Curated OER
Parachutes, Circles and Pi...Oh My!
Young scholars explore different size circles to discover the relationship between diameter and circumference. In this circles and Pi lesson, students construct simple parachutes using circle patterns of varying sizes. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Calendar Time
Use circle time to work on counting. Kindergarteners practice the months of the year, say the full date, chart the day's temperature, count to 100, and sing the alphabet song. This kind of daily routine cultivates deep roots for...
Space Awareness
Making A Sundial
Can people really measure time just by using the sun? Scholars venture outside on a nice, sunny day to build sundials and learn how people measured time 600 years ago. The class builds two different sundials while gaining practice with...
College Board
AP Physics 1 and 2 Inquiry-Based Lab Investigations
Have you ever wondered what type of AP Physics investigations The College Board wants? This is the guide for you! Sixteen labs covering both Physics I and II will get you started and inspire you to meet the requirement of 25 percent of...
Space Awareness
The Sun Compass of the Vikings
Evidence shows the Vikings likely navigated by using a simple sundial to find their course. Videos, a short story, and discussion help bring this time period to life as they study European history with a hands-on experiment. Scholars...
National Wildlife Federation
What is DBH?
When measuring the circumference of a tree, does it matter how high you place the measuring tape? Most scholars have never considered this question, but scientists know that measurement techniques must be standardized. The 13th lesson in...
Curated OER
Orienteering - The Fundamentals
Students investigate the concept of a compass and it has been used in the past and in modern times. They practice using it in the wilderness in order to test its importance in various exploring activities. Each activity is accompanied by...
National Wildlife Federation
Branching Out – Exploring Dendrochronology
Tree rings from North America give a continuous history of El Nino intensity over the last 1,100 years. Scholars learn how scientists use tree rings to create timelines demonstrating variations in weather patterns. The cumulative...
Curated OER
Research Ethics
Young scientists discuss the results of carelessness during experimentation and the temptation to misrepresent findings. These activities are intended to develop the ability to identify scientific error, misconduct, and fraud. Use this...
Curated OER
Wild Weather Word Hunt
In this weather worksheet, students and their families search for weather news in the newspaper, media or Internet. Students record a list of weather words. Students then research and write down a one week forecast for their city.
Curated OER
Metric Mania Worksheet
In this metric worksheet, students complete 28 different metric calculations consisting of density, volume, mass, length, temperature, and time.
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Contemplating Nature vs. Nurture
Does having an addict in your family make it more likely to become one yourself? Explore the genetic risk factors, as well as the prominent environmental influences, for substance addiction in a instructional activity that encourages...
Curated OER
Wheel of Trouble
While teaching about endangered species, you can incorporate this activity as a take-home reminder of what is threatening the sea turtle population. It is one of those paper plate projects in which a wedge is cut out to reveal a picture...
Curated OER
Parachutes: Is it Surface Area or Shape?
Learners investigate how to make a good parachute. For this physics lesson, students observe the motion of parachutes as it falls and measure the time. They collect data and calculate the average descent time for each canopy shape.
Curated OER
Boomerangs Keep Coming Back
Students investigate the flight of paper boomerangs. In this flight lesson, students examine the flight variables of paper boomerangs, which they make, by investigating the concepts of lift and drag. They examine what happens when an...
Curated OER
Looking into Eratosthenes' Radius of the Earth
Students, in small groups, research Eratosthenes and his calculations of the Earth's radius. They write a summary of the person, the experiments and his calculations to determine how accurate Eratosthenes was in his estimations of the...
Curated OER
Bubble Gum Trivia Challenge
In this bubble gum trivia worksheet, students answer 10 multiple choice questions about famous events in the bubble gum world. This is an engaging activity for a gum experiment.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan Outline for Rainbow Science
Young scientists study light reflection and refraction as they determine the critical angle, the rainbow angle, and color separation in rainbows. Teams record the data they collect in a shared spreadsheet and discuss results with the class.
Curated OER
What's Bright Red and Invisible?
Students study that very little sunlight penetrates the ocean below depths of 200 meters. They study that no light penetrates the ocean below depths of 1000 meters. They study that the quality of light changes as depth increase
Curated OER
Pigeon Study-Nature Notebook
in this pigeon study worksheet, students "find pigeons to investigate," then complete activities, answering questions about where the pigeons were found, how many, what they look like, observing behaviors and writing questions they may...
Curated OER
Is there Treasure in Trash?
More people, more garbage! Young environmentalists graph population growth against the amount of garbage generated per year and find a linear model that best fits the data. This is an older resource that could benefit from more recent...
Curated OER
Newtonian Mechanics
Students familiarize themselves, through teacher demonstration, with Gavendish's apparatus first used for experimentally determining the value of the Universal Gravitational Constant G, and calculate theoretical value of Earth's...
Curated OER
FLIGHT FAIR
Students conduct their personal investigations into paper airplane flight. Cooperative teams are formed, with students choosing the paper airplane design that they are most interested in building.
Curated OER
Sweet Candy Comets
Fourth graders use candy to make a comet. In this lesson, 4th graders examine the role comets have played throughout history, students watch NASA videos about comets and complete the lesson by making an edible model of a comet. This...