Curated OER
Observing Leaves and Flower Buds
Students observe the first true leaves and the buds on their Brassica plants and record their observations in both words and pictures. They also observe two major developments: the true leaves and the flower buds and record their...
Curated OER
Analysis of Lobster Claw Function. An Exercise in Biomechanics
Students observe two chelae. They write three differences they observe in their notebooks. Students suggest a hypothesis which would explain these differences. They dissect the chela. Students analyze the lobster claw as a mechanical lever.
Curated OER
Model Volcanoes
Students represent volcanoes with models and sketches. They research volcanoes and plan how to build a model. They, in groups, build a model volcano and cause it to erupt making observations before and after the eruption.
Science Friday
Cooking with Chemistry
Use class time to perfect your hollandaise sauce with a chemistry lesson. It includes two activities to teach about immiscible liquids, emulsifiers, and creating a stable homogenous mixture. Young scientists first mix...
American Chemical Society
Combustion and Burning
On Earth, a candle flame points up, but on the International Space Station, it forms a sphere. Young scientists practice their skills by recording observations before, during, and after a candle burns. Chemical and physical...
Lincoln Public Schools
Cell Exploration Activities
Engage young biologists in exploring the mysteries of life with this collection of hands-on activities. Enlisting the help of numerous digital resources, students get an up-close look at the structure of plant and animal...
Science 4 Inquiry
The Impact of the Sun and Moon on Tides
In 150 BC, Seleucus of Seleucia theorized that the moon causes the tides. Scholars learn about what causes tides by studying the interactions of gravity between the sun, moon, and Earth. They use technology to formalize otherwise...
Curated OER
Distinguishing Between Flowers
A branching key is a great way to classify different types of animals and plants! Fifth graders answer several yes/no answers about three different plants. They then create their own key to differentiate between an iris, a rose, and a...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Planetary Distances on the Playground
There's no need to stay inside; get out of the classroom and create a scaled map of the solar system on your playground field! In collaborative groups, scholars identify the distance between the sun and other planets, place planet...
Science Matters
Seed Adaptations for Dispersal
After a grand conversation about seeds, adaptation, and dispersal, scholars work collaboratively to examine seeds and record their findings on a four-column chart. Small groups share their observations and further discuss seed...
Science Friday
Fossil Detectives
What can this rock be? Pupils pretend to be paleontologists by sketching fossils and making predictions about their types. To determine whether they can identify the type of dinosaur, class members compare their observations and...
UAF Geophysical Institute
Carbon Footprint
Your young environmentalists can calculate their carbon footprint and discuss ways to reduce it with a worksheet about climate change. After reading a handout about what impact one's carbon footprint can have on the environment, kids...
PHET
AM Radio Ionosphere Station
Tune in! Young scientists use an AM radio at home to monitor solar output. The long-term project would be ideal in a flipped classroom or as an out-of-class project.
Virginia Department of Education
The Germ Theory and Koch’s Postulates
Explore the history of cholera and its effect on society with your biology class. Young biologists will then proceed to grow their own germs, prepared from live cultures, and follow the steps of the scientific method to generate data....
Illustrative Mathematics
Sammy's Chipmunk and Squirrel Observations
Here is a fun project. Sammy observes a chipmunk and a squirrel to see how many holes each needs in order to stash the same number of acorns. Scholars could find the answer algebraically or create a table to analyze the...
Curated OER
Exploring Seasonal Shadows and Sunlight
What can shadows tell us about the changing season? Over several months, astronomy learners record length and position of an outdoor object's shadow, such as a flagpole. They apply the data to a growing hypothesis and note the...
PBS
The Butterfly or Adult
Now that your class knows about the life cycle of a butterfly, it's time to discuss how an adult butterfly survives in the wild. The class diagrams and labels the parts of a butterfly, discusses how butterflies survive, and then make a...
University of Colorado
The Jovian Basketball Hoop
Can you listen to Jupiter on a simple radio? Turns out the answer is yes! The resource instructs scholars to build a simple radio to pick up the radio waves created when the charged particles from the sun hit Jupiter's magnetic...
American Museum of Natural History
Around the World with DNA
DNA analysis could be what saves some animals from extinction. An interactive lesson shows learners how DNA information proves variation among animals of the same species and how stakeholders use that information to make decisions. Easy...
Western Kentucky University
Understanding Genetics: Punnett Squares
Can scientists really predict genetic outcomes or are they simply making a lucky guess? Scholars first learn about Gregor Mendel and how to make Punnett squares. Then they extract DNA from a strawberry in a lab with included conclusion...
Science Matters
Plot Study
Small groups investigate plots of land to discover how abiotic and biotic factors interact. After recording their findings, scholars share observations with peers and self-reflect on the learning process.
Sharp School
Newton’s Laws of Motion Project
After a review of all three of Newton's laws, physical scientists complete a choice project. They can create a book in which they collect pictures where the laws of motion are depicted, produce a PowerPoint presentation, or produce a...
University of Hawaiʻi
Taxonomy and Me!
Taxonomy is the study of organisms and how you phylum. Three biology activities are included, helping scholars understand four of the six kingdoms, specifically Protista, Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia. Scholars observe and classify...
Prince William Network
The Incredible Journey
Divide your school gym into breeding grounds and non-breeding grounds so that your zoologists can play a game simulating the seasonal migration of shorebirds. Players pick one of the included game cards and follow its directions, which...