Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Hit the Slopes!

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students study benthic communities in the Gulf of Mexico and explain their roles.  In this investigative lesson students participate in a group activity and study how to calculate and index of biological communities. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where's the Oxygen?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study seawater and how temperature and salinity influence it.  For this oxygen lesson students complete a lab activity on dissolved oxygen. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's So Special?

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students study the biology and morphology of Lophelia corals.  In this investigative lesson students explain how the coral contributes to communities, and create a poster.  
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quake Clues

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study earthquakes and how sediment accumulations are used for past information on earthquakes.  In this earthquake lesson students interpret sediment cores and describe turbidites. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Big Blow

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify and explain factors that contribute to extreme storms in the Great Lakes.  For this investigative lesson students study the weather systems in the Great Lakes and compare cyclones to tropical storms. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

By Land or by Sea...or Both?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research a video and participate in a discussion.  In this watercraft activity students review material and answer questions about what they learned. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Now, Take a Deep Breath

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define several laws of pressure and see how they relate to scuba diving.  In this ocean explorer lesson students answer questions and complete an activity. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We Arrived 10,000 Years Ago...

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explain ways that humans migrated from Asia and settle in the Americas.  In this investigative lesson students participate in a brief archaeological demonstration and review what they learned. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paleo-Diving

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students study sinkholes and how they are associated with paleoamerican settlements.  In this underwater exploration  activity students explain how sinkholes are formed.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Distant Relatives

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students investigate observations between widely separated populations of anchialine cave fauna.  In this biogeography lesson plan students discuss theories that could explain the given observations. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Robot Explorer

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students design a robotic vehicle to explore underwater caves. In this robot technology lesson, students brainstorm, research, and report about a robotic vehicle design capable of sensing objects and taking appropriate actions to avoid...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Twisted Vision

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students investigate the vision adaptations in marine animals in their environments. In this life science lesson, students use polarized filters and make observations.  Students explain how the adaptation of polarized vision is an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To See or Not to See

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars identify and discuss key factors that determine how effective color camouflage is in certain habitats.  In this investigative lesson students divide into groups and study light. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Eating Your Ship?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the processes that contribute to the deterioration of shipwrecked in shallow and deep water.  In this research lesson students explore shipwrecks and how the deterioration process works.  Students fill out the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The American Dream

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars define the American dream. In this primary research lesson, students search the Library of Congress digital collections for primary sources regarding the ideal of the American dream.  Young scholars create...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sex & Reproduction

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students examine animal reproduction by interpreting data and making arguments and then create their own graphs to explore relationships of organ systems. This lesson includes an individual worksheet and a reflective review question for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

More Than Mock Elections

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers create a presidential campaign story. In this presidential campaign lesson, students produce, direct and act in their own campaign story. Stories focus on setting, characters, context, critical incidents, and concluding...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Deeper Shade of Purple

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the color purple. For this visual arts lesson, 3rd graders sort purple objects in various ways and create the color purple by mixing paint. Students create a purple portrait of a character from the play, Lost and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mystery Mollusc

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the different regions of our oceans by researching the Internet.  In this oceanography instructional activity, students discover the different jobs related to ocean research and examine their roles by reading...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From Polymers to Bioplastics: Looking Toward Finding Renewable Resources

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students investigate the properties of polymers. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the importance of energy sources. They produce a bioplastic from the lab and evaluate its structural integrity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Motion in Fluids

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore physical science by participating in a science activity. In this liquids lesson, students discuss how fluids can be affected by motion unlike solids. Students define other scientific vocabulary terms and conduct a motion...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is There A Fungus Among Us?

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders classify fungus into two different groups. In this fungus lesson, 6th graders collect as many pieces of fungus as possible. Students then classify these pieces of fungus as saprophytic or parasitic. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sedimentary Size and Structures

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students interpret the Earth's history from models.  In this investigative lesson students create sedimentary deposit models. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Off Base

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study La Chatelier's principle and identify how carbon dioxide may affect pH.  In this coral instructional activity students complete a worksheet on pH and observe a lab.