Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aphids and Ladybirds

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students record observations of ladybird beetles and aphids. They develop questions concerning the behavior of ladybird beetles and aphids that are testable by a classroom experimentation. Students develop an investigation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moon Journal

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students review the planets and major moons in the Solar System. In groups, they research and describe the various phases of the moon. They record their observations of the moon phases over a specific period of time and use the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather Where We Are

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate the reports of local weather. They identify types of weather data and correlate it to the conditions. Using the data students draw a picture of the current weather. They conduct the same investigation for all four...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rain Forest

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study the Amazon tropical rain forest. In this rain forest lesson, students discuss the Manu Biosphere reserve and watch a video about conserving the rain forest. Students create mobiles for the rainforest that includes research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It All Began With a Bean

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students explore human anatomy by participating in hands-on activities. In this digestive system lesson, students read the book It All Began With a Bean and discuss the process of food digestion in our body. Students utilize soda...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Miracle Fish: Learning to Design an Experiment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students develop procedures to explore the behavior of fish.  In this scientific experiment lesson students from a hypothesis, write a question, identify different variables and controls in their experiment. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density and Buoyancy Experimental Design

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students must plan, design, and conduct an experiment that answers the scientific question: "Come up with a question that addresses the factors (variables) of the water and its effect on whether an object floats or sinks."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seed Growth

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars develop an independent procedure to investigate the germination of two types of seeds. Students must construct data tables or charts to record observations and results, graph the data, and analyze the data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Barometer Investigation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners construct a barometer to use in an experiment that they design to measure the air pressure on a daily basis. These observations of air pressure allow students to determine how weather is affected when a storm is approaching and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Friction Force

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate friction force on a variety of objects such as bricks and cardboard boxes. They use a force probe to collect data on the changes in force required to drag the objects across a variety of surface types.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coffee Cooling

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the factors that affect how long coffee stays hot. They develop a question and a testable hypothesis for one factor such as initial temperature or size of opening of the container. Then they design and conduct an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Dynamic Nature of the Sun

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students compare and contrast images of the sun taken at different times and viewed at different scales. They record their observations in a journal and create a graphic organizer to help analyze their observations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Movement of Air Mind Map Activity

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students explore the movement of air.  In this air activity, students discuss and give examples of air ventilation.  Students compare outdoor and indoor air quality.  Students create mind maps as a visual representation of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Picture This!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners compare and contrast different types of light on the electromagnetic spectrum.  In this investigative lesson students create a photographic image that demonstrates the infrared, ultraviolet and polarization phenomena. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Flame and the Atom:

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars investigate the structure of atoms. Students read information about the Rutherford model, the Bohr model, and the Quantum Mechanical model examining each for its scientific validity. They watch a PowerPoint presentation of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Spectrum/Spectroscopy

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the electromagnetic spectrum and demonstrate the elements within.  In this investigative lesson students complete a demonstration and calculate the energy of a photon. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemical Weathering

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students measure the effect of water temperature on the rate of a chemical reaction, similar to the interaction of a weak acid and carbonate rock, using hot water and effervescent antacid tablets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coat Caper

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine pollen and fibers taken from a garment. They analyze pollen from new hybrids and compare it to the samples from the garment then make individual conclusions concerning the specific historical authenticity of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Through Other Eyes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers describe the structures of crustaceans and the features that give organisms capabilities that exceed those of humans.  In this investigative lesson students replicate some of the features of photo-receptors in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insulators

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students design and carry out an investigation to test which materials is the best insulator: they predict which way heat energy flows in a system and analyze the flow of energy in a system from one point to another and from one form to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pond-water Populations

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars design and conduct and experiment on algae, for a two week period, to answer the question "In your investigation, how does changing one factor affect the growth of organisms?"
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stimulus/Response in Invertebrates

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students design and conduct and experiment to determine how invertebrates react to an outside stimulus such as light and other stimuli. Student must develop a clear plan of action, collect data in an organized manner and analyze their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The effectiveness of Antacids

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers design and conduct a scientific experiment to test which of four antacids would be most effective for neutralizing acids. They rank the antacids in order from most effective to least effective and explain how they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

That's the Way the Ball Bounces

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate and compare the bouncing ability of the materials from which four different balls are made. They determine which material performs the best for use as a basketball. After collecting data in a small group they...