Curated OER
Materials Engineering: Designing Walls
Students discover how the matierals in the earth can be used to make walls and buildings. They examine the Great Wall of China and its engineering. They complete the unit by creating their own wall from a design they drew.
Global Oneness Project
The Value of Ancient Traditions
Imagine having to give up cell phones, computers, and TV? What would be lost? What gained? An examination of the Drokpa, a nomadic people who live in the grasslands of Tibet, provides class members an opportunity to consider how access...
Curated OER
Panda Goes to School
Young scholars listen to the teacher give them the provided information about the endangered panda bear and then do a worksheet.
Curated OER
Designing More Effective Packages
Students make an environmentally sound package. In this packaging lesson students examine various types of modern packaging. The problem of waste is discussed leading into a discussion of waste reduction. The students choose an item that...
Curated OER
Our Disastrous World
Young scholars explore natural disasters around the world from the experiences of other students, friends and families. They collaborate with countries such as Japan, China, India, Australia, Russia, Great Britain as well as from the...
Carnegie Mellon University
International Perspectives to Climate Change 2
A couple PowerPoint presentations are used to stimulate discussion about the perspectives of different countries on the issue of energy consumption. Afterward, they play a game in which each team is assigned a country, considers its...
National Wildlife Federation
Climate Solutions – A Call to Action!
The final lesson in the 21-part series on climate change focuses on energy solutions to the consumption problem. Using data specific to their school, pupils make recommendations, follow up on actions, and carefully track progress....
Curated OER
Home Away From Home
Students discover some of the threats to tigers in the wild and some of the challenges of keeping them in wildlife preserves and zoos. They then sketch and explain their designs for sensible tiger enclosures in zoos.
Curated OER
Our Inventions
Students construct or draw an invention of their own design. In this problem solving lesson, students define the word invention, discuss famous inventions, invetors, and how inventions come about. Students work in groups to determine...
Curated OER
The Biggest Dam in the World
Students recognize that the Three Gorges Dam is now being constructed in China on the upper Yangtze River. They build a dam in an empty fish tankusing common materials they have at home or can easily find, such as twigs and leaves, food...
Curated OER
Arsenic Contamination: Water Filtration
Learners work in groups to design a filtration process that will separate clean water from polluted water. They organize data in tables or graphs and present their findings to the class. Students identify further safety protocols that...
Curated OER
The Physics of Flight
Three activities allow young flight engineers to understand the 4 principles of flight (weight, lift, thrust, and drag), to construct a glider, and to create a propeller. Multicultural history and literature are integrated by reading...
Curated OER
No More Traffic Jams: Lesson 3
Traffic is a very real concern for any Urban dweller. After watching a video showing various traffic issues and solutions, learners group up to discuss and develop innovative traffic solutions of their own. They explore vocabulary and...
Education Outside
Papermaking
Imagine recycling food scraps and using them to make paper. The directions are all here in a seven-page packet that details several paper-making strategies.
Curated OER
Ice Cream
Open this instructional activity by giving a brief history of ice cream. Using liquid nitrogen to lower the temperature, preteens make their own confection. The accompanying activity sheet queries learners about freezing point, the...
Curated OER
Growing Plants in Science and Literature, More Than an Empty Pot
Students read The Empty Pot as an introduction to plants. In this planting lesson, students understand a sequence of events in the book and relate it to the sequence of a plants life. Students grow plants and record information in flower...
Curated OER
Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion
Fourth graders describe the difference between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout) and rocks (composed of two or more minerals). They recognize that there are three classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
Curated OER
The Physics of Flight
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...
Curated OER
Kite Experiments and Building Information
Students build their own kite following certain procedures. In this physics lesson, students explain the aerodynamics concepts involved in flying kites. They trace the development of aviation.
Curated OER
Recycling
Fourth graders gain an awareness of recycling. In this science lesson plan, 4th graders become aware of how much garbage we can produce, identify landfills and their purposes, and explain how recycling saves energy and resources while...
Curated OER
Digital Field Trip Report
Students create a series of guided tours through a museum, creating a virtual museum for others to acess using audio, images, and an iPod. Their reflections serve as a way to allow other students that are unable to attend the field trip...
Curated OER
Math with Maps and Globes
Students round out their math skills with these ‘round the world' ideas. In this math and geography lesson, students try out time zone sticks, a polar race, and tic-tac-globe to engage them in learning more about globes and the...
Curated OER
Exploring Magnetism
Students participate in several activities that allow them to better understand magnetism. In this exploratory instructional activity students take part in different activities to help them to better understand magnetic fields, circuits...
Curated OER
You Do It and You Clean It Up
Young scholars explore pollution. In this pollution instructional activity students participate in activities to help them better understand industrial pollution.