Cornell University
Constructing and Visualizing Topographic Profiles
Militaries throughout history have used topography information to plan strategies, yet many pupils today don't understand it. Scholars use Legos and a contour gauge to understand how to construct and visualize topographic profiles. This...
Columbus City Schools
The Magic of Energy: A Disappearing Act?
Using the 5E method for teaching about kinetic energy, potential energy, and conservation of energy, this two-week unit with many videos and possible extensions is sure to keep pupils engaged as they are learning.
Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi
Sedimentation
Starting with a presentation, pupils learn about how sedimentary rocks form. They then create their own sedimentation bottle to observe the process.
Advocates for Human Rights
The Right to a Clean Environment: Water
First, young citizens learn about water consumption by doing some research themselves on their home water usage and sharing their findings with the class. Then, they do some brainstorming and devise a plan to reduce water consumption.
Colorado State University
Can Energy Be Created or Destroyed?
Energy doesn't come out of nowhere! An engaging lesson has learners investigate energy as it transforms from one type to another. They collect data to prove that energy is not lost as it changes.
Nuffield Foundation
Digestion of Starch: Microbes
Sugar isn't good for you, but it's great for microbes. A simple experiment has pupils investigate the digestion of starch by microbes to produce sugars. They apply two bacterial cultures, an amylase solution, and distilled water on a...
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Bird Communication
Sing for your dinner! Investigate the purpose of bird songs and strategies birds use to communicate. Through the lessons, individuals learn how to recognize different types of bird communication as well as hypothesize the purpose of...
Science Friday
Make a Model Eardrum to Detect Sound Waves
Make sound waves visible with an experiment that asks middle schoolers to build a model ear drum using plastic bottles, rubber bands, plastic wrap, and sand-like substances.
Science Matters
Formative Assessment #2
Learners work collaboratively to predict what life would be like as an Arctic Hare. Teams go on a hunt where scholars role play an owl, white hares, and gray hares. Independently, pupils record their findings and reflect on their...
American Museum of Natural History
What's This? Sensing
There is a scallop that relies on sight so much that it actually has more than 100 eyes! There are many species that rely heavily on one sense or another. An online interactive resource has youth read about several of these animals. The...
Physics Classroom
Polarization
Are your young physicists static-savvy? Test their skills using an engaging interactive from the Static Electricity series! Learners evaluate scenarios to determine how charges move between conductors and insulators, then identify...
Physics Classroom
Ohm's Law: Voltage-Current-Resistance Relationship
Join the resistance—Ohm! Scholars apply Ohm's Law to problems of increasing difficulty as part of a series on electric circuits. The lesson begins with simply doubling and tripling voltage or resistance. It ends with having pupils solve...
Physics Classroom
Graph That Motion
Pupils apply their knowledge of the shape and slope of graphs to interpret the motion of an object. Three levels of difficulty provide plenty of practice with support thanks to the "Help Me!" button offered with each question.
Curated OER
There Must Be Something in the Water
Students read a New York Times article as a class and discuss how groundwater near a nuclear test site may have been contaminated. They explore how groundwater contamination can spread through aquifers by participating in a simulation.
Curated OER
Nowhere to Run
In this environmental science worksheet, students explore the different climate change around the world and summarize them. They fill in the table provided.
Curated OER
No Creation-No Destruction--All in a Baggie
Students investigate the concepts of conservation of mass and simple chemical reactions. Students complete lab experiments and record all observations as well as conduct experiments on their own to determine which reactions created...
Curated OER
Monitoring River Levels
In this environmental science worksheet, students read and study water maps from an interactive website to complete 8 short answer questions that follow.
Curated OER
Talking Trees: Earth Day
Learners complete a tree poster activity to learn about Earth Day, stewardship, and the environment. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students read The Story of the Tree and discuss stewardship with trees. Learners act out tree...
Curated OER
Exercise in Perspective
In this exercise in perspectives, students are required to analyze a topic by completing six different activities. Students can work in groups, pairs or independently to complete the activity.
Curated OER
Proportions in Flight
Sixth graders calculate wingspan and the body length of the birds and understand how they relate to how the bird flies. In this wingspan lesson plan, 6th graders also calculate their own "wing span" with their arms.
Curated OER
Venus Flytrap
Learners study the Venus Flytrap including its habitat and how it eats. In this ecology lesson plan students complete several experiments using a Venus Flytrap to see how it reacts to various conditions.
Curated OER
Remember to Stop and Smell the Roses: Olfaction and its Relationship to Memory
Learners discover that olfaction elicits memory associations. They investigate how olfaction compares to other sensory modalities in the formation of memories. This is a hands-on lab activity guaranteed to build memories in your students!
Curated OER
Long Live the Sharks and Rays
Students study shark and ray adaptations that have helped their survival. In this animal adaptations lesson students view a video and work in groups to research specific types of sharks and rays.
Curated OER
Collisions and Momentum: Bouncing Balls
Students explore the concepts of potential and kinetic energy by bouncing assorted balls on different surfaces and calculating the momentum for each ball. They give examples of collisions and momentum in sports and understand that...