Instill the concept of adaptation with the help of Blubber Gloves—ziplock bags, shortening, and duct tape. Scholars discuss how animals and plants keep warm in polar regions, record their predictions, and try on their Blubber Gloves to...

Don't let your bacteria go to waste. A tutorial explains how to properly store and maintain bacterial stock cultures. It describes the purpose and preparation of a permanent stock, as well as a working stock for use in experiments.

Can your classes solve the problem of the smelly sweat sock? Young scientists complete a lab investigation that begins by using electrochemistry to generate colloidal silver. They use their solutions to test the rate of microbial growth...

Need a lesson plan to fuel young minds? A variety of hands-on activities is sure to get your class fired up! Beginning with an introductory slideshow and culminating with group presentations, the week-long unit has something for...

Sensor technology is amazingly accurate and useful. Combining the sensor technology and mathematical knowledge, scholars design experiments to answer a question they have developed. Questions may focus on light sensing, temperature...

Patch up any misconceptions about writing functions. Scholars undertake a performance task that has them first examine a pattern in patchwork cushions. They represent the patterns in triangular and rectangular blocks using a table and as...

Can you read a map? Scholars use an interactive technology tool to analyze maps of various kinds to gather evidence and data to better understand their meanings and usefulness. Using newly obtained knowledge, they form an interpretation...

It's not easy to ask for help. Learn why a boy on a ship struggles with accepting help in "The Glass of Milk," a short story by Manuel Rojas. Six discussion questions prompt class members to make inferences from the text about character...

Here's a task that is out of this world! Given a description of a fictional cube-shaped planet, scholars answer a set of questions about the planet. They create a two-dimensional map and consider the distances between locations on the map.

How many good habits does it take to be a successful adolescent? According to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey, just seven! Using the worksheets, learners answer personal growth questions and develop strategies...

Getting bored with the typical review strategies? Why not turn it into a game! Learners practice their DNA vocabulary by trying to get their partner to guess the word they're describing. To complicate things a bit, there are words that...

Taboo, anyone?! A vocabulary review lesson asks learners to give their partners clues to help them guess the target word. The catch? There are words that are taboo. If they use the prohibited words, they don't get credit if partners...

Jack the Ripper terrorized London in the late 1800s. An educator's guide for the novel The Name of the Star places the historical figure in a modern context. Readers complete a pre-reading activity before answering a series of discussion...

Often, science fiction makes a lot of connections to real life. An educator's guide for the novel Charisma by Jeanne Ryan, has readers discuss many of the real-life issues that come in the text. A brief summary helps garner interest...

Can you describe a gamete without using the words sperm or egg? Scholars play a vocabulary review game where they try to get other players to guess their words. Each card has the target word as well as two related words they must not...

Cells divide by one of two processes, either mitosis or meiosis. Scholars sort cards into two sets, one representing each type of cell division. Then, they sequence the cards demonstrating an understanding of the movement of chromosomes.

A four-part lesson features a video that details the life of a Mongolian queen. An eight-question quiz, related resources, and discussion questions follow the video to enhance the learning experience.

They claim there are problems on the assessment. The presentation provides 13 questions that demonstrate the problem-solving claim for Smarter Balanced assessments. Teachers use the resource to provide examples of problem-solving...

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...

Watch augmented reality bring classrooms to life. Scholars work in groups to design, build, and market a new pair of headphones meant for children under three. They use an augmented reality app to show their headphones in action as they...

How does a change in pH affect the ocean ecosystem? Scholars explore the idea by making an acid-base indicator in part seven of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. First, they explore impacts of carbon dioxide in...

Art and science sometimes go hand in hand. A set of four activities for learners in grades 3-5 teaches engineering concepts as part of art projects. Class members build homemade robots, elastic puppets, musical instruments, and...

All models are better in three dimensions. A hands-on lesson asks learners to create 3-D models of a rock layer using a template. They arrange the puzzle piece sides together to create models that are scientifically correct. Once the...

What kinds of birds are common in the area? Young scientists use household supplies to create bird feeders. They then document the birds that come to their feeders by keeping journals.