Curated OER
"Use an Anemometer," said the Meteorologist
Students work in groups to make an instrument the Meteorologists use to measure the speed of the wind after the teacher reads them a poem about the wind. Students then review vocabulary that they studied from their lesson.
Curated OER
How Do We Breathe?
Students study the structure of the lungs. In this lung structure lesson plan, students use lung models to study the structure of lungs and experiment to measure the amount of air in the lungs.
Curated OER
How Many? How Far? How Thick?
Fifth graders examine the role of magnetism and electricity. In groups, they are given different types of magnets and discover how the magnetic force differs for each one. They measure the amount of distance a paper clip moves toward...
Curated OER
How Fast Does This Tree Grow?
Students work together to determine how fast trees go. They make predictions and complete simple measurements. They answer questions to end the instructional activity.
Curated OER
Plant Journal
Students measure the daily growth of plants in this technology-based science lesson that uses Timeliner to record student data. The lesson allows students practice at basic computer skills (typing/data entry).
Curated OER
C.D. Cover
Learners use computers to create CD covers for their music groups. They search online for images they associate with their local reality, practice manipulating them in photo-editing program, measure size of compact disc case, and create...
Curated OER
Einstein's Big Idea
Learners investigate the meaning of c2 in E=mc2 by measuring the energy delivered by an object falling at different velocities. They state that kinetic energy is the energy of an object in motion. Students illustrate how kinetic energy...
Curated OER
Water & Ice
Students investigate the properties of water. In this states of water lesson, students explore how water goes from liquid to solid and back to liquid again. Students use measurement, observation, and communication to describe the change.
Curated OER
Build and Test
Students display what they have learned about bridges as they construct their bridge. They present their projects to the rest of the class. They compare and contrast the construction of the bridges.
Curated OER
Clocks and Time
Students construct clocks and then learn how to read a clock face, tell time, and determine how much time has elapsed.
Curated OER
Paper Pool
Students analyze the measurements of rectangles. In this analysis instructional activity, students will investigate patterns by looking at ratios. Students will also hypothesize the probability of a ball going into a certain pocket when...
National Park Service
The Young Naturalist
Beginning with a brief history of our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, then followed by a discussion of his interest in nature, young scientists take to the outdoors to locate and observe local plants and insects....
Curated OER
Qualitative Vs. Quantitative
Fourth graders examine the difference between qualitative and quantitative observations by doing a simple lab activity. This lesson can be used at any grade level. It involves the basic observation process skill.
Curated OER
How Much Gift Wrap Do I Need?
Students estimate the area of boxes using centimeter cubes. They find the actual area and compare it to the estimates.
Curated OER
Crash Test Smarties
Young scholars share hypotheses about the variables needed to produce a collision between two moving objects. They simulate the impact of a moving object on an object that creates a spray of debris, and simulate a NASA Deep Impact study.
Curated OER
Public Land
Students examine the needs of their community for public space and determine the solutions to math problems related to planning landscape designs. They read and discuss an article from the New York Times, create their own designs for a...
Curated OER
Too Free, Or Not Too Free?
Students create a survey that examines what level of electronic surveillance might be acceptable to members of the school and community. They poll the community, and analyze the results in the form of graphs and a written news article.
Curated OER
Possessive Apostrophes
The apostrophe is a punctuation mark that is often incorrectly-used. This short, but effective, presentation addresses that fact. One way to use them is when showing possession in writing. Learners are coached on when to use possessive...
Curated OER
Possessive Nouns
Review the use of apostrophes with possessive nouns. While just a quick look at the topic, this would be a great way to review the concept. There are two types of exercises for learners to complete. If more review is needed, a teacher...
Curated OER
Cell Size and Division or How Big Would You Want To Be if You Were a Cell?
Students investigate why cells divide. In this cell size lesson plan, students observe how far a solution travels into 3 different size model cells of agar. They answer questions about the most effect movement of "nutrients" into the...
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
California Academy of Science
Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Ice is nice, and its condition on the planet has a significant effect. Junior geoscientists experiment with ice melting in both water and on land to discover how each affect the rising sea level. This detailed lesson plan outline even...
Curated OER
Seeing is Believing - Or Is It?
Here is a great science lesson. It extends the concept of vision into the area of optical illusions, perspective, and tessellation. This well-designed plan has tons of great activities, utilizes interesting video, and should lead to a...