Curated OER
Water Cycle Reading and Writing
Here is a great way to get pupils to express a scientific concept in a fun way. After hearing the story of Walter the Water drop and learning facts about the water cycle, the class will write a creative expository piece describing what...
Virginia Department of Education
Current Applications in Science
High schoolers may claim to have no interest in scientific revelations and discoveries, but watch how quickly they download a new app onto their state-of-the-art smartphones. Scholars discuss the scientific or technological breakthrough...
Virginia Department of Education
DNA Structure, Nucleic Acids, and Proteins
What is in that double helix? Explain intricate concepts with a variety of creative activities in a lesson that incorporates multiple steps to cover DNA structure, nucleic acids, and proteins. Pupils explore the history of DNA structure,...
Curated OER
Digital Video Lesson Plan: Brine Shrimp
Students participate in classroom experiment to gain better understanding of type of environment brine shrimp can best survive. Students then explore effects of common saltwater pollutants on survival of animals in sea.
Curated OER
The Animals Kingdom
Students are introduced to the classification system of animals. In groups, they set up an aquarium in which they must maintain throughout the year. They also observe earthworms and how they react to various stimuli and research the...
Curated OER
# 21 Measuring Nitrate by Cadmium Reduction
Students design an experiment to evaluate the effects of various treatments on the nitrogen cycle in a freshwater aquarium. They are required to maintain a laboratory notebook of all work, measure the key analytes of the biosystem at...
Curated OER
A'planting We will Go
Germination is an amazing process that results in amazing things. The book The Tiny Seed is the inspiration for a set of activities that will help build early literacy, observation, language, and writing skills. The class observes how...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
What’s the Smallest Thing You Know?
Elementary learners listen to a story, then sort objects from largest to smallest at six different stations around the classroom. Adaptable for a large range of age and ability groups.
Curated OER
Bird Stories: Fact or Fiction
Students evaluate/distinguish scientific fact from fiction. They discuss similarities and differences in the life cycles of various birds. Student use the Internet as a research tool.
Curated OER
Gallery Walk
After reading Mowgli's Brothers, each third grader will choose an animal and write a poetry, in couplet form, for that animal. Then, they complete a black-line drawing of their animal. Consider having learners post both of their finished...
Curated OER
Animal Research Pamphlet
Fourth graders perform research on an animal of choice. The reading of a novel is done prior to the research in order to establish context for the lesson. The use of the library for research is a key skill for this lesson.
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
Curated OER
Lunar Myths
Fourth graders explore the phases of the moon. In this moon lesson, 4th graders research myths regarding the moon and create a PowerPoint presentation to share their findings.
Curated OER
Planets in Our Solar System
Second graders research climate and landforms on nine planets in our solar system, choose one planet to visit, gather information about their chosen planet's climate and landforms, and "invent" space suit that would enable them to...
Curated OER
Endangered Animals
Fourth graders research different endangered animals in media center as part of unit on Earth Day, animals, and environment, create project based around multiple intelligence related to an endangered animal, and produce Powerpoint...
Curated OER
Food Chains
Students study food chains by creating their own slide show using KidPix. They compare information after sharing their slide shows as a whole group. As the children are watching the slide shows of their peers, they tally every time...
Curated OER
Bioethics: Where the Future May Take Us
Middle schoolers investigate bioethical issues. In this bioethical issues lesson, students research gene cloning, imaging technologies, transplantation, and other bioethical issues. Middle schoolers share their finding with their...
Curated OER
Career Exploration
Students investigate possible career paths in forestry they may pursue. In this vocational instructional activity, students discover the many careers possible in the world of science by researching teacher approved career websites on...
Curated OER
Mineral Scavenger Hunt
Students complete a scavenger hunt worksheet as they find examples in their classroom, at home, etc., of minerals. Excellent worksheet!
Curated OER
Once Upon A Bear
Students study different types of bears, their characteristics, and habitats. They discuss what they know and what they want to learn before visiting a website to look at images and information about bears. They listen to teacher read...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration
Fifth graders participate in scientific inquires regarding the concepts of photosynthesis and cell respiration. In this photosynthesis and cell respiration lesson, 5th graders describe the process of photosynthesis with relation to...
Curated OER
Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination
Students describe the complementary relationships between pollinators and the plants they pollinate, identify adaptations that flowers have developed to "encourage" pollination, and create and draw their own "designer" flowers.
Curated OER
Create a Classroom Exhibit: Rocks and Minerals
Young scholars bring in rocks and minerals from home. They observe them and describe them carefully, completing a worksheet. Finally, a classroom exhibit is created.
Curated OER
Temperature (Celsius)
Third graders solve Celsius and Fahrenheit conversion problems, watch weather forecast and convert temperatures to Celsius, and design and present their own weather forecasts for different regions based on information gathered from...