Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Hail

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the different types of precipitation and conduct a hail experiment. They identify the types of precipitation during a slideshow, and define key vocabulary terms. Next, in small groups they follow the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks and the Rock Cycle

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate the 3 types of rocks and the rock cycle. In this rocks and minerals lesson, students watch YouTube videos about igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Students examine a rock and mineral kit while watching the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Much Water?

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students investigate amount of water available in different countries around the world, compare it to their daily water use, and explore how unequal distribution of water can cause challenges to survival. Students then discuss need to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. They observe a water cycle kit and record their observations, and examine how water condenses on the outside of a cup. Next, they observe an evaporation...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conditions at Sea Introductory Activity, Making Waves

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore waves and wind. In this physical and earth science wave activity, students participate in a wave making activity with an aquarium and a hair dryer. Students complete a data chart recording wave height and related...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weathering

For Teachers 7th - 9th
In this weathering worksheet, students investigate the effects of water and acid on limestone. They form a hypothesis for both and experiment to find the results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planets in a Bottle

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students experiment with yeast. In this environmental conditions instructional activity students test the viability of samples of yeast. Students investigate the effects of environmental conditions on the yeast.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Predicting the Growth of Microorganisms

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students determine where microorganisms might be found around their school. In this scientific investigation lesson, students collect cultures from various locations and place these in petri dishes. They incubate the cultures to see if...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trees and Erosion

For Teachers 1st - 7th
Students examine the connection between trees and erosion. In this erosion instructional activity students experiment with the effects of rain on a hillside. Students investigate the number of trees and the amount of erosion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossils and our Past (part 1 of 3)

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate how some extinct organisms resemble organisms that are still alive today. They watch and discuss the Magic School Bus video about fossils, then create clay fossil imprints, matching the imprints to plaster of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining the Age of Fossils

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What are Rocks and Minerals? How can they help us?

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate the difference between rocks and minerals. They name the three kinds of rocks (sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic) and know the differences between them.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Selecting Soil For a Sports Field

For Students 9th - 12th
In this science worksheet, high schoolers take part in a laboratory exploration looking at different types of soil. The soil is evaluated in order to fill the role of becoming a sports field.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Biodiversity

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students investigate biodiversity by creating reports with their classmates.  In this ecosystem lesson plan, students utilize the Internet to research the different types of life in our environment and different locations around the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Keeping Watch on Coral Reefs

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners view a tutorial on coral reefs then investigate corals under stress.  For this Earth Science lesson students prepare a written report and explain the relationship between coral reefs and their zooxanthellae.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Curricular Correlations

For Teachers 3rd
An interesting lesson on different types of soils is here for you. In it, learners discuss what soil is, and consider three piles of soil - clay, sand, and loam. During the rest of the lesson, third graders discover all sorts of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When It Rains it Drains

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils examine the major paths of water on the Earth's surface, and to investigate the many factors that contribute to those paths. Students demonstrate their understanding of a watershed by identifying the defining features of a...
Worksheet
Google

Plate Tectonics Questions

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Investigating plate tectonics, boundaries, and the earth's physical attributes is the focus of this short answer, tectonic plates worksheet. 
Unit Plan
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Curated OER

Volcanoes: Second Grade Lesson Plans and Activities

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Young geologists explore volcanoes with a series of engaging geology activities. First, they learn the difference between magma and lava before coloring and labeling the parts of a volcano. During the lab, individuals watch a...
Lesson Plan
University of Colorado

The Moons of Jupiter

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can you name the three planets with rings in our solar system? Everyone knows Saturn, many know Uranus, but most people are surprised to learn that Jupiter also has a ring. The third in a series of six teaches pupils what is around...
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Navigation in the Ancient Mediterranean and Beyond

For Teachers 9th - 11th Standards
Ancient texts, like Homer's Odyssey, mentions navigating ships by observing constellations. Pupils learn about the link between history and astronomy as they relate to navigation in the Bronze Age. Scholars complete two hands-on...
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

The Fibre Optic Cable Class

For Teachers 5th - 9th Standards
Many people know that fiber optics are used in delivering the Internet, but are surprised to learn they are also used in astronomy. Scholars explore light, reflection, and fiber optics through hands-on activities. They discuss...
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Let's Break the Particles

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Build learning by breaking atoms! Young scientists study the way energy changes with a hands-on activity. As they roll steel marbles down a ramp, learners test the hypothesis that kinetic energy does not go away with friction...
Lesson Plan
Energy for Keeps

Getting Current: Generating Electricity Using a Magnet

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Give your class a magnetic charge with this creative experiment designed to teach emerging scientists about electromagnetism. Pupils construct a model that demonstrates the function of an electrical generator and test this creation in a...