The moon takes just over 27 days to orbit around Earth. Young scientists position themselves as the earth as they rotate around the sun and hold the moon. This allows them to observe the patterns and phases of the moon.

How does radiation affect our daily lives? Answer that question and others with a lesson that discusses radiation and its use in thermal energy transfer through electromagnetic waves. Pupils investigate vaporization and...

Will it sink or will it float? Learners predict the outcome as they drop random objects into a container of water. Then, they keep track of the results and record the data in a t-chart to draw a final conclusion.

How do clouds form? Learners demonstrate the formation of clouds and the water cycle by testing four different setups in a plastic bottle. They identify the key components of a cloud to help them understand the process of cloud...

In May of 1981, the Winter Park Sinkhole in Florida first appeared and is now referred to as Lake Rose. Scholars learn about the causes of sinkholes through an inquiry project. Then, they analyze recent data and draw conclusions to...

Ninth graders discover how statistics are used to interpret results of scientific experiments. Students write hypotheses and test the hypotheses by collecting data and organizing the data. Students graph their data to produce a visual....

Students investigate what causes the heat on Earth.  In this Earth heating lesson plan, students experiment with different heat sources and determine where the Earth gathers the most heat.  Students explore vocabulary words...

Students compare and constrast a wide variety of minerals and rocks. They test them for streak, luster, color and other characteristics. They view an exhibit and compare their answers to them.

Learners practice relating rules of trigonometry and properties of circles. With a few simplifying assumptions such as a perfectly round earth, young mathematicians calculate the lengths of various paths between satellite and...

Don't be caught in the dark! Young scientists investigate the causes of both solar and lunar eclipses using an interactive to help them understand the development of an eclipse over time. They then research facts and characteristics...

Teach your class the descriptive characteristics of soil. Provide information about particle size and a flow chart for assessing texture. Soil scientists then analyze samples and hypothesize which would be the best type for a rain...

How did the manned space mission program progress? The presentation covers American space exploration from the Apollo missions through the International Space Station. 

People have been using solar energy for many generations to dry crops, heat homes, and for light. This presentation explains how now it is possible to capture the solar energy and store it for future use, details how and where...

Students investigate the history of Earth by creating a geologic time scale.  For this Earth History lesson, students practice sequencing events in their life as a way to get familiar with creating a time scale.  Students...

Students practice dating fossils. They learn the concept of "deep time"--that earth was formed billions of years ago. They experience excellent hand-outs and virtual age tutorial links.

Students identify the different types of water and explain in what proportions they exist on Earth. They identify and correctly label the parts of the water cycle and how these parts interact with each other. Students identify the...

Students complete a KWL chart on what they comprehend about water. They complete a water activity determining how much usable water is available, and they determine the water usage in their households. Students take notes on water and...

After reading an article on earthquakes and tsunamis, students answer a series of multiple choice questions about what they have learned. All answers can be found within the article, making this a good way to prepare for reading...

Learners work together to develop a school lighting audit plan. They practice using new vocabulary related to an energy audit. They also identify the components of a school lighting audit.

Young scholars investigate the current environmental movement by cleaning up their own campus.  In this environmental care lesson plan, students practice cleaning their "environment" by picking up trash on their campus and decrease...

It takes 225 million years for our sun to travel around the galaxy. The presentation covers astronomical units, light years, telescopes, types of stars, the life cycle of a star, and types of galaxies. This is the last lesson in a...

Students review the components of the scientific inquiry method. In groups, they develop hypothesis on a variety of different topics and design an investigation or experiment to test it. They share their conclusions with the class and...

Students compare water quality of different sources. They test water samples for odor, phosphates, pH, bacteria, and dissolved solids. they fill out a data table and answer questions about their findings.

Ninth graders test water in a local creek using chemical kits and probes. They take GPS readings and digital photos. They calculate the Water Quality Index and create a spreadsheet of the test data.