Handout
Smithsonian Institution

Harvest Ceremony: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth

For Teachers K - 12th
There is a grain of truth in myths. Young historians investigate the truths surrounding the popular beliefs about the First Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts. After reading the information in a study guide, they use what they...
Unit Plan
EngageNY

Grade 12 ELA Module 3

For Teachers 12th Standards
Gun, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond is a seminal work of historical nonfiction from the late 20th century. Use the author's claims and supporting evidence to guide your high school seniors through their research project, culminating...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Tangent Segments

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What's so special about tangents? Learners first explore how if a circle is tangent to both rays of an angle, then its center is on the angle bisector. They then complete a set of exercises designed to explore further properties and...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Cyclic Quadrilaterals

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What does it mean for a quadrilateral to be cyclic? Mathematicians first learn what it means for a quadrilateral to be cyclic. They then investigate angle measures and area in such a quadrilateral.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Barometer Investigation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students construct a barometer to use in an experiment that they design to measure the air pressure on a daily basis. These observations of air pressure allow students to determine how weather is affected when a storm is approaching and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Testing a New Drug 1

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students act as chief research scientists with the responsibility of testing a new drug. Students design a controlled experiment to test a hypothetical experimental drug. Students write a clear, concise, and detailed plan to present to a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Fiedl Study of an Integral Species

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners compile baseline population information on a local species. They design and conduct a scientific investigation of a local species. Students interpret, analyze and communicate results based on sound scientific and mathematical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pendulum Clocks

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students use string, wire, weights, and a stopwatch to build pendulum clocks. In this pendulum clocks lesson plan, students use the pendulum clocks to investigate weather, climate, force, and motion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Apply Scientific Inquiry and Scientific Habits of Mind

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners review the components of the scientific inquiry method. In groups, they develop hypothesis on a variety of different topics and design an investigation or experiment to test it. They share their conclusions with the class and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Science/ Scientific Methods

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners identify questions and problems in the earth and environmental sciences that can be answered through scientific investigations. They design and conduct scientific investigations to answer questions related to earth and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bubbles

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Young scholars experiment bubbles. In this scientific method lesson plan, students identify variables used in proper experiment design. Young scholars conduct experiments with different brands of dish-washing detergent to determine which...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cookie Caper

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students determine the best chocolate chip cookie. In this comparison investigation, students create a quantitative scientific study to determine the best chocolate chip cookie using the steps of the scientific method.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is An Insect?

For Teachers K
Students investigate the concept of an insect. They conduct research about six different insects and identify the different body parts. Students look at the life cycle of the developing monarch butterfly. They also use the library to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pick It Up!

For Teachers K - 5th
Learners investigate recycling by creating receptacles that can hold trash or recyclable items.  In this graphic design lesson, students encourage their classmates to help save the environment by using a recycling receptacle they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When Getting There is More Than Half the Battle

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars investigate the 'Design for the Other 90%' exhibition about low-cost solutions to give the "other 90% of the world's population" access to services and amenities many of us take for granted. In this technology design...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Crater

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students examine the characteristics of craters. In this crater lesson, students discover how meteors form craters on planets and moons as they make their own craters and respond to observational questions regarding the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Junkyard Wars: Air Movers

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students study Rube Goldberg machines.  In this investigative instructional activity students design and build a machine that uses several steps to move an aluminum can. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bounce Back Ball

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders work in teams of four to measure the rebound heights of a tennis ball dropped from four different heights. They investigate with the bouncing balls to measure changes in the type of energy they possess.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitat Choice in Woodbugs

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students investigate woodbugs. In this scientific investigation lesson, students explore the steps scientists take when conducting an investigation using live specimens. Students explore habitat preferences for woodbugs in various...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sound And Motion

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners investigate the concept of sound and vibration. They use a tuning fork to make an observation. Students then propose the ideas of different experimental designs to test the concept. The ideas are constructed and then tested.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SA Restaurant

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the concept of designing a restaurant with the help of using various technological applications. They use word processing to create paperwork that would be needed to run the business. Students create the logo and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Formation of Rain

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students sequence the steps leading to the formation of rain, and design a model to represent these steps. This task assesses students' abilities to classify, generalize, infer, interpret and communicate data, and construct a pictorial...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining the Age of Fossils

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Defining the Difference Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine microscopic life by conducting a scientific investigation. In this cell analysis lesson, students define the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and discuss their word origins. Students view each type of cell on slides...