Curated OER
Rain Making - Understanding the Formation of Rain
Students read and conduct and experiment to learn about rain formation. In this water forms lesson, students read about the formation of rain and its purposes. Students then complete a rain experiment activity.
Curated OER
"To Terraform or Not to Terraform?"
Students analyze an article written by an engineer at NASA proposing colonizing Mars with human explorers on the fastest track possible. They are invited to react to the article through several activities.
Curated OER
Science: The Water Cycle
Students examine the various stages of the water cycle. In groups, they complete a hands-on activity by creating model water cycle. Students design posters representing each of the seven stages of the water cycle.
Curated OER
Stellar Navigation Curriculum
Students investigate the concept of star mapping and how it is used in space navigation. They conduct various activities to see the effect of mapping. Also the teacher uses models and demonstrations in order to communicate the main...
Center Science Education
Field Projects: Science in Action
Cooperative groups select from one of four scenarios regarding hurricanes, greenhouse gases, thunderstorms, or the global climate domino effect. They discuss what kind of research needs to be conducted to address their chosen scenario...
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...
Space Awareness
Oceans on the Rise
Temperature rises and land disappears! Through a lab exploration, learners understand the effect of temperature increase on water similar to the effect of global warming on our oceans. As they heat the water in a flask, they measure the...
International Technology Education Association
Dampen That Drift!
The spacecraft is drifting too far off course! Two games help explain how a spacecraft can use its thrusters to maintain its position. The games have pupils be the components of vectors in order to create and counteract the...
Curated OER
Action-Reaction! Rocket
Learners construct a rocket from a balloon propelled along a guide string. They use this model to learn about Newton's three laws of motion, examining the effect of different forces on the motion of the rocket. They measure the distance...
Curated OER
Shedding Light on the Weather with Relative Humidity
Learners study weather using a graphing calculator in this lesson. They collect data for temperature and relative humidity for every hour over a day from the newspaper, then place the data in their handheld calculator and examine it for...
Curated OER
Clouds as Art: Torn Paper Landscape
Students create a torn paper landscape and use it to study clouds. In this cloud study and art lesson, students make a background art image from torn paper. Students create a torn paper landscape and use cotton balls to illustrate...
Curated OER
Pipeline to the Coral Reefs
High schoolers discuss the relationship of density to stratification. In this marine science lesson plan, students create a model of upwelling events using cold and warm water. They discuss how water phenomena affect coral reefs.
Curated OER
Water Cycle in a Bottle
Students study the water cycle. In this water science lesson, students complete a water cycle experiment using soda bottles.
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Here's a fine instructional activity on renewable and non-renewable sources of energy for your 5th graders. In it, learners list a number of natural resources on the board, then try to sort the resources into appropriate categories. This...
Curated OER
Strawkets and Control
Students investigate the effect that fins have on rocket flight. They construct two paper rockets that they can launch by blowing through a straw, one with fins and one with wings, and observe and record the results of the rocket flights.
Curated OER
Getting to the Core of Climate Change
Students investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships between the...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle--Model Simulation
Students build a model to simulate parts of the water cycle. They recognize and explain the essential elements of the water cycle.
Curated OER
Is the Hudson River Too Salty to Drink?
Students explore reasons for varied salinity in bodies of water. In this geographical inquiry lesson, students use a variety of visual and written information including maps, data tables, and graphs, to form a hypothesis as to why the...
Curated OER
Climate Mime-it
Students pantomime new climate vocabulary words. In this climate lesson, students go over new vocabulary words and their meanings. Students form groups and pantomime these word's definitions.
Curated OER
Plant an Ozone Monitoring Garden
Students create a garden. In this ozone lesson plan, students discuss ozone injury, identify plants sensitive to ozone, and then plant their own ozone garden.
Curated OER
A Recipe for Air
Students create a pie graph using M&Ms to demonstrate the composition of air. They label each section of the graph, and list the fractions from largest to smallest.
Curated OER
Analyzing Hurricanes Using Web and Desktop GIS
Students analyze hurricanes. In hurricanes lesson, students use the Internet and GIS to analyze hurricanes. Students view the National Atlas of Maps to discuss the direction hurricanes move. Students study the wind and pressure fields to...
Curated OER
Predicting the Future
Students examine how scientists predict the effects of global climate change. In this environmental science lesson, students participate in a discussion about using computer generated data to create climate predictions. Students examine...
Curated OER
Dimming The Sun
Students review the meanings of global warming and global dimming. While watching a video, they take notes on different aspects of the issue. In groups, they develop a list on what can be done to reduce global dimming. They...