Lesson Plan
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

No Fossils in This Fuel

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Yeast and sugar go beyond the pantry and into a fuel experiment. Use these common baking ingredients to assist your class in creating ethanol, a natural fuel. Pupils observe the process and gather information to elaborate...
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Curious Crystals

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Crystals are more than meets the eye! Can learners tell them apart simply by observation? As they examine five samples with a magnifier, they find that appearance alone is not enough. This serves as an introduction to a mini unit on...
Activity
Exploratorium

Moire Patterns

For Teachers 9th - 12th
By overlapping combs and window screening and by looking at a printed set of consecutively larger circles, learners observe Moire patterns, which provide a visual of what happens during wave interference. 
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Matter on the Move

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Start this mini unit on matter out by demonstrating how food coloring behaves when placed in cold and in hot water. Then have the class experiment with warm water and soap film. Pupils will learn that an increase in thermal energy also...
Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Temperature and the Rate of a Chemical Reaction

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Putting glow sticks in the freezer makes them last longer, but why is that? Lesson focuses on how temperature impacts the rate of a chemical reaction. It begins with a teacher demonstration, then scholars design their own experiments...
Unit Plan
Intel

Forensics: Get a Clue

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Although the methods are all scientific, forensic science was started by police officers rather than scientists, who relied on observation and common sense. Young detectives use many tools to solve crimes around the school in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flour Beetle

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students observe the life cycle of the common flour beetle and make observations of its life stages. They also design and implement an investigation on food preference for the beetle and record data over a period of several months....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tangrams

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students construct tangram pieces. Then they make observations and explore patterns with the pieces.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemosynthesis for the Classroom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Explorers set up Windogradsky columns with local mud so that they can culture microorganisms. After three and six weeks they make observations of the mud and the organisms growing in it. In this way they observe succession and relate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Journal Introductions

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners explore the idea of scientific observation and the use of a journal to record their observations. They examine the proper vocabulary used when describing scientific inquiry. Students observe a science experiment and they discuss...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Project 1

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners are given a coin to observe and make inferences about. Using a worksheet, they make two columns to list their observations and inferences in an organized manner. They develop a hypothesis based on one of the inferences and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning Scientific Coral Terminology

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore properties of coral. In this scientific observation lesson, students investigate properties and characteristics of coral. Students write statements describing the coral using observation words.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applied Science-Science and Math Post Lab

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore magnification. In this science skills observation lesson, students make a hand lens using a wire loop and a small amount of water.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Beautiful Caterpillars!

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate the life cycle of the caterpillar. They create a caterpillar habitat and care for it. Students make daily observations that are recorded in a writing journal. During the process of observation the students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

8th Grade Earth Science: Density

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students draw upon their prior knowledge of the density of water and practice writing a hypothesis, making an observation, and analyzing data while watching a density demonstration.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Watched Pot Never Boils

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students determine how long it takes to bring a specific amount of water to a rolling boil. Students conduct this experiment at home with their parent or guardian. Students write down observations as the water begins to boil. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unit Lesson Plan Template

For Teachers 1st
First graders listen to the book The Story of Sand and make predictions about an investigation based on soil, sand, and silt. In this sand lesson, 1st graders work in groups to discuss their observations about sand and answer higher...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Peat Pots

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students place a peat pot in water to observe and calculate the rate of capillarity in a model of a soil. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect, record, and represent data, use a data table to...
Activity
Curated OER

Comparing Seeds

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students explore the process of growing plants from seeds. In this hands-on science experiment, students observe different seeds (store bought vs. those directly from food items) and predict growing patterns.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oobleck

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students examine states of matter. In this solids and liquids lesson, students conduct a scientific investigation that requires them to make oobleck and record their observations pertaining to it.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Boy Cricket Girl Cricket

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students investigate crickets. In this series of cricket activities, students observe and chart crickets.  Students discuss the differences between male and female crickets, record findings in a journal, handle crickets, and read a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Colored Drops

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Young scholars examine the properties of a liquid that contains water and food coloring and a liquid that contains water, food coloring and a liquid detergent. They interpret their data, describe properties, and make reasonable...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oobleck

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders observe the properties of Oobleck. In this science and observation lesson plan, 2nd graders examine Oobleck and make a list of 10 properties that they notice. They explain their observations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nature: Planting Terrariums

For Teachers K - 6th
Students observe and experiment using a terrarium. In this scientific lesson plan, students build a nature terrarium. Students then observe their terrarium over a period of time to discover what makes the plants grow. A science...

Other popular searches