Find out the science of how clouds keep Earth cooler on hot days. Using guided discussions, investigators analyze and interpret maps of how much solar energy Earth receives at different times of the year. Participants draw conclusions...

Malala Yousafzai may be young, but she's mighty! Young scholars listen to a short lecture about Malala's background, read an article about her winning the Novel Peace Prize, and meet in groups to discuss statements she has made. Class...

Britain was and is a stratified nation. History sleuths investigate the Georgian Era (1714-1830) of British history to gain an understanding of how the roles women played during this period were influenced by class, race, and religion....

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...

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...

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...

Students 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...

Students use string, wire, weights, and a stopwatch to build pendulum clocks. For this pendulum clocks lesson plan, students use the pendulum clocks to investigate weather, climate, force, and motion.

Students 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...

Students 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...

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...

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.

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...

Learners investigate recycling by creating receptacles that can hold trash or recyclable items.  In this graphic design instructional activity, students encourage their classmates to help save the environment by using a recycling...

Students 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...

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...

Students study Rube Goldberg machines.  For this investigative lesson students design and build a machine that uses several steps to move an aluminum can. 

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.

Learners investigate woodbugs. In this scientific investigation instructional activity, students explore the steps scientists take when conducting an investigation using live specimens. Learners explore habitat preferences for woodbugs...

Students 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.

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...

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...

Students examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson plan, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.

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...