Curated OER
Overflowing the Banks
Young scholars discover how levees hold a river within its banks and cause height of river to rise & back up into less well-protected tributaries that feed into the river, by constructing model of riverbanks, creating a flood, &...
Curated OER
All in the Family: Calculating Cousins
Students view pictures of distant "cousins" to humans. They place them in order by their distance from humans. Students receive a packet of six pages featuring graphics and a cousins summary page. They work in groups to complete 5 cousin...
Discovery Education
It's Getting Hot in Here
Class members engage in a STEM experiment and investigate how materials affect heating in a house by creating models of houses and using different top surface materials. They record the temperature inside the models and consider what the...
Teach Engineering
Clean it Up!
Harness the power of bacteria. Scholars see how using organisms that exist in nature can help solve human problems in the process known as bioremediation. They research and discuss several successful examples, such as using oil-eating...
Curated OER
Solar Sweet Tea
Students study the sun. In this heat energy lesson, students use the sun's warmth to make tea. They place a few jars with tea bags and water in the sun and discuss what the sun is doing to the water while they wait for the tea to brew....
NOAA
Journey to the Unknown
What's it like to be a deep-sea explorer? Tap into the imaginations of your fifth and sixth graders with a vivid activity, the second part of a six-part adventure. Learners close their eyes and submerge themselves in an expedition aboard...
Curated OER
Shadow Trackers: From Photography to Writing
Students explore the rotation of the earth. In this science instructional activity, students view photos of various places around the world. Students conduct an experiment in which they can see how the earth's rotation creates shadows on...
Curated OER
Seasons' Journey : Putting it All Together
Third graders complete a diagram of the revolution of the earth around the sun and write a one paragraph explanation of the factors that cause seasons.
Curated OER
Musical Plates
Sixth graders engage in a study of the plates and how they are part of the formation of the ever changing landscape of planet earth. They access web sites that have applications for observation and conducting different activities. The...
Curated OER
Biosphere
Students examine the basic biosphere and its components. In this ecology lesson students complete several experiments including designing a system that is balanced to sustain life.
Curated OER
Soiled Again
High schoolers propose and perform an experiment using the scientific method. The purpose of the experiment is to discern some earth materials or combinations of earth materials that best increases the pH of "acid rain". From the results...
Curated OER
I'm Falling For You!
Third graders are introduced to the concept of gravity by observing different objects being dropped from a high point. In groups, they complete the same activities Galileo did and record their observations. To end the lesson, they...
Curated OER
Walking for Water Mini-Unit
Students participate in an activity that requires them to consider the availability of water. In this "walking for water" activity, students read "Women Bear the Weight of Water," and respond to discuss questions regarding the article....
Curated OER
Just How DO Those Plates Move?
Learners experiment with water, temperature and paper to explore how convection currents occur and how they are used to explain the movement of the Earth's plates.
Curated OER
Shake, Rattle and Roll
Students compare the weathering of materials. in this weathering lesson, students experiment with the chemical and physical weathering of different materials. Students use salt and water as an example of how weathering occurs.
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon
Students research and identify the phases of the moon. They consider the moon's rotation, as well as that of the earth and sun. They write a description of their research and present it to the class.
Curated OER
Three Clouds Activity
Learners explore how clouds are produced through three different age-appropriate hands-on experiments.
Curated OER
Model Volcanoes
Students discover what causes earthquakes, volcanoes and floods. Using this information, they discuss how these natural disasters change the surface of the Earth. In groups, they make models, draw pictures and make them erupt.
Curated OER
Oceans
Students use their prior knowledge to being their examination of the water cycle. In groups, they complete an experiment in which they can see water evaporating and coming back to the ground. They discover the ocean's water evaporates...
Curated OER
Nice Angle
Students experiment with paper, light, thermometers and measurement to explore how the Sun's angle affects the temperature on Earth.
Curated OER
Soil Formation
Seventh graders investigate how soil is formed. They analyze types of soil samples, examine soil using a magnifying glass or microscope, complete a chart, conduct a soil and plant experiment, and construct a soil profile.
Curated OER
Getting the Oil Out
Students discover ways of obtaining oil by participating in an experiment. In this natural resource lesson, students identify diagrams of oil derricks and pumps in order to visualize how oil is retrieved from the earth....
Curated OER
What Factors Impact a Greenhouse?
Students analyze the Greenhouse Effect and the science of greenhouses. In this global climate lesson, students read background information about the 'greenhouse effect' and define 'albedo.' Students examine pictures of clouds, read about...