Messenger Education
Sensing the Invisible: The Herschel Experiment
The electromagnetic spectrum includes everything from very powerful gamma rays (which are used to treat cancer) to much weaker radio waves (which include microwaves). Through a hands-on activity, scholars explore the temperature...
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...
UAF Geophysical Institute
Observing the Weather
How can you predict the weather without any technology? Young scientists learn to forecast the weather using traditional Native American techniques. Based on their observations of the weather, as well as talking to their classmates, they...
University of the Desert
Tackling Extremism
Given examples of modern terrorist attacks, learners discuss the characteristics of violent extremists and what measures are currently being taken to prevent attacks by such groups.
EngageNY
Similarity
Learn similarity through a transformations lens! Individuals examine the effects of transformations and analyze the properties of similarity, and conclude that any image that can be created through transformations is similar. The...
Cornell University
Math Is Malleable?
Learn about polymers while playing with shrinky dinks. Young scholars create a shrinky dink design, bake it, and then record the area, volume, and thickness over time. They model the data using a graph and highlight the key features of...
Spreading Gratitude Rocks
Generation of Respect
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Learners find out what it means to them. Scholars write sentences, do a word sort, and list what makes them grateful. Additionally, pupils learn how to be more respectful by completing worksheets that would make...
Curated OER
Introduction to Statistics: Mean, Median, and Mode
Pupils explore the concepts of mean, median, and mode. They develop an understanding and familiarity with these concepts. Students explore mean and median in an efficient way. Pupils explore three different measures of center.
Teach Engineering
Discovering Phi: The Golden Ratio
Fe, phi, fo, fum. This activity leads pairs to find the ratio of consecutive terms of the Fibonacci sequence. The pairs find that the Fibonacci sequence can be found in many places. A discussion with the class shows that the ratios...
Curated OER
Play It
There are a number of activities here that look at representing data in different ways. One activity, has young data analysts conduct a class survey regarding a new radio station, summarize a data set, and use central tendencies to...
Curated OER
Halloween Math Lesson Plan
Students practice their multiplication and division by creating a Witches Brew. In this holiday math instructional activity, students utilize Halloween style ingredients to create a fun edible treat for themselves. Students...
Curated OER
One Hundred Things
Learners practice estimating by handling items in groups of ten. They visualize how much space 100 items, such as pennies, peas, or beans, will take up after holding 10 of them. Learners measure the difference in volume between 10...
Curated OER
Your Energy Balance Goal!
This is the last lesson in the series put out by Together Counts on health. This activity has youngsters setting goals to keep their energy balanced by making excellent eating and activity choices. They may need a little help making...
Curated OER
My time to Shine!
Fifth graders identify and acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span. Then they identify and practice through an experiment, time management skills and why it is...
Curated OER
The Crash Scene
Fifth graders explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this engineering lesson, 5th graders identify the differences between latitude and longitude and practice locating precise points on a globe or map. Students...
Curated OER
Blast Off
In this physical science exploration, small groups place a piece of antacid tablet into a film canister and step back to time how long it takes for the top to pop. They repeat the activity, altering either the amount or temperature of...
Curated OER
Active Learning
Students practice using measurements and bar graphs to solve a running problem in this active Math lesson plan for various age levels. The lesson plan meets state standards in Mathematics and requires the use of "math journals" for...
Curated OER
Make Your Own Temperature Scale
Differentiate between temperature and thermal energy. Your class will build a thermometer using simple materials and develop their own scale for measuring temperature. Discuss with your class and consider why engineers need to understand...
Curated OER
Classroom Olympics
Here is a an awesome, 17-page lesson plan on a simulated Olympic Games for your young athletes. After learning about the history of the Olympics, the whole class takes part in events such as The Cotton Ball Shot Put, The Paper Plate...
Curated OER
You Are Here
Students map local places and learn to use scale and distance. For this mapping lesson, students map their school and a favorite place. Students recreate their maps showing distance and scale sizes. Students locate their...
Center Science Education
Plugged In To CO2
Watt is going on here? Middle schoolers are learning about energy use and carbon dioxide emissions! In the first part of this instructional activity, learners measure how much energy different appliances consume and calculate the...
Curated OER
News or Propaganda?
What is considered news vs. propaganda? Learners will discuss objectivity and press responsibility while exploring these two concepts. They work in small groups to explore the article in-depth, guided by reading comprehension and...
Curated OER
Roll Away Trees
First graders participate in a simulation involving newspaper, food coloring, water, and more to observe the debarking process of producing wood. In this wood lesson plan, 1st graders also measure, and learn about reducing, reusing, and...
Michigan Sea Grant
Water Quantity
It may be tricky for a young mind to conceptualize that less than 1% of all water on earth is useable for humans to drink. Simulating the amount of fresh water available on earth by removing measured amounts of water from a five-gallon...