Investigation is a brilliant way to spark scientific inquiry. First graders will identify, research, and report what they have learned about a mysterious bug found on the playground. They will use multimedia resources for research and...

Can scientists increase the rate of photosynthesis to help clean the air? Scholars complete an experiment determining net photosynthesis. Then, they apply knowledge from the activity to design their own investigations of the factors that...

Get your class started with experimentation and investigation by providing sentence starters. This chart is made up of three columns. The first column lists steps of the scientific process and the second provides sentence starters for...

Here is an unexpected, but practical resource. It is not a worksheet, but rather an outline of what a science laboratory participant should include in a report. Especially valuable is a grading rubric that spells out what is expected for...

Investigate weather facts and figures to determine what has caused particular climate conditions. Research air pressure, temperature, wind, and humidity. Conduct online research to determine what air pressure, wind, temperature, and...

Solve the mystery of a declining frog population! Lead your junior ecologists on an investigation that simulates actual events concerning pollution, predation, poaching, and more. Investigators read a story online, then analyze survey...

Students review data about a health problem and prepare an investigative report. Teams trade reports and utilize skills developed from previous lessons to evaluate the critical thinking evident in the reports.

While this lesson is based on the Bruchid beetle, the focus is on conducting a scientific investigation. Ecology explorers vary the temperature or the type of leaf that Bruchid eggs are laid on and test for effects on the development...

Investigators collect the carbon dioxide produced when an antacid tablet is activated and identify what alteration produced the most gas. They also collect the gas in a buret in order to practice precision. Then they choose between two...

More than 90 percent of the people in a building have come down with an illness, and it is your job to investigate. Teachers give scientists the data needed to decide what is important and how they can solve the mystery....

Students explore detective investigations. For this introduction to mysteries lesson, students role play eye witnesses and investigators related to a "crime" committed in their classroom. Students collect evidence and record information,...

The news reports on rising sea level, but how do scientists measure this rise? Scholars use NOAA data including maps, apps, and images to work through five levels of activities related to sea level. Each level in the series adds a new...

Write, edit, and then revise! The fourth lesson in a five-part series asks peers to provide feedback on research. Individuals then use the research to edit and revise conclusions and develop their presentations.

Students role play the role of investigative reporters. In groups, they determine what type of bird is leaving its droppings on the overhead highway beams. They answer a given set of questions and present their conclusions to the class....

Middle schoolers examine and reflect on the role of science reports in the larger scientific community and become familiar with one scientist's experience preparing a report. They identify key points to build a strong science report and...

What are characteristics of a planet? With this plan, learners investigate the characteristics of the planets in our solar system. They gather research of the nine planets by using the Internet and other research tools. Then they create...

Bubble, bubble, boil and trouble! What causes common substances like baking soda and vinegar to react the way they do? Welcome your junior chemists to the wonders of acid-base chemistry using a comprehensive and fun...

Students investigate various materials and substances. In this chemistry lesson, students use various materials in their classroom to determine the substances they  made to complete the chemistry chart.

Students investigate a possible health problem in the local school district through inquiry into attendance records, activities, maps, graphs, and data tables. The simulation continues as solutions for the problem are sought.

Learners research the adaptations of desert animals and build their research skills. In this the adaptations of desert animals lesson, students describe major factors that desert animals have on their habitat. Learners explore...

In this science research worksheet set, students complete scaffolded worksheets as they prepare to write a report about flies. They research information about the habitat, life cycle, interesting facts, diets, and predators of flies,...

Middle schoolers investigate a variety of animal behaviors, examine various modes of animal communication, and develop a catalog analyzing, interpreting, and reporting their results.

Students expllore the issue of global warming. They investigate how temperature changes naturally over time and by location. In addition, they explore the different areas where human activities might be affecting climate and write a...

More than anything, this is great practice in scientific inquiry. After discovering that the color coating of an M&M® dissolves in water during a preceding activity, investigators now question whether or not the color makes a...