Fluence Learning
Writing About Literature: What Is Happiness?
Jack London's heart for adventure has come to define the spirit of America and its frontier. Selected passages from the foreword The Cruise of the Snark take eighth graders through London's construction and voyage of his ship before...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
A Sense of Belonging
In order to understand how the land changes over time because of the people who live there, learners interview an elderly person about the past. Children ask an older family member to describe what the local area was like when they were...
Lee & Low Books
Classroom Guide for Sacred Mountain: Everest
The most famous climbers of Mount Everest could never have made it to the summit without the assistance of the local Sherpa. Christine Taylor-Butler's nonfiction children's book Sacred Mountain: Everest is the focus of an extensive...
American Museum of Natural History
Journey to the Stars
Fifteen detailed pictures and informative captions delve deep into the exploration of stars—their life cycle and importance in the universe.
Curated OER
Building Straw Towers
Students apply their knowledge of technology to help them build. In this science and technology lesson, students build straw towers and investigate the strength and form of the structure. They analyze the best design the make the...
Curated OER
Raptor Force
Learners observe a video about pilots, their desired traits, and explore the similarities between a bird and an airplane. Using paper, wood or foam, they design create an aircraft to be flown in a competition to see which plane will fly...
Curated OER
Atlatl (Native Americans)
Students discover what an atlatl is and how to use it. In this Native American lesson, students discuss the history of the Native American atlatl and practice throwing with it. Students will analyze the effects of the atlatl in terms of...
Curated OER
Wildlife Study Comparison
Pupils compare/contrast two studies that examine the effects of environmental contaminants on animals. They read an article, identify the components of a research study, summarize the article, and complete a matrix.
Curated OER
Bigger Better Bubbles
Students research different types of bubble gum and identify the variables in them. In this bubble gum lesson students design an investigation to test their hypothesis and graph their data.
Curated OER
What Causes Earthquakes?
In this earthquakes worksheet, learners will read information about how different myths and legends have been created to describe the cause of earthquakes. Students will use this information to complete 3 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Earthquakes
Sixth graders explain that earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults. They list the major geologic events including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and mountain building, which are the result of crustal plate...
Curated OER
Environmental Hazards
Students identify environmental hazards on a simulated field trip. They analyze the exposure and suggest methods to eliminate or reduce exposure to toxic sources.
Curated OER
Imperialism in Africa
Pupils study imperialism in Africa. In this Imperialism lesson, students consider how democratic revolutions around the world led to imperialism in Africa.
Curated OER
A Tale of a Whale: And Why It Can Be Told
Young scholars examine the characteristics of particular whales. In this whale characteristics lesson, students discover the methods scientists use to track whales and attempt to match the unique pattern of callosities themselves. A role...
Curated OER
More Than Meets the Eye
Young scholars use the Archimedes method to demonstrate scientific principles behind observations.
Curated OER
A Basin Filled With Time
Students use fossil leaves and a mathematical formula to study climate change. In this climate change and fossil lesson plan, students determine the differences in temperatures during two different times during the Cenozoic era using...
Curated OER
Water Pressure Experiments
Students perform experiments measuring water pressure. They record their observations after poking holes in plastic bottles filled with water with the lids on and then off. They discover the role gravity plays in the water flow.
Curated OER
Conceptualizing an Experiment
Students work together to design an experiment. They discover the origin of a family artifact. They analyze the data and discuss the results. They determine if the experiment is the best way to find out this type of information.
Curated OER
Rocks and Their Properties: Day 5
Students demonstrate their knowledge of rock formation processes in varied ways by sharing their cooperative research projects with the class. They generate well-framed questions in response to each presentation.
Curated OER
Getting Fired Up
Learners explore first-person accounts of volcanic eruptions throughout time and use second-hand information about volcanoes. They use both types of accounts to write news articles covering the events of a historic volcanic eruption as...
Curated OER
Prairie Restoration and Prairie Ecology
Students collect data as they identify and classify native prairie plants and insects. They create their own population study using a variety of sampling techniques to determine the population density of various species. Students...
Curated OER
Charles Darwin
Students research Charles Darwin and the process he used to develop his theory of evolution. They keep a journal about the skill of observation and make a newspaper of their learning.
Curated OER
Destructive Impact of Environment on Artifacts
Middle schoolers recognize that artifacts are destroyed over time. In this environmental factors on artifacts lesson, students experiment and observe through the microscope to find the environmental impact on artifacts. ...
Curated OER
Sharks: Scavenging Stomachs
Students examine the role played by sharks in the marine food chain. They conduct a scavenger hunt collecting items that have actually been removed from the stomachs of sharks, and create a display that includes the items and newspaper...