In cooperative groups, middle schoolers contemplate the probability of 18 different situations occurring. After they make predictions, they compare them to the actual risk factors. This eye-opening exercise demonstrates that the odds of...

A phenomenal lesson on sound is here for your third graders! In it, learners engage in hands-on activities, watch video, take part in Internet activities, and complete tasks in cooperative groups in order to explore the world of sound...

To recycle or not to recycle, that is the question. Your class can find the answer by taking a teacher created WebQuest, where they assume a role of a community member taking a stand on implementing a community wide recycling plan. The...

Learners plan a mock mission to Mars. In this space science lesson, students work in cooperative groups and select one experiment to take on their mock mission. Learners create a mission plan form and send a proposed experiment to NASA.

Students in pairs explore the transmission of the Plague, through experimentation. Cooperative groups use the scientific method to solve the fictional problem of a bacteria spreading in the Amazon. Groups also create a vector to visually...

Energy comes in many forms, but how do living things get the energy they need to survive and thrive? In a simple, controlled experiment with yeast, water, and sugar, groups make observations about how yeast reacts with water alone, then...

Young scholars learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students find out how partners can help run a race just as Wanda learns that survival on the coral reef often depends on cooperation.

Third graders examine soil samples and explore the what happens in each layer of the subsoil. They work in cooperative groups to create a scroll that shows what takes place in each layer, and discuss why much of the activity is in the...

One hundred metric tons of CO2 can accumulate in one acre of forest over time—that's a lot of carbon! In the activity, groups of middle school learners determine what makes forests important. They then solidify the concept by using a...

Students discover how to apply the steps of the inquiry process through the study of bacteria. Working in groups of four, they cooperatively read an article about bacteria and complete a graphic organizer. Group members share with others...

Learners investigate the effects of four different shaped wands and geometric shapes in a bubble solution. In this bubbleology lesson, the students build water and soap molecules. Learners work in cooperative groups and conduct...

Fifth graders recall prior knowledge about rocks. In this igneous rock lesson, learners work in cooperative groups to perform experiments to classify the properties of igneous rock. They write a detailed paragraph and illustrate the rock...

Learners explore the properties of matter.  In this cross curriculum three states of matter science lesson, students listen to the poem "Eighteen Flavors" by Shel Silverstein, and predict what will happen if listed ingredients are...

Students experience the creativity, anticipation and peer review of obtaining a grant for scientific research at the poles. They work in cooperative groups to assess the dynamics of polar regions. Each student proposes an original...

Students, working in expert groups, study a form of energy. They plan a slide show presentation using pictures, clip art, and student taken digital pictures that show the energy type they have become experts in. They use a planning sheet...

The second segment of a seven-part series reviews the challenge of determining whether gargling with salt water helps a sore throat. Individuals journal what they know about the challenge and what they are trying to figure out to...

What are the causes and effects of pollutants on the quality of the air we breathe? Groups research emission standards, emission controls, career opportunities in the area of air quality control, and things government and individuals can...

Young scholars examine how sand is formed by erosion and that it can be moved by streams, rivers, and ocean currents in this unit of lessons. They study waves and currents, and structures that change how sand moves by creating story...

Middle schoolers recognize the harmful effects people have on the environment. In this environmental lesson plan, students simulate water pollution clean-up by using tangled objects and untangling them in a cooperative group. Middle...

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the inspiration for this project-based learning activity. Kindergartners create a lifecycle chart for a butterfly with four sections: egg, caterpillar, pupa, and butterfly. It is a three-dimensional...

Investigate the choices people make between economic growth and personal growth and development using the ethical/decision making model. Small groups create and present a position paper describing their feeling for or against the...

An exciting activity has scholars use cell parts to build bacteria through cooperation with other groups. Each group has some of the cell parts needed, but they must trade with other groups to be able to fulfill their function as a...

Before your learners excuse themselves to get a drink at the water fountain, prompt them to think about where that water comes from. A middle school science activity encourages groups to research their community's source of drinking...

Thinking about designing a project for your social studies or environmental science classes? Use an overview of a project that prompts class groups to research an environmental issue.