Captain Planet Foundation
Fall into Healthy Shapes
Kindergartners identify geometric shapes by planting a fall garden. They start their seeds in containers that have different shapes, and keep track of their plants based on those shapes. This brilliantly designed and incredibly thorough...
Curated OER
Pumpkin Time
In these two lessons, science learners participate in various activities involving pumpkins. They investigate and research the life cycle of a pumpkin. They observe pumpkin growth and decomposition. Finally, they estimate and measure...
Curated OER
Circles in the Landscape: Irrigating Oklahoma Crops
How do you grow crops in a area with insufficient rainfall? Why you irrigate, of course. Class members investigate irrigation systems by designing a system of their own. After examining irrigation related concepts, vocabulary terms, and...
Curated OER
Lunar Lollipops
Demonstrate the lunar cycle to youngsters using flashlights and lollipops. The procedure is somewhat vague, so it will need to be modeled for them before turning them loose to try it. The questions that follow the activity are not...
Curated OER
WATER HERE AND THERE
Introduce the topic of water conservation with a little drama. Dressed as snowflakes, hail stones, or rain drops class members dramatize the events in a narration of the water cycle. The series of lessons that follow focus on...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Water Wheel
Middle school scientists construct a working water wheel from an aluminum pie pan. Because of the sharp edges on the cut aluminum, this activity is for mature learners only. You could have your class compete to see whose wheel can lift...
Curated OER
ESL: Dolphins Activity
In this ESL dolphins worksheet, students read an article about dolphins, then complete a set of 10 multiple choice questions; answer may be checked on-line.
Curated OER
Bat Ecology
Students, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through their...
Curated OER
Seasons
Students explore the four seasons. Through observation activities, they explore and discuss the weather changes that occur during each season. Students create a graph of the clothing that is worn during each season.
Curated OER
One Two three Isaac Newton and Me
Ninth graders study Newton's Laws and apply these concepts to travel in space. For this space lesson students complete several lab activities.
Curated OER
The Lorax
Students read The Lorax and discuss how human actions can affect the environment. They conduct a simple experiment to see how much air pollution is in the air that they breathe.
Curated OER
The Four Seasons for First Grade
First graders examine the seasonal changes that occur. Students listen to the book "Caps, Hats, Socks, and Mittens" before discussing the current weather and any approaching holidays. After a brief lecture on the different seasons, they...
Curated OER
Habitat Is Home
Students are introduced to the concept and components of a habitat. They discuss the key components of a habitat and describe how certain factors can cause disturbances in a habitat and change its population. Activities are leveled for...
Curated OER
Parachutes: Is it Surface Area or Shape?
Learners investigate how to make a good parachute. For this physics lesson, students observe the motion of parachutes as it falls and measure the time. They collect data and calculate the average descent time for each canopy shape.
Curated OER
Pond Exploration
Students take a hands-on approach to explore the world beneath the water in this activity. They examine the creatures they catch to study about the adaptations these animals have that allow them to survive in this harsh environment. They...
Curated OER
Observing the Pumpkin Cycle
Students observe and listen to nonfiction books about the life cycle of pumpkins. They practice early reading skills in a shared reading related to pumpkins. They observe the life cycle of a pumpkin including growth and decay.
Exploratorium
Eddy Currents
Make electromagnetic eddy currents evident with this demonstration. You will need to gather a few materials from the local hardware store and a strong neodymium magnet, but the visual value is well worthwhile.
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Contemplating Nature vs. Nurture
Does having an addict in your family make it more likely to become one yourself? Explore the genetic risk factors, as well as the prominent environmental influences, for substance addiction in a instructional activity that encourages...
Curated OER
Earthquake Analysis
Students analyze and plot the coordinates for several recent earthquakes on a world map. They learn not only about research and geology, but about map-making and data analysis. They think of other ways to analyze the data given.
Curated OER
One, Two, Three--Isaac Newton and Me
Students experiment to develop understanding of Newton's Laws and how they apply to space travel in this ten day instructional activity sequence.
Curated OER
Earth's Journey Around the Sun
Sixth graders examine how the angle of the sun's rays is a factor in determining the seasons. They watch a teacher demonstration of the concepts and write a paragraph demonstrating their understanding.
Curated OER
Particulate Matter: The Lorax
Students explore air pollution. For this ecology lesson, students participate in an experiment in which 5 numbered jar lids are placed outside. Students bring one lid a day in until all jars are inside. Dirt specks are counted, observed,...
Curated OER
Tides and How Creatures Survive
Students discover tidal pools. In this oceanographic lesson, students observe the tides of the earth and the creatures that inhabit the intertidal zones. Students role-play the tidal zones by portraying themselves as animals...
Curated OER
Special Place
Students observe and describe a "special place" chosen along a nature trail. In this habitat observational skills and writing lesson, students take a walk on a nature trail and choose a spot to sit and meditate. Students complete a...