American Museum of Natural History
Draw a Monarch
Five steps walk scholars through the process of drawing a Monarch butterfly. Participants research the insect, make observations, trace, then color.
Curated OER
Magnify It!
Students view objects of various sizes from several viewing distances to discover that their visual field is limited. They record what they see and compare their observations with classmates. They conduct more structured experiments.
Computer Science Unplugged
Drawing Lines with Pixels
How do the computers keep it straight? Using the provided algorithms, class members draw a line and a circle using pixels. They then check the drawings using a straight edge and compass to determine the accuracy of their...
American Museum of Natural History
Draw a Monarch Butterfly: Scientific Illustrations
One doesn't have to be an artist to appreciate nature. A thorough resource shows pupils how to create detailed illustrations of a monarch butterfly. The lesson highlights the benefits of creating scientific drawings as opposed to simply...
Curated OER
Let's Learn About Plants!
Learners discover different plants and plant parts by observing their campus. In this plant life lesson, students take a guided walk around their school with a magnifying glass examining everyday plants as well as photographing...
Scholastic
Follow the Clues
Invite your text detectives to bring their magnifying glasses to school to examine the clues in a text and make predictions. They write down three clues and a prediction on the graphic organizer.
Worksheet Web
Let it Snow
After reading an informational text detailing the ins and outs of snowflakes, scholars draw their own special design then work cooperatively to role play a snowman building scenario.
Curated OER
Playground Zoom
Learners observe and draw small objects on the playground or in the classroom with and without a magnifying glass. They explore how lenses can affect the way that an object is observed from afar or remotely sensed. Afterwards, they share...
Curated OER
Techno-shapes
Explore the concept of shapes by using tools in Kid Pix Deluxe 4 computer program. This techno-shapes lesson plan has pupils watching a video about shapes, and using the Kid Deluxe 4 computer program to draw shapes. They get to...
Curated OER
Let's Learn About Plants!
After listening to From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons, learners take a walk around their school looking for plants. They use digital cameras to photograph the plants, then construct a class book which has the identities of the plants,...
Cornell University
Sun or Water? or Both?
Over the course of 10 days, young scientists observe their cups of seed and soil—one that gets sun and water and one that gets no sun and only water. Then they reflect on the results of the experiment to determine if their hypothesis was...
Curated OER
Cycles of Life
Students explore the metamorphosis of an insect as it changes from an egg to pupa to an adult. the process of change is observed, recorded, and transformed into a life cycle picture.
Curated OER
Signs of Change: Tree Rings
Learners identify and experiment with dendrochronology (the study of tree rings to answer ecological questions about the recent past) and come up with conclusions as to what possible climatic conditions might affect tree growth in their...
American Chemical Society
Changing State: Condensation
When you have a cold drink and you notice the water forming on the outside, it is literally pulling the water from the surrounding air to form the condensation. After watching a demonstration of condensation forming on a glass,...
Curated OER
The Art of Flying: Insects
Students study insects. They examine how insect wings operate and make a model airplane that mimics the way insect wings operate as the insect is flying. They compare and contrast different kinds of insect wings and color a page of...
Curated OER
Points of View in Nature
In this points of view in nature worksheet, students choose two points of view for a nature observation then draw a picture or take of photo for each, and write a caption.
Arts & Humanities
Let's Go Buggie!
To celebrate art youth month, little ones get out the magnifying glasses and get close-up with bugs. They make scientific observations of bugs you bring into the classroom. Then, they use markers, clay, paint, or crayons to make artistic...
Curated OER
Magnify It!
Students explain that there are limits to what the eye can see and that a magnifying glass can help extend those limits. They examine an object with the magnifying glass and draw the size and shape of what they see as accurately as they...
Curated OER
Clearly Classified
Young scholars review the classification system for living organisms and apply it the classification of insects and flowers in the still life by Ambrosius Bosschaert. They create a chart classifying the animals and plants in the painting...
California Academy of Science
What's on a Penny?
As a lesson on scientific observation, have your class investigate the features of a penny and a nickel. Working in pairs, they practice writing detailed descriptions using their senses and a ruler to gather information. This is an...
Captain Planet Foundation
Rotting Away
What happens at the end of a plant's life cycle? Show kids the natural way that plants show that they're decomposing, as well as the importance of compost, with a lesson about living organisms. After reading Log Cabin by Anne Schreiber,...
Curated OER
Drawing From Nature
Students observe similarities and differences of natural objects. In this observation lesson, students use a magnifying glass to identify the details of objects.
Curated OER
Flower Dissection
In this science learning exercise, students follow directions for dissecting a flower. Students tape the parts of the flower in the corresponding boxes. Students also read about how flowers reproduce and analyze a related diagram.
Concordia College Archives
Introduction and Student Inquiry
Introduce young musicians to the history of and different styles of music with an inquiry-based learning activity that asks them to play detectives to determine the similarities and differences among the sheet music found at a series of...