Sew up a unit on solar energy with a hands-on project. Groups sew LED lights on clothing using conductive thread. Solar modules attached to a helmet provide the energy for the lights. A final presentation gives learners the opportunity...

Everybody needs to know how to make healthy choices when it comes to food. Understanding food labels is the first step. Using empty food packaging, you'll discuss what food labels are, what information can be found on them, and how to...

There's an app for that! Pupils learn to build an app that will store data on an Android. The instructional activity introduces class members to the tiny database, TinyDB, for Android devices. A video tutorial provides an...

Curious physical scientists follow a instructional activity on the properties of water with this instructional activity on distillation. They observe a miniature water cycle model that filters dirty water into clean water. These two...

Third graders investigate different energy conversions through hands-on activities. For this energy lesson, 3rd graders move through four stations and conduct experiments illustrating energy conversions. Wave energy, chemical energy,...

Learners determine what the pulse is before examining how to measure the heart rate in different situations. They build a simple device that measures the heart rate, take heart rates, and record them on a worksheet. They discuss how...

Students investigate the worm and the cockroach. In this organisms lesson plan, students visit suggested websites to identify the characteristics of worms and cockroaches.  Students dissect a worm and observe a live cockroach....

Use this resource to have your class learn about the cell. This resource walks learners through the construction of a model of a cell. This project is completed in a cooperative learning group, and  reinforces the higher-order...

Junior geologists, hydrologists, or meteorologists simulate what happens during the flooding of a river and demonstrate factors that contribute to flash flooding. This outstanding resource provides a vocabulary list, online resources,...

The debate over genetically modified organisms is on! Young biologists imagine that they have been asked to choose which corn chips will be sold for a fundraiser, one made with GMOs or one without. This four-day lesson plan requires...

Water may appear to be crystal clear, but there could be dissolved substances present. Lab groups make a one-part-per-million of a food coloring solution to demonstrate this concept. As part of an outstanding unit about water, this...

In May of 1981, the Winter Park Sinkhole in Florida first appeared and is now referred to as Lake Rose. Scholars learn about the causes of sinkholes through an inquiry project. Then, they analyze recent data and draw conclusions to...

Students evaluate the impact climates have on the building of structures. They research the different types of materials used to build houses in various climates and build small models of houses which are tested against different climates.

Got a rainy day and need a few fabulous activities to foster creative thinking skills? The class works to understand the three types of human power; direct, indirect, and stored. They do this by first creating a parade float like the...

Students explore nuclear scientists.  In this nuclear science research lesson, students choose a scientist who has contributed to nuclear theory, research his/her life and accomplishments, and write a paper. Students generate...

Fourth graders study the Moon phases. The instructional activity includes hands-on activities as well as web-based activities. They use models of the Moon and a lamp to study each of the phases of the Moon, and test their knowlege of the...

Students research Earth Day and make bags to hand out on Earth Day to help promote taking care of the environment.

A passage about an astronomy lesson may leave readers starstruck. Fifth graders read about a class's exploration into the makeup of the galaxy and its constellations before answering six questions about the terms and vocabulary...

How do you prevent the spread of water-borne illness in large public swimming areas? Scholars discover the challenges to identifying safe water through an inquiry experiment. They then produce posters sharing their understanding of water...

Model an oil spill cleanup. An engaging engineering lesson has groups using aerogels to simulate an oil spill cleanup (vegetable oil in water). Along the way, they learn about nanotechnology and hydrophilia/hydrophobia.

In this mind-bending activity, young engineers explore this question of whether or not light actually bends. Using holographic diffraction gratings, groups design and build a spectrograph. The groups then move on research a problem...

Students examine the importance of vitamin c in their diets and the sources that it comes from.  In this vitamin lesson students complete hands on activities, interpret data and make a bar graph.

Using a magnifier, mini marine biologists examine the barbules of a bird feather. They swirl the it into a mixture of oil and water and then re-examine the feather. After the activity, discuss how the oily feathers pose a problem to...

The teacher doesn't always have to be the expert in the classroom. The first in a series of three supplementary activities Nature: Friend or Foe uses hands-on research tasks and projects to enhance readers' understanding of non-fiction...