Curated OER
Earthquakes
Fifth graders explore the causes of earthquakes and the various types of fault lines through a variety of hands-on demonstrations using prepared cakes. They record their observations in their science journals.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Our Restless Planet
Students examine the topic of the Earth's rotation, revolution, and orbit. They observe teacher-led demonstrations, explore various websites, write journal entries, conduct a demonstration of why Earth experiences day and night, and...
Curated OER
Science: Wind Power
Students build models of wind turbines and experiment with different designs that will improve efficiency. Students will understand the use of wind power as a renewable resource.
Curated OER
Wind Energy
Students explore wind energy by making a pinwheel to model a wind turbine. They experiment with their turbine by placing it in different locations for optimal energy.
Curated OER
Cycles of Life in an Urban Habitat: Changes in Biodiversity
Second graders compare and contrast animate and inanimate objects. In this environmental science lesson, 2nd graders create simple food webs. They observe their environment and create a collage about it.
Curated OER
The Story of Rocks
In this science worksheet, students learn to classify rocks as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic. Students learn what a mineral is and the stages of the rock cycle. Students experiment with samples of 7 minerals and record data on...
Curated OER
Tsunami! Examining Earth's Most Destructive Waves.
Students discover what creates a tsunami In this earth science lesson, student research using the Internet how tsunami's develop. Students read accounts of first responders to the Sri Lanka tsunami.
Virginia Department of Education
Weather Patterns and Seasonal Changes
Get your class outside to observe their surroundings with a lesson highlighting weather patterns and seasonal changes. First, learners take a weather walk to survey how the weather affects animals, people, plants, and trees during...
California Academy of Science
Modeling Eclipses with Size and Distance Scales
Size within the solar system is a difficult thing for pupils to imagine. Using everyday objects, they build models to show the scale between the sun, moon, and Earth. They situate their props in proportional distances between the objects...
Curated OER
Winter Season
Students recognize the relationship between Earth's tilt and the Winter season. In this Winter activity, students work in pairs to complete make frost and design snow goggles. Students experiment a hand lens to study the frost created....
Curated OER
Storms and Extreme Weather
Students explore hurricanes and tornadoes by conducting an experiment. In this weather pattern lesson, students define many extreme weather vocabulary terms and discuss the relationship with static electricity. Students utilize plastic...
Curated OER
Space Shuttle Science
Students study the nomenclature, operation and purpose of America's Space Transportation system. They demonstrate how water can be broken down into its component gases of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis. They construct and use the...
Curated OER
Climate Change: Carbon Cycle
Students explore the carbon cycle. In this carbon cycle lesson plan, students discuss the four main reservoirs where carbon is stored and then discover the process through which each reservoir absorbs and releases CO2. This lesson plan...
Curated OER
Weathering
Second graders explore weathering and how the water cycle plays a part in weathering. For this weathering lesson, 2nd graders put gravel and sugar cubes in a jar and shake, simulating weathering. Students use the scientific method...
Curated OER
What happens to water before we use it?
Students examine how water is treated prior to becoming available for human consumption. In this water treatment instructional activity, students conduct an experiment in which they filter water. Students formulate a hypothesis, test,...
Curated OER
Rubber Duckies and Ocean Currents
Students explore marine life by conducting a rubber duck experiment. In this water currents lesson, students practice identifying latitude and longitude coordinates on a map and define the currents of major oceans. Students discuss the...
Curated OER
Weather and Seasons: Mt. Seymour Winter Fieldtrip
Learners explore winter adaptations and glare. In this winter weather lesson, students discuss the season of winter and how animals and plants adapt to the changing weather. Learners discuss the glare off snow and make goggles for their...
Curated OER
Dirty Decomposers
Students explore the ecosystem by conducting a ziploc bag experiment. In this recycling lesson, students identify decomposer organisms in our environment and how they speed up the recycling process. Students utilize a ziploc plastic bag,...
Curated OER
Rain and Rainbows
Students explore the weather system by analyzing water properties. In this precipitation lesson, students review weather related vocabulary terms and discuss how rainbows are created by light hitting droplets at the right time. Students...
Curated OER
Bacteria in Drinking Water And Water Purification
Students explore how sewer systems can contribute to water pollution and perform an experiment to see how well a water purification technique can protect against water-born microbial illnesses. They compare the bacterial growth from...
Curated OER
Dissolved Oxygen and Photosynthesis: 1
Students are taught that plants produce oxygen underwater, and they design an experiment that test this question. They discuss whether plants give off oxygen, and how to measure this. Students measure the increase in dissolved oxygen...
Curated OER
Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano
Pupils construct a volcano using baking soda and vinegar. In this earth science instructional activity, students explain the reaction that takes place when these two chemicals combine together.
PHET
Measuring the Interplanetary Magnetic Field
Scientists need to figure out how to measure interplanetary magnetic fields, but the magnetic field of the spacecraft is interfering with their readings. Scholars attempt to solve the problem that has perplexed NASA scientists for years.
Journey Through the Universe
The Voyage Scale Model Solar System
Young scientists learn how to select a scale factor for a large scale model. Then they figure the scale for each of the planets and the distance between them. Finally, they construct a giant scale model of the solar system and answer...