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...
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
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
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...
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...
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...
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
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
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...
Curated OER
Climate Change and Corporate Profitability
Students study green economics. In this business ethics lesson, students listen to a lecture about environmentally stable businesses and respond to discussion questions based on the lecture.
Curated OER
Basic Needs of Living Things-Lesson One
Fourth graders explore the basic needs of living things. They observe a variety of living things and identify the basic needs of each living item. Students create food balls of peanut butter and nuts to feed animals. They hang their food...
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.
Pulitzer Center
Extractive Industries
Here is a chance for environmental studies classes to take a critical look at crises occurring around the globe by reading articles and viewing video clips. The human activities under scrutiny are the extraction of oil, logging, and...
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
A “Scientific” Approach to Buying a Car
Young scholars examine what it takes to purchase a car and the resources out there to help find what you are looking for. For this scientific method lesson students complete different problem solving situations.
Curated OER
Walking the Talk
Students research production, consumptions, and disposal of everyday items and their ecological impacts. In this sustainable economics lesson, students discuss clothing and various items used everyday in groups. Students then study 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
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
A Look At Osteoporosis
Eleventh graders study osteoporosis and understand the relationship between calcium and bone mass. In this investigative lesson students participate in an activity in which they graph and construct basic bone biology.
Curated OER
Explosive Ideas!
Students explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the lesson as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are linked to the topic.
Curated OER
Sounds Like Science- Bottle Organ
Students investigate the relationship between pitches and notes. In this musical pitches and notes lesson, students use different sized bottles, water, and sugar to demonstrate different sounds. Students create musical notes.
Curated OER
How Good Is Green?
Students explore the amount of electricity used and wasted in homes and at school using kilowatt meters. In this environmental energy activity, students compute power usage by appliances over time and identify ways in which...
Curated OER
Back to the Farm
Students complete a family tree. In this farming and ranching lesson, students define the term genealogy, learn how to create a family tree, and fill in a family tree with the help of their parents making sure to note if any of...