and quality of water in the groundwater system. Students must graph and interpret their data, and quantify orders of...
Curated OER
Annotating Change in Satellite Images
Students compare a series of satellite images taken 3-4 years apart to investigate the effects of human land use. They annotate the images using ImageJ software and use the annotated images to explain their findings.
Curated OER
Watershed Analysis
Learners conduct a regional watershed analysis of an area of their choosing. Using on-line data and their personal knowledge of the area, they determine the annual hydrologic budget and teach the class about "their" watershed.
Curated OER
Looking into Earth with GIS
Students work with data from a seismic wave model in a freely available GIS (geographic information system) program, ArcVoyager SE. Using a GIS, they examine maps and produce graphs to explore variations in seismic wave velocities at...
![Middle School Science: Shoe Classification Lab [Pdf] Activity](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Middle School Science: Shoe Classification Lab [Pdf] Activity")
My Science Site
Middle School Science: Shoe Classification Lab [Pdf]
This concise worksheet site will enable students to learn how to create a classification system and to understand the reasons for classification in science. Requires Adobe Reader.
Miami University
Miami University: Nuts and Bolts of Classification
Discusses many aspects of taxonomy. Provides a lab activity where students are required to devise a classification scheme for nuts, bolts, and other hardware items.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Leaf Investigation and Classification
Students will learn about classification of leaves by collecting a variety of leaves from home and working in small groups in the classroom to sort them into groups. Students will present their criteria for grouping the leaves to the class.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Taxonomy: The Importance of Classifying
This is a technology-based, hands-on Biology lesson plan used to introduce the topic of Taxonomy and the importance of classifying. Students will listen to a podcast about classifying every living thing on Earth. Students will then give...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Irregular Shaped Object Lab Test
Students will determine what an unknown substance is by finding mass, volume, displacement, and density of an object. Students will also create a report which will require them to read a graph, interpret data, calculate averages, and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Trees: Using a Dichotomous Key to Identify Local Tree Types
Using their own classification methods students will identify the types of trees found around their school and neighborhoods. Students will then present their classification methods to the class. Later students will use dichotomous tree...