Center for Learning in Action
Investigating Physical and Chemical Changes
Super scientists visit ten stations to predict, observe, and draw conclusions about the physical and chemical changes that occur when different states of matter—liquid, solid, and gas—are placed under a variety of conditions. To...
Center for Learning in Action
Water—Changing States (Part 1)
Here is part one of a two-part lesson in which scholars investigate the changing states of water—liquid, solid, and gas. With grand conversation and up to three demonstrations, learners make predictions about what they think will happen...
NOAA
Make an Edible Coral Reef
Coral reefs are full of an abundance of life and color. Why not celebrate it with an edible coral reef? Learners and teachers alike use cake, icing, and candies to create a tasty version of a coral reef that's complete with colors,...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity C
Third in a set of lessons regarding reservoirs, dams, and hydropower, this involves a two-day hydropower plant simulation. Collaborative groups build, maintain, and finance the plant. The transparency of the reservoir setup can be...
NOAA
Your Own El Nino
Scholars make a model to discover how the force of trade winds over the Pacific Ocean creates an El Niño. Super scientists observe how the severe weather affects life in water and on land.
Growing Minds
Apple Exploration
Turn your classroom into a farmers' market! Reading Applesauce Season by Eden Ross Lipson or Monica Wellington’s Apple Farmer Annie, launches this investigation of apples, farmers' markets, and the people selling products. The class...
American Museum of Natural History
Rising CO2! What Can We Do?
It is colorless and scentless, but it makes a large impact on the environment. Learners explore carbon dioxide emissions and what they mean for the environment using an interactive graph. They review changes over time and how they impact...
Curated OER
Coal Flowers
Let's make coal flowers! With this fun activity, young learners watch and learn as they grow crystals! With simple household materials and the instructions included in this lesson plan, your class can grow their own crystals. Learners...
Curated OER
Chemical Composition of American Coins
High schoolers investigate the chemical composition of pennies dated 1983 or later. In this chemical composition of American coins lesson plan, students scratch the surface of the penny to expose the zinc core. They put the penny in...
Curated OER
Coral Bleaching: Making Our Oceans Whiter
Students study coral reefs and the controversy over coral bleaching. They role-play a debate over the issue and come up with a compromise to protect the reefs and the economies that depend on them.
Curated OER
Striking it Rich with Chemistry
Students identify the composition of different pennies. In this chemistry lesson, students use a post 1982 penny to observe chemical change. They explain how to turn a penny from copper to gold.
Curated OER
Roller Coasters
Twisting and turning through the sky, roller coasters are popular attractions at amusement parks around the world, but how exactly do they work? Explore the physics behind these thrilling rides with an engineering design activity....
Curated OER
Light and Water
Third graders experiment with coins and water to explore light rays. In this light and water lesson, 3rd graders work in pairs to observe what happens with a coin in water or how it appears based on the density of the water....
Curated OER
Drug Sales Soar - Rate of Change
In this prescription drug worksheet, students answer short answer questions and create graphs on the sales of prescription drugs over a five year span. Students complete six questions.
Safe Drinking Water Foundation
How Water Pollution Is Cleaned Up
As a follow-up from the previous instructional activity, young environmentalists discuss the benefits of water filtration and whether or not it's the best option. Other alternatives including air stripping, bioremediation, and...
Curated OER
Streetfilms' Moving Beyond the Automobile
This is an exceptional series that you can use in an environmental or engineering unit. There are four lessons: "Sustainable Transportation," "Designing for Safety," "Changing the Landscape," and "Engaging in Policy." Each lesson...
Chymist
An Experiment in Alchemy: Copper to Silver to Gold
Use chemistry to change pennies into gold coins! The experimental procedure leads learners through the process of changing copper pennies to silver and then to gold. They record the mass of each coin through every step of the experiment.
Space Race
Sensory Detectives
Test your learners' sensory awareness with three hands-on activities that ask pupils to use their other senses to identify and describe everyday objects hidden from sight.
Rainforest Alliance
Investments in Forest Carbon
One hundred metric tons of CO2 can accumulate in one acre of forest over time—that's a lot of carbon! In the activity, groups of middle school learners determine what makes forests important. They then solidify the concept by using a...
Curated OER
Metal Composition & the U.S. Mint
Learners study the meaning, symbolism, and value of U.S. coins,
especially the quarter. Theyresearch why in 1965 the U.S. Mint decided to
change the metal composition of the quarter to copper coated with nickel.
In addition, they perform...
Curated OER
Com-Post With Us? Learn About Recycling While Having Fun
Students examine the importance of recycling to help the environment. In groups, they make a compost bin on the school grounds recording how the material changes from week to week. They collect other materials for recycling like cell...
Curated OER
Mock Environmental Summit
Students increase understanding of human impact on Earth's sytems and the climate. They develop persuasive and critical skills as writers and presenters. They become familiar with political decision making processes.
Curated OER
Castaway or Survivor
What a clever idea! Chemistry learners imagine themselves deserted on an island with a radio, but no batteries. They also have a few odds and ends in their pockets and storage chest. They are challenged to create a battery that will...
Curated OER
Basic Needs of Living Things - Lesson One
An interesting way of teaching about basic needs of different organisms awaits your fourth graders. Pupils take part in class discussions and demonstrations which should lead to a greater understanding of how to determine basic needs. As...