Many historical innovations were created for the common good. Get your students ready for life as a critical thinker with this instructional activity which defines the differences between innovation and invention. They will conduct...

Students design an experiment to evaluate the effects of various treatments on the nitrogen cycle in a freshwater aquarium. They are required to maintain a laboratory notebook of all work, measure the key analytes of the biosystem at...

Activate middle schoolers' minds with this physical science activity. Learners vary the diameter of gears and the number of teeth on them to find how energy output is affected. This writeup features well-developed background...

Fourth graders discover diversity of plant and animal life in California's parks and compare findings to identify what makes park areas unique. Students then publish their discoveries in picture books of their own design.

Young scholars investigate Earth and its resources. In this Earth, space, and nature lesson plan, students collaborate to design presentations on the Earth, its cycles, and how humans have impacted the planet. Images, diagrams, and...

Design a public information campaign to improve understanding of the coral reef crisis. Read about and discuss the biology and threats to the coral reef. The class creates a public information program about the problems facing the coral...

Middle and high schoolers study significant people who shaped the 20th-century history and are introduced to database tools. Researchers use the Internet to research five 20th century history makers. They write a short biography of five...

Learners explore the concept of how brakes can stop or slow mechanical motion. They examine the operation of a bicycle brake and use low cost materials to devise a simple braking system. Finally, they work as a team to suggest...

Learners discuss what makes a healthy and balanced meal, and then they make them out of clay. They use hand building techniques, radial design, and their knowledge of healthy foods to create unique mini-sized meals for a wall display. 

Students, in groups, investigate and demonstrate the science behind the development of lightning and thunderstorms.

Young biologists identify parts of the body, sort humans from other animals, and list the difference they see. Learners are split up into groups of three, and each group must find pictures in magazines of humans and other animals. They...

Students study erosion and its effects on shorelines. For this erosion lesson, students work in an engineering team to design a seawall and submit a cost bid to their teacher. Students must determine the energy of a wave and design a...

What kinds of cups can bend? Kindergartners find out with a straightforward science inquiry, designed to teach them about the properties of materials. They hypothesize about the flexibility of a china cup, a plastic cup, and a paper cup....

Explore the world of motion and force with an activity for kindergarten and first grade. After determining how people can make balls or bikes move slower, kids use a cardboard tube and a marble to experiment with motion and speed. A...

Explore transparancy with a science experiment on different materials. After reading an explanation on how to determine if something is see-through with a flashlight, kindergartners decide if certain materials are opaque or not....

There is a solvent called aqua regis that can dissolve gold! After observing a solubility demonstration, groups receive four known crystals and one unknown. Based on the demo, they design an experiment to determine the identity of the...

Elements don't have fingers, but they have fingerprints! An interactive simulation gives young scientists the opportunity to study orbital changes of an atom and the corresponding spectrum reading. They realize how each atom has a...

Begin your next class with a BANG! Pupils discuss the formation of our universe and its expansion before proceeding with an activity designed to demonstrate what most likely occurred billions of years ago. They conclude with a discussion...

Elementary-aged scientists discover that all matter has mass. They are shown the difference between mass and weight, and learn how to calculate mass using the appropriate tools and methods. The scientific method is used while estimating...

Students, in groups, investigate and demonstrate the science behind the development and characteristics of winter storms by creating a weather report.

How do people get sick? Youngsters explore the world of germs and microbes with a lab sheet and science investigation. After identifying the unhygenic practices in a picture of a kitchen, fifth graders conduct an experiment with bread...

Your teenagers may have heard of fracking, but do they really know what it is? And could they debate the benefits and risks? Educate your environmental science class with a lesson about hydraulic fracturing, non-renewable energy...

Bring the ocean floor to life! Earth science scholars discover the process of deep sea mapping in the third installment in a series of five lessons about ocean exploration. The teacher's guide includes helpful resources, worksheets, and...

Investigating pH is intriguing, especially with these activities designed for an introductory chemistry or physical science class. Pupils use litmus paper to distinguish acids and bases and then make indicators from food products....