Curated OER
Fanning The Spark: Fostering Your Students' Creativity
Here is a packet of lessons which are designed to help you to foster your pupils' creativity. The lessons are designed to develop their fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration on ideas. The are built around field trips to a...
Curated OER
Introduction to Scientific Illustration
Seventh graders draw scientific illustrations in the lab. In this life science instructional activity, 7th graders discuss the importance of drawing in science experiments. They differentiate scientific drawing from basic art.
Curated OER
Wind Power: From Eyesore to Energy
Students design their own wind turbine according to client's needs. In this science and technology lesson, students analyze the pros and cons of using wind power. They construct a model of their proposed wind turbine and present it to...
Curated OER
An Approach to Chemistry via the Analysis of Art Objects: The Scientific Method, Laboratory Safety, Light and Color Theory
Students create a painting that clearly exemplifies the use of primary pigments to make secondary pigments. They demonstrate the distinction between value and saturation. They explain the affect of adjacent colors on each other and...
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Iceberg Ahead: How Does Temperature Affect the Density of Water?
Demonstrate how ice floats on water and get the class thinking about why icebergs are so deceiving. Investigators then experiment with mixing water of the same temperature and water of different temperatures. Make sure to explain the...
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The Froggy Page
Students investigate the cycle of life by observing tadpoles. In this biology lesson plan, students utilize the Internet to read stories, observe pictures, and listen to sounds of frogs. Students create a poster board collage...
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Experimentation With Plants
Fourth graders experiment with different varieties of plants and draw conclusions after performing a series of lab activities. A very helpful student worksheet is given. This is a nicely done introductory lesson for life science.
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From Caterpillar to Butterfly
Students read and discuss the book about the butterfly and create their own butterflies using liquid watercolors and pipe cleaners. They then create a butterfly development book, included in the lesson, and color the pictures using...
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Using Our Senses
First graders explore the five senses. In this five senses activity, 1st graders use digital cameras to take pictures of things in nature they can hear, smell, see, taste or touch. Students create a slideshow and present to the...
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A Keen Sense of Smell
Learners investigate their sense of smell by experimenting with smelly objects. In this human senses lesson plan, students examine the length of time it takes to smell a random object that is close to them. Learners record...
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Seed Transport
Students explore botany by completing KWL worksheets. In this seed transportation lesson, students define a list of vocabulary terms associated with botany and seedlings before completing worksheets based on assigned text. Students...
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Invisible Rays
Students explore physical science by completing a lab assignment. In this sunlight lesson, students define a list of scientific vocabulary terms and complete fill in the blank questions. Students conduct a photographic experiment in...
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Butterfly Life Cycles
Students study the butterfly life cycle. In this interdisciplinary life cycles lesson, students study the life cycle of a butterfly, their migration habits, and the culture of the region in Mexico where butterflies migrate to in the winter.
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What Boat Designs Float the Best?
Fifth graders investigate buoyancy by conducting a science experiment. In this water properties lesson, 5th graders predict which of their different paper boat designs will float for the longest period. Students conduct the...
Curated OER
Energy Forms
Students explore energy by participating in a science lab in class. In this energy form lesson, students define the different types of energy such as light, mechanical and sound while examining energy measuring tools in class. Students...
Curated OER
Life Through a Microscope
In this microscope usage worksheet, 7th graders complete an introduction packet that takes them through several lab activities that helps introduce and familiarize them with using the microscope.
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Jumping Frogs
Students create a jumping frog out of construction paper, close pins and pipe cleaners. They predict how far they think their frog jump and then test it out to see how close or far away they were from their prediction.
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Machines: Designing Form and Function
Students design a boat model with simplified steam engine. In this ecology lesson, students compare renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. They determine the efficiency of their boat model.
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Simple Machines
Students discover what simple machines are and identify a gear, a pulley, and a lever. In teams, they build at least two models each of simple machines and challenge them with specific instruction cards. Finally, students present and...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Making Friends With Franklin
This site is an introduction plus a series of three lesson plans that explore Franklin's portraits plus aspects of his work in science and writing.