PBS
Climate Change as a Scientific Theory
Get your class thinking about climate change as a scientific theory. Guided by a handout, emerging earth scientists read articles and take notes about glaciers and sea ice. To conclude, they write an evaluation of the evidence for...
Curated OER
Reading a Local and National Weather Map
Students practice reading a national and local weather map. Using this information, they work together to make predictions about the weather for the next few days. They discuss the use of symbols and maps as a class and discuss how...
Curated OER
Exploring Arizona's Biotic Communities Lesson 2: Biotic Communities Vocabulary
Part of a unit on Arizona's biotic communities, this lesson focuses on the vocabulary to be used. Terms include biodiversity, topography, desert, hybridization, niche, and more! Youngsters will define these words from contextual...
American Chemical Society
Development of Baking Powder
Did you know baking powder can be used to treat acne, whiten teeth, and make sugar cookies? The lesson on the development of baking powder is ready-to-go with no preparation required. Through readings, pupils answer questions, complete...
Smarter Balanced
Communicable Diseases
Pathogens, what they are, how they spread, and how to prevent them from spreading are the focus of this resource that can be used to prepare learners for a performance task assessment or to begin the study of communicable diseases.
Curated OER
Get Smart
Students discuss the definition of intelligence and the possibility of measuring intelligence. They consider the elements of intelligence by reading and discussing the article "'Jeopardy' Millionaire is Smart, but Is He a Genius?They...
Smarter Balanced
Uncommon Animals
Need to prepare for a performance task assessment on the topic of uncommon animals? Here's an activity that ensures all learners have the knowledge of key terms and concepts to approach the assessment.
Smarter Balanced
View Through a Telescope
Preparing for an assessment? Here's an activity that will ensure that all class members have the background knowledge they need to demonstrate their skills on a performance task related to the solar system and the tools astronomers use...
Smarter Balanced
Environmental Interdependence (Environmental Awareness)
Whether introducing a study of environment awareness or preparing your classes for a performance task related to environmental interdependence, you will find this resource useful. Key terms and concepts are introduced so that all...
Curated OER
Saving the Rainforests
Students search and study the various web sites on the rain forest. They determine parts of speech of each new word. Once this has been done, they read the composition first silently and then aloud. They demonstrate comprehension of the...
Smarter Balanced
Zoos
How do the experiences of animals living in zoos differ from animals living in the wild? To prepare for a performance assessment on this question, class members are introduced to key concepts and vocabulary, and then groups use a Venn...
Curated OER
OTC Medications
Students become aware of better ways to read and analyze the information provided on OTC labels. This concept is accompanied with the integration of technology, brochures and a Venn Diagram for illustration. They assess medical...
Curated OER
Growing a Winter Garden
Second graders listen to a planting story as read by their teacher. Using the text, they summarize the events and complete a KWL chart. They point to the vegetable after it was planted in the garden in the story. They practice using new...
Smarter Balanced
Thunderstorms
Ensure that all class members understand the basic concepts and vocabulary they need to complete a performance task on thunderstorms with an activity that asks them to use a Venn diagram to compare thunderstorms with rainy days.
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Classifying Vertebrates
What features do scientists use to classify animals into groups? Class groups examine a series of paired images of vertebrates (a bass and a trout, a toad and a newt, a crocodile and a tortoise, an owl and a robin, a tiger and a bear)...
Smarter Balanced
Effects of Water
To prepare for a performance task assessment, class members review the stages of the water cycle and then individuals assume the roles of drops of water for a Reader's Theater exercise. The script, a graphic depicting the water...
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Food Waste and Food Access
Forty percent of food in the US goes uneaten while 14.5 percent of US households lack a secure supply of food. As part of the preparation for a performance task assessment, groups consider statistics such as these about food waste and...
Smarter Balanced
How the Brain Works
Cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem, pituitary gland, and spinal cord. Prepare your class for a performance task assessment on the brain and how it works with a scripted plan that defines these terms and identifies the functions the...
Curated OER
Earth Day Poster
Students promote Earth Day. For this Earth Day lesson, students create an Earth Day catch phrase and use graphic art design principles to make an Earth Day poster.
Smarter Balanced
Renewable Energy
Renewable and non-renewable energy sources are the focus of a series of activities that prepare learners for a performance task assessment on energy. Groups identify the various sources of energy and classify these sources as either...
Curated OER
Scientific Method
Students conduct an experiment and complete a chart demonstrating some of the basic properties and components of water via the scientific method. They encompass strategies such as questioning, making predictions, comparing/contrasting...
Curated OER
Growing a Winter Garden
Second graders listen to planting story, identify vegetables in pictures, and watch teacher demonstrate proper way to plant seeds in soil, and water. Students then plant seeds into their own containers.
Curated OER
History of Water Use in Hawaii
Students research water use in Hawaii and use primary and secondary sources to determine the impact of restoration of the L?l?kea stream on stream flow, water quality, habitat and biota.
Curated OER
The Impact of Disease on our Lives
Students explore infectious diseases. They analyze the effect of a disease on the community. Students develop a public health policy that addresses the containment of the epidemic. Students create a policy and present findings as part...