Curated OER
The Magnetic Sun
Learners follow steps to build a simple version of a magnetometer, an instrument capable of detecting areas of strong magnetic field. Students use the magnetometer to investigate models of the Sun and examine images of the Sun.
Curated OER
Scarification
Students examine the process of scarification. They use their prior knowledge to discuss how to change the appearance of the human body. They write a summary about what they have learned.
Curated OER
Civil War Letter Web
Students use the internet to gather information on a specific Civil War battle of interest to them. Using the information they gather, they organize it into a web to be used later when writing a letter. They use the web to write their...
Curated OER
Geologist and Core Sampling
Third graders observe a cupcake and attempt to answer each question on the observation page. They write three sentences that explains how a geologist takes core samples of the earth's surface. Students make sketches and write...
Curated OER
Visual Arts
Students create a finger painting which exhibits both the primary and secondary colors.
Curated OER
Land Use in New Hampshire: Farming
Students examine how the environment as affected people farming in New Hampshire. They visit a field trip to a local farm to make observations. They create a poem based on their observations.
Curated OER
TEXTURE DRAWING
Third graders create a drawing based upon objects found outdoors through rubbing the side of a crayon onto a piece of paper covering the objects, to demonstrate different textures. They share their different drawings and verbally compare...
Curated OER
From Automobiles to Cars
Students research important inventions from the last two hundred years. They explore how one invention relates to another and summarize their research in a written report and visual presentation.
Curated OER
Biodegradable Plastics
Students prepare a type of biodegradable plastic. They design method(s) to compare its properties with some common plastics that are readily available in the market. They later advance to identifying variables in an experiment and fair...
Curated OER
Paleoindian Hunter
Sixth graders utilize their prior knowledge of the Woolly Mammoth to hypothesize what life was like for the Paleoindians. They write a story about a day in the life of a Paleoindian hunter.
Curated OER
My Heritage Country Report
Students list five food dishes that are part of their family's heritage. Each student then does research of a country and a recipe (possibly a family recipe). With the help of members of his/her kitchen group, the student prepares the dish.
Curated OER
Row, Tow, Pull Your Boat
Third graders use previous knowledge and research to analyze and solve a scenario relating to the use of simple machines and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They present their findings to the class in oral presentations.
Curated OER
Civil War Letter
Students develop a question they are interested in researching about the Civil War. After completing a webquest on the war, they write a letter to their partner using the information they gathered. They use peer editing to check for...
Curated OER
Exploration of Civil War Webquest
Students use the internet to research what life was like for Confederate and Union soldiers in a specific battle of interest to them. In groups, they complete a webquest on the battle in which one represents a Confederate soldier and the...
Curated OER
Science: Testing Water for Toxicity
Students investigate the potential toxicity of water samples using California blackworms to test water quality. They observe the worms' behaviors in different water samples and determine which sample has the highest toxicity. At the...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Sound: A Lesson in Length and Pitch
In this classroom guided inquiry lesson, students will rotate through five stations of various sound instruments to look at how length affects pitch. The five sound stations include: straw flutes, xylophone, water phone, palm pipes, and...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: What's the Matter: Concentration Game
What's the Matter? is a guided inquiry lesson on classification of matter, physical and chemical properties, and physical and chemical changes. There are two parts to this lesson: (a) concentration game for definitions and (b)...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Rocks
For this classroom guided inquiry lesson, students will become geologists. They will investigate rocks and the properties we can use to describe them. Students will observe, record, and reflect on their findings. They will record their...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: The Five Senses
An activity where students try to identify objects using only their senses, with and without a blindfold. The instructional activity is also appropriate for special needs or ELL students in higher grades.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Chemical Reactions: Investigating Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions
In this 9th grade physical science guided inquiry, learners will work in pairs to discover the indicators of chemical reactions. Each pair of students is assigned either an exothermic or endothermic reaction. Based on their observations,...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Types of Chemical Reactions and Predicting Products
The guided inquiry activity enables learners to identify the five basic types of reactions - synthesis or composition, decomposition, combustion, single replacement and double replacement. Students will also begin to predict the products...
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Water
The Science of Water Teacher's Guide provides a number of inquiry-based activities for grades 3-5 (although it can be expanded for other grades). The guide contains science lessons that enable students to explore water, behavior of...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Jamestown: The Starving Time
This instructional activity provides a great opportunity for students to engage in real historical inquiry with prepared sources. The instructional activity is displayed in three locations on the site: the student view, which guides the...
Other
National Council for the Social Studies: A Picture's Worth
When using historical pictures in the classroom, students will need help drawing their observations together to reach conclusions about the lives of people at a particular time. Sets of photographs - along with probing questions and...