Science 4 Inquiry
Monster Mash-Up of Genetics
It's alive! Young mad scientists create monsters as they explore the probabilities of genetic traits during a well-structured inquiry lesson. Pairs travel from station to station, rolling the dice and adding traits to their creations as...
PHET
Where to See an Aurora
Where can you see an aurora in North America? After completing an astronomy activity, scholars can locate the exact coordinates. Pupils plot points of the inner and outer ring of the auroral oval and answer questions based on...
Beyond Benign
In a Lather
Time to come clean! Scholars continue preparing the shampoo they created in the previous two lessons. The purpose of this stage is to calculate the perfect amount of additive to make the shampoo lather.
Curated OER
Ships 2: What Floats Your Boat?
Young scholars design, build, and test the specifications (water displacement and load line) for a model boat. The lesson focuses especially on integrating design principles with inquiry-based experimental skills.
Science 4 Inquiry
The Classification of Living Things
It's a classification sensation! Demystify why we classify using an inquiry activity that helps your class sort things out. Groups begin by classifying a variety of shoes before they research organisms and design their own dichotomous...
University of Georgia
Antacid and Uncle Heartburn
Household materials can be used for more than cleaning! In this collaborative experiment, emerging chemists use products such as vinegar and liquid antacid to explore chemical reactions that commonly occur in the human body.
NASA
Catch a Piece of the Sun
What does the sun mean to you? Learners have many different interests that may have connections to the sun. Whether its solar radiation, solar flares, or solar storms, there are connections to daily interests that may surprise your...
Curated OER
Be "Sun-sible" about Heating Water
Learners create a solar water heater. In this solar energy lesson, students conduct an experiment to determine which colors absorb more radiant heat. Learners investigate the relationship of heat loss to insulation. Students then create...
American Chemical Society
Developing Tests to Distinguish Between Similar-Looking Liquids
Each group talks about how to test unknown liquids based on their findings in the previous experiment. In this second of four activities, they test unknowns on wax paper, newspaper, and construction paper. As a stand-alone, this lesson...
Cornell University
Mechanical Properties of Gummy Worms
Learners won't have to squirm when asked the facts after completing an intriguing lab investigation! Hook young scholars on science by challenging them to verify Hooke's Law using a gummy worm. Measuring the length of the worm as they...
Curated OER
Pollination of Flowers by Moths
Turn your classroom into a pollination station as your kids transform into moths or predators trying to survive and aiding in plant reproduction along the way. Using silent party blowers as proboscises, the moths will have two minutes to...
Mathematics Vision Project
Quadratic Functions
Inquiry-based learning and investigations form the basis of a deep understanding of quadratic functions in a very thorough unit plan. Learners develop recursive and closed methods for representing real-life situations,...
Curated OER
Inquiry into Infectious Disease: It's a Germy World After All
Students choose a question from a given list and develop an investigation about it. In this biology instructional activity, students analyze bacterial growth by carrying out a guided experiment. They present their findings in class.
Curated OER
Finding Science in An American Childhood by Annie Dillard
High schoolers read excerpts from Annie Dillard's memoir, "An American Childhood," with the teacher. They experience opportunities to connect English, science, nature and art together from a new and unique perspective. This approach...
Curated OER
Lesson 12: Ho'olaulima: Let's Make a Hawaiian Garden
Second graders grow a classroom garden that acts as a living laboratory for cross-curricular activities. In this classroom garden lesson, 2nd graders follow directions to build and plant a garden that is used to teach math, science, and...
PHET
Measuring the Interplanetary Magnetic Field
Scientists need to figure out how to measure interplanetary magnetic fields, but the magnetic field of the spacecraft is interfering with their readings. Scholars attempt to solve the problem that has perplexed NASA scientists for years.
Curated OER
Acid or Base? Toxie's on the Case
Students recognize the difference between acids and bases. In this ToxMystery activity, students play a computer game and experiment to find the difference between acids and bases. Students use litmus paper to determine if...
Curated OER
AIDS, HIV, & Other Microbe Matters
Middle schoolers conduct inquiry-based research for basic information about microbes, infections, and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. After gathering answers to their questions, students develop a presentation to post on their school's...
Curated OER
ToxMystery Lesson Plan 2 : Case Book: Catch That Hazard!!!
Learners explore toxic hazards. In this personal health lesson, students discover appropriate uses for household chemicals as they identify potentially harmful products in their homes.
Curated OER
Natural Inquirer Ecosystem Article Lesson
Young scholars discover new ways to preserve the ecosystem by completing graphic organizers. In this environmental lesson, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer in small groups and fill out a graphic organizer based on...
Curated OER
Off Base
Students explain the Chatelier's Principle. In this pH lesson, students identify factors that resist changes in pH of the ocean and why the ocean is becoming more acidic.
Curated OER
Hey, I've Got A Question!
Seventh graders explore the Solar System. They develop a research question and use inquiry-based research skills to find the answers to their questions. Students write up their findings and create a multimedia presentation.
Curated OER
Ant Lion Lesson Plan
Learners observe three qualitative and quantitative observations. The students further practice the follwoing: asking research questions,forming a hypothesis, and describe how ant lions catch their prey. Learners also form hypotheses...
Curated OER
The Environment
Students explore the issues that influence our environment and research ways to decrease the negative impact that humans have on the environment. Misconceptions about environmental issues are addressed in this lesson.