Polar Trec
Rings of Life
Individuals analyze tree rings to determine the health of an ecosystem. They then look at otoliths of fish, hard calcium carbonate structures located behind the brain, in the same manner.
Cornell University
Garden Math
Young scientists must put their math caps on and figure out what fraction of each flower is in a raised flower bed. They must problem solve to simplify the fractions, and then graph the amount of flowers that are in different flower beds.
American Museum of Natural History
They Glow!
Would you believe marine animals can make their own light? An online resource describes the process of bioluminescence and how animals in the ocean use it to survive. The lesson features a catchy tune that describes the behavior of ocean...
US Mint
Desert Dwellers
What can a quarter possibly teach young learners about desert ecosystems? More than you might think. After displaying and discussing the included picture of the Arizona state quarter, the class participates in a series of...
NOAA
The Methane Circus
Step right up! An engaging research-centered lesson, the third in a series of six, has young archaeologists study the amazing animals of the Cambrian explosion. Working in groups, they profile a breathtaking and odd creature and learn...
NOAA
Climate, Corals and Change
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
Teach Engineering
Storing Android Accelerometer Data: App Design
There's an app for that! Pupils learn to build an app that will store data on an Android. The instructional activity introduces class members to the tiny database, TinyDB, for Android devices. A video tutorial provides an...
CK-12 Foundation
Earth's Magnetic Field: Compass Poles
You'll be strangely drawn to this activity! Physical science pupils learn how compasses work in an interesting interactive. The content covers magnetic poles, Earth's magnetic field, and what would happen if Earth's poles swapped places.
New South Wales Department of Education
Is it Alive?
Interestingly enough, movement is not a characteristic of living things. The first activity in a series of 20 introduces learners to the concepts of living versus non-living things and then focuses on biologists and what they study....
Learning Games Lab
Testing and Adjusting pH
Pupils learn how to control food spoilage by adjusting the food's pH. They see that one of the most dangerous bacteria can grow in food if people don't handle and store food properly. Using knowledge of the bacteria's preferred pH,...
Science Matters
Photosynthesis Play
Photosynthesis seems nothing short of magic: a little carbon dioxide and water, add energy, and poof, you get food! A thorough, collaborative lesson teaches youth the process of photosynthesis thanks to a skit they perform with a group...
Science Matters
Hierarchy
A system is only as good as the sum of its parts! Young scholars explore the components of the different body systems using a hands-on lesson. The lesson helps learners build an understanding that there is a hierarchy of components in...
Science Matters
Heart to Heart
It's time to get to the heart of the matter! After introducing the heart anatomy in the previous lesson in a series on the systems of the body, the lesson looks at the specifics. Learners complete a series of six activities to study the...
Science Matters
Let's Get Connected
Teamwork makes the dream work! A well-designed lesson helps learners discover how the circulatory and respiratory systems team up to keep their bodies alive. The lesson includes a diagram of the major connections between the lungs and...
Science Matters
Excretory System
Not a waste of time or energy! Introduce young scholars to one of the waste eliminating systems of the body in a hands-on lesson exploration. The 14th lesson in a 21-part series asks groups to build models of the excretory system...
Science Matters
Under Pressure
Sometimes a little pressure isn't a bad thing! A collaborative lesson uses models to demonstrate how air pressure inflates and deflates the lungs. Participants use everyday materials to create models of the chest cavity to simulate how a...
Science Matters
Just Breathe
Pupils know they need to breathe to live, but the details may not be too clear. A thorough instructional activity introduces them to the components of the respiratory system using a set of cards with pictures and descriptions.
Science Matters
Digestive System Simulation
What do a sandwich bag and a mouth have in common? Your classes are about to find out in a hands-on lesson plan that has groups build models of the digestive system. Using a little imagination, learners use everyday materials to create a...
Science Matters
Digestion: Chew on That
When your mom tells you to chew your food, you really should listen! A lesson plan on the digestive system examines the first step of digestion that happens in the mouth. Learners check crackers and use iodine to highlight changes...
Curated OER
Marine Animal and Plant Adaptations
Students examine nature by creating their own animals. In this animal adaptation lesson, students define scientific vocabulary terms dealing with adaptation such as sea stars, sea cucumbers and exoskeleton. Students utilize their...
Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Life Cycle
Fish are no different when it comes to a living being's primary objective—to reproduce. They do differ, including from fish species to fish species, in their life cycles, survival tactics and reproductive strategies. After discussion of...
Curated OER
Periodical Cicada Survival
Students explore defense mechanisms involved in predatory/prey relationships.They engage in a discussion about predatory/prey interactions. They reflect on the life cycle and behavior of the cicada.
Curated OER
Comparing Mitosis with Meiosis
Life science learners view an online animated mini textbook comparing two types of cell division. Working in groups, they use a digital microscope to capture images of cells in different stages of mitosis and meiosis. Then they create an...
PBS
The Egg
The first stage in the butterfly's life cycle is the egg. Young entomologists discuss why different butterflies lay different eggs and what their eggs look like. Then they use the handouts to make a replica of one type of butterfly egg...