Step right up! An engaging research-centered lesson, the third in a series of six, has young archaeologists study the amazing animals of the Cambrian explosion. Working in groups, they profile a breathtaking and odd creature and learn...

How do we count the fish in the ocean? An engaging lesson models how to estimate fish populations with observational surveys. Class members begin by studying the behavior of fish on the coral reef in the oceans. They...

Did you know the Aztecs had two different calendars? Or that Aztec men could have more than one wife? Find out more about this ancient civilization including how they lived, what they ate, and their cultures and beliefs with a set of 20...

How do you put something as large as the universe in perspective? Use a series of scale experiments. Classmates collaborate around four experiments to examine the scale of the earth-moon system, our solar system, the Milky Way galaxy,...

What's life like aboard an ocean exploration vessel? Junior oceanographers examine the important role of communication in ocean research in lesson two of a five-part series from NOAA. The materials introduce the class to life on...

How do oceanographers make maps under water? Junior explorers discover the technologies and processes involved in creating bathymetric maps in part three of a five-part series designed for fifth- and sixth-grade pupils. The lesson...

Wait til your class gets their hands on this! Aspiring engineers design a working robotic arm in the fifth and final installment in a series of ocean exploration lessons. Pupils learn about the use of underwater robots in ocean...

Here's a lesson that is simply a-MAZE-ing! Introduce science scholars to pipeline systems through a hands-on project. Partnered pupils participate in the design, construct, and test a PVC pipeline maze. Reusable materials and clear...

Heat up some interest in solar energy. Young engineers create a water heater that runs on solar power (simulated by a lamp). Using thermometers, they determine the change in temperature before and after the water goes through the heater.

Toys are great for learning about physics. Scholars use Slinky® toys to study Newton's laws of motion and types of energy. After a little play, they then model longitudinal and transverse waves with the Slinky® toys.

Let your creativity run wild. Scholars build a sculpture out of basic materials. These sculptures must be able to move in the wind (from an electric fan). However, they must also withstand the wind enough to not fall over—it's quite the...

Your plants will survive without you. Scholars create a device that can water plants using a coiled string. Along the way, they learn about adhesion and cohesion of water. The challenge is to keep the plants alive for at least a week.

Whatever floats your boat—with some additional weight. The first activity in a five-part series challenges pupils to design a boat to hold pennies. Using the design process, learners design, build, and test their boats, making sure they...

What is black and white and re(a)d all over? Class members build a table out of rolled newspapers. Pupils follow the design process to design, build, and test their paper tables in the second challenge in a series of five.

Model and explore osmosis using squash and potatoes. Young scientists expose chunks of potatoes to different concentrations of a squash solution. They compare the weights of the chunks before and after exposure to the solution and use...

Dig deep into a lesson studying volume. Learners view images of a Guatemalan sinkhole that seems too big to be true! Their task is to determine the amount of material needed to fill the hole using information from news articles and videos.

Tall and skinny or short and stout, which glass hold the most liquid? Learners analyze dimensions of cylindrical glasses to determine the one holding the greatest amount of liquid. They brainstorm the relevant dimensions before making...

Electromagnets come in both large and small scales—from big machinery in scrap yards to hard disk drives. Here's a resource that provides directions for building a variable electromagnet on a stand. Scholars then experiment with the...

Audio speakers, hard drives, credit cards, and even the earth use magnetic fields. While we observe the effect of magnetic fields, we can't actually see them. A viewer helps participants explore magnetic fields, some of the items that...

Is your class ready to size up the topic of diffusion? Help them get cell shape savvy with a well-written handout. The resource covers how substances such as oxygen passively move through the cell membrane and how cell size and shape...

Out of the swimming pool and into the math classroom! Young mathematicians analyze two linear functions representing the number of liters of water in a pool as it drains over time. They must evaluate functions, interpret function...

Wheel the resource right into your classroom. Young mathematicians use given dimensions of a Ferris wheel to write a height versus time function. They use their functions to answer a set of questions about the Ferris wheel.

Clamp onto the resource and don't let go. Future mechanical engineers produce a pipe clamp from a sheet of metal. This idea is to use the pipe clamp to affix a pull-up bar in a doorway.

Take a trip back in time to examine angular velocity. Using the revolutions per minute, learners calculate the speed of a point on a 33 record. They compare the speed of a point on the edge of the record to the speed of a point closer to...