Science Matters
Solar Energy
The solar energy industry in the United States added more jobs in 2015 than the oil and gas extraction and pipeline industries combined. With the field growing so rapidly, it's essential to understand what solar energy is and how it...
Curated OER
Performing Well Under Pressure
Students study the physical properties of minerals and illustrate their functions. In this mineral lesson students construct models of some minerals.
Curated OER
Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!
Students study the different types of volcanoes and how they erupt. In this volcano lesson students identify where volcanoes are most prevalent and options for predicting eruptions.
NASA
Photons in the Radiative Zone: Which Way Is Out? An A-Maz-ing Model
Can you move like a photon? Young scholars use a maze to reproduce the straight line motion of a photon. The second in a six-part series of lessons on the sun has learners measure angle of incidence and refraction to determine the path...
NASA
The Invisible Sun: How Hot Is It?
It's getting hot in here! The first in a series of six lessons has learners model nuclear fusion with a simple lab investigation. Groups collect data and analyze results, comparing their models to the actual process along the way.
Virginia Department of Education
The Cycles of Nature
Encourage peer collaboration and assist with the creation of visual aids to identify carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles as your class learns more about nature. They discuss relative information, create a visual aid...
Curated OER
Making a Sun Clock
For this clock construction lesson, students use a pencil, compass, and sun clock diagram to construct a homemade sun clock. A very interesting lesson on combining images with text.
Curated OER
Volcano
Students research major volcanic eruptions. In this Earth science lesson, students take on the role of vulcanologist writing reports to the President of the United States on how to respond to a volcanic disaster. This lesson includes...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Fourth graders explore changes in water forms. In this water cycle lesson, 4th graders build a water cycle model and monitor it for 2 weeks in order to understand that water changes state as it moves through the cycle.
Curated OER
Water Filtration Challenge
Students create an all-natural water filtration system. In this activity on natural water filtration, students build upon prior knowledge to build a filtration unit made of plants, soils, sand, pebbles and rocks that can purify...
Curated OER
Native Planting for the Built or Green Environment
Students identify the terms used in naturescaping. They identify how to plant, how to do site preparation and how to develop a plan. Students explore the benefits of naturescaping for the health of the environment. They also...
Curated OER
Vibrant Volcanoes
Students explore volcanoes. In this science instructional activity, students discuss the characteristics of volcanoes and view a video segment about a volcano. Students examine plate tectonics.
Curated OER
Seasons of the Year
Students explore season change. For this season change lesson ,students investigate weather events, Earth's movement and celestial events. Students watch videos and list weather events that happen in winter, spring, summer, and fall....
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics Boundaries
Young scholars discover how to create a model of tectonic plates and study the interactions of these plates as they slowly move on the asthenosphere. They see and experience what happens at each type of plate boundary and why there are...
Curated OER
The Nature of Science and Technology
Learners study the environmental concerns of orbital debris. In this orbital debris lesson students complete several activities.
Curated OER
You Ain't Nothin' But a Rock Hound
Here is an excellent lesson on rocks! In it, learners explore the world of rocks through the use of video, hands-on activities, and cooperative projects. This outstanding plan is chock full of terrific activities, websites, streamed...
Curated OER
Deep Blue Sea
Elementary schoolers identify the ocean floor in a geological sense. They create a presentation that highlights the key features of the ocean floor. This terrific lesson plan has excellent streaming video segments embedded in it, and the...
Curated OER
Environmental Benefits of Recycling
Fourth graders understand the benefits of recycling. In this recycling literacy instructional activity, 4th graders read an article and identify the main idea. Students understand the process of transfer to the landfill and discuss how...
Curated OER
Seein' Double, Seein' Double
By using the Internet, hands-on activities, video, and cooperative learning, pupils look into the conditions in which light casts shadows on objects. The lesson includes fabulous hands-on activities, art projects, worksheets, and reource...
Curated OER
The Formation of Coal
In this coal formation worksheet, students read and informational sheet about coal formation. Students are given 5 short-answer questions regarding what they've read.
Curated OER
Wild and Wetlands
Upper graders identify the major characteristics of a wetland. They explore the human factors that change a wetland and write a descriptive paragraph about wetlands. This comprehensive lesson also has an interactive "Watershed Game"...
NASA
Stellar Fingerprints and Doppler Red Shifts
Young scientists observe the spectra of elements and compare that to the Doppler effect. Hook scholars from the beginning all the way to the extension activities in this 5E-format lesson.
Curated OER
Suited for Space
A fantastic lesson on survival in outer space should excite your learners! Pupils explore the challenges that living, working, and surviving in space elicit. They focus on the spacesuit itself; how it protects astronauts, and enables...
Curated OER
Ocean Careers Exploration
Learners will work together in groups to gather information about careers in oceanography. They discover the need to have a diverse group of people on a team and then share their information with the class. Web links and materials are...