Students use the concepts of simple machines to construct a mobile. The inquiry is made in groups and presentations are made by constructing reports. The assessment is based upon the final product of the mobile and how students use...

Students create and conduct a survey in the community to evaluate the demographics of vegetarians in the community. They compile data, create graphs, calculate percentages, and draw conclusions about the survey data. Students create an...

Students examine the role of archaeology in gaining information about past civilizations. After reading an article, they discover evidence of the Viking settlement of North America. They summarize the information in the article by...

Learners develop family genealogy charts in search of noticeable genetic relationships between relatives. They research their family and write a reflection on the genetic relationships between individuals on the chart.

Learners create schematic diagrams of the new Russian space station module. They compose an imaginary yet realistic series of diary entries from the point of view of an astronaut living on board the completed space station.

Learners role-play scenarios in which they encounter a friend or acquaintance who may have an eating disorder and brainstorm ways to help the friend. They create informational brochures with information about eating disorder prevention.

Students brainstorm possible causes of zebra mussel migration and population expansion. They identify the key causes and effects of the disturbance of the Hudson River ecosystem and research causes and effects in the disturbances of...

Learners research burial tombs of ancient Egypt and Acting as pharaohs of Egypt, students create burial plans to illustrate what items they would include in their own tombs and why. They then act as archaeologists and analyze other...

Students conduct a critical investigation of the West Nile Virus. They assess the relationship between the sources of information and their credibility. Students use their findings to create a public health campaign about the virus.

Young scholars brainstorm important scientific advancements of the twentieth century. They examine the implications of the completion of the first rough draft of the human genome on society. They research a selected scientific...

Students identify, record, and process lessons completed through various service-learning activities. They create two-sided copies of the journal cover on colored paper and decorate so that it shows through both sides. Students then...

Students visit the Caldecott Tunnel. They examine dark brown basalt and the gray-green sedimentary rocks and draw picture of the rock layers in the cliff face. In addition, they write a short paragraph describing what you observe about...

Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science lesson, students discover how scientists assess damages to the environment following oil spills. Students conduct a simulation of a public meeting in order to...

Students read and discuss article, "Simple Method Found to Vastly Increase Crop Yields," then research the basic components of conventional and organic agricultural methods. They, in groups, organize and present their research to the class.

Third graders examine the San Francisco oil spill and the effects it has had.  In this investigative lesson students view a demonstration on oil clean up and how it works.  They see how wildlife is rehabilitated, how the oil is...

Rivers top the list of causes of erosion over time. Scholars experiment with wind, water, and ice reshaping sand. They connect the simulations facts about erosion and deposition to understand unique landforms such as the Grand Canyon and...

Sixth graders explore the scientific method by conducting an in class experiment. In this scientific averages lesson, 6th graders discuss the concept of the scientific method, and define the different mathematical averages, mean, median...

Malala Yousafzai has become the face of social activism. After watching He Named Me Malala and short student-made films about what young people can do to become instruments of change, class members reflect on what it means to be an...

The San Andreas Fault moves about two inches a year, approximately the same rate fingernails grow—crazy! The third lesson plan in the series allows for hands-on exploration of various fault formations. Through the use of a Popsicle...

Over a period of 35 years, earthquakes and volcanoes combined only accounted for 1.5 percent of the deaths from natural disasters in the United States. The 15th lesson in a 20-part series connects the locations of earthquakes and...

Silver: more than jewelry, it's also a natural antimicrobial agent. An inquiry-based lesson asks collaborative groups to design and implement an experiment to test this property. Using samples of silver nanoparticles and a strain of...

Students interact with a CD Rom to examine pond life. In this pond life lesson, students access a CD Rom entitled "Sammy's Science House CD Rom" in order to see pond life during the different season of the year. They study the associated...

Second graders research the Internet as they classify different forms of energy, investigate electrical energy and how to conserve energy.

Students outline the action in their narrative writing assignments by brainstorming about conflict. In this conflict analysis lesson, students define conflict and discuss the different types of conflict. Students brainstorm about a...