Curated OER
What is the Rock Cycle?
Students investigate the rock cycle. In this geology lesson, students read about the rock cycle on a website and discuss the steps of the rock cycle. Students visit a rock cycle website to complete a quiz. This is the first introductory...
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Energy: Light -- Spinning Color Wheel
Second graders make spinning color wheels to determine how energy effects what colors look like. They paint or color a color wheel with the seven colors of the spectrum. Next, the spin the wheel to determine what happens. In order to...
Curated OER
11 - The Heat Is On
Students observe physical change of melting by observing substance in original state, melting substance, allowing substance to return to original temperature, determining if substance retained its original properties, and recording results.
Curated OER
Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature
Young scholars are shown how temperature affects dissolved oxygen and they create a graph showing this relationship. They think about the adaptations of animals to live in different water temperatures. Students test four different water...
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Dissolved Oxygen Introduction
Students are shown how dissolved oxygen enters the water. They are taught the difference between a water sample that has been exposed to the air and one that has not. Students brainstorm what organisms need to survive. They use dissolved...
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To Group of Not to Group - That is the Question!
Upper elementary and middle schoolers use their observation skills to group different kinds of candy by similar characteristics. They debate whether or not we should classify objects. Finally, they learn that biologists have developed a...
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Tracks along the Trail
Young scholars identify animal tracks outdoors. In this animal life instructional activity, students go outdoors and find several different animal tracks to identify. Young scholars also discuss how animals must adapt in the winter months.
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Crash Test Dummies
Fifth graders are introduced to Newton's First Law of Motion. In groups, they describe the differences between balanced and unbalanced forces. They participate in experiments that demonstrate how equal and opposite forces act upon...
Illustrative Mathematics
Global Positioning System II
Intricate details of a modern technology that many of us take for granted in our phones, computers (and some cars) are laid bare in a short but deeply investigative activity. The math behind a seemingly simple GPS device...
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Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation with Simple Machines
First graders engage in a lesson that is about Newton's Laws Of Gravitation while conducting research in order to perform an information search. They sing a song about the Law of Gravitation and play a game of Ring Around The Rosie. Then...
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Aquatic Ecosystem Exploration
Students visit a local stream, pond, creek, or river and collect macroinvertebrates. They sort macroinvertebrates and identify each species using a dichotomous key. Students decide on trophic levels and construct a possible food web for...
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Science-Introduction to the Unit on Matter
First graders gain knowledge about solids, liquids and gases by taking a look at the things around them. They have to classify certain picture cards based on which category they feel the picture falls under. As a whole, the class...
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Science: Liquid Matter
Second graders examine the properties of liquids and their classifications. They compare and contrast cups of different liquids and record their findings in journals. Students observe how liquids flow at various speeds and that unlike...
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Investigating Earth's Materials
First graders compare and contrast water from different sources. After collecting water from various sources, 1st graders create a list of observable properties of the water. Students then pour the water into a filter and observe the...
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Energy Audit
Students examine the level of energy usage on a local and national level. Using the internet, they discover ways to conserve energy every day and how over-consumption of energy negatively affects the environment. In groups, they...
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Insects: Bugs, Science, Entomology
In this lesson, insects are explored through reading of children's literature, classifying insects versus non-insects, drawing and painting various insects, and learning how to clap to certain rhythms while reciting insect names.
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INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Seventh graders create a final project called Industry X (which was previously researched in the unit) has plans to build in town. There is a special town meeting scheduled to discuss this matter and allow everyone to express their...
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Inquiry and the Nature of Science
Young scholars identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations, design and conduct a scientific investigation. They also use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.
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Does Contact Area Matter?
Pupils work together to design and implement an experiment on friction. They test to see if contact area affects the amount of friction. They discover how engineers use friction to make certain products better.
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Lake Superior Ecology Unit
Sixth graders research Lake Superior and its ecosystem. Students investigate the lake's cycles of mixing and stratification and how these cycles affect the biology of the lake. This lesson contains five days of activities.
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Solar Matters
Learners design an energy resource wheel and demonstrate how to use it to access information about renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.
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Space: The Universe As We Know It!
Students simulate the Big Bang. In this lesson on the origin of our universe, students role play to show how the Big Bang explosion may have created our universe.
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The Mind-Body Connection
Second graders learn about the human body. In this biology lesson plan, 2nd graders will begin with the basics of understanding charts and graphs and progress into units that cover the body systems, and mental and emotional health....
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Forest Food Chains and Webs
Students explore forest ecological systems. For this ecology lesson, students classify forest plants and animals according to their ecological roles. Students play a related vocabulary guessing game. Students choose a card on which...