Third graders explore and identify heat sources. They conduct an experiment involving thermometers and articles of clothing, and record and discuss the results.

Students design an experiment to determine which type of container would be best to use to keep drinks cool on a hot day. Students test paper cups, styrofoam cups, and metal cans by filling them with ice water and they use a thermometer...

Middle school meteorologists get acquainted with basic weather instruments: the thermometer, barometer, psychrometer, and anemometer. For each, the question is asked, "Do you think you can make a _______________?" At these points, you...

Sixth and seventh graders investigate the concept of negative numbers. The lesson begins with a review of positive numbers and progresses to the various operations with negative numbers. The lesson includes dialogue for the teacher to...

How much water does your body lose during exercise? How much should you hydrate during and after exercise? Address the importance of hydration with your young athletes using this informative handout.

Why does Earth experience summer, fall, winter, and spring? Using an informative demonstration, learners see how the angle of the sun on Earth and the rotation of Earth determine the seasons. Scholars work in pairs to learn that the...

How do robots assist ocean explorers in collecting data and images? The final installment in a five-part series has science scholars examine underwater images collected by robots and identify the organisms shown. Groups then calculate...

Students build a thermometer. In this weather lesson plan, students use red food coloring, rubber stoppers, and hard plastic tubing to build a thermometer. Students use their homemade thermometer to measure the temperature.

Sixth graders use small electronic devices known as thermistors to measure the temperature beneath an object such as a coffee cup as it slides across a surface. By choosing different surfaces, 6th graders can compare in a quantitative...

Students discover how salt water makes a pencil float better than freshwater by measuring and comparing the lengths of the portion of the pencil that floats above the water surface. They then determine if an unknown water sample is...

Young scholars explore permafrost.  In this 3 states of matter lesson, students identify characteristics of solids and liquids.  Young scholars observe water and soil melting and freezing at various temperatures.  Students...

Students design an investigation to test whether vegetation in an area helps regulate the ambient air temperature. They make comparisons between the investigation and global changes in climate. In groups, they present their findings to...

First graders investigate how the sun warms the Earth and examine the rotation of the Earth and the sun. They create an illustration of the sun, examine a solar system model, and listen to the book "The Sun: Our Nearest Star." They also...

Fifth graders work in teams of four to measure the rebound heights of a tennis ball dropped from four different heights. They investigate with the bouncing balls to measure changes in the type of energy they possess.

Students use the artwork by Robert Harris to examine the four seasons. In groups, they identify the clothing worn in the artwork and create a dance which resembles the painting. They also practice reading a thermometer and identify...

Eighth graders identify the different weather elements. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders explain the difference between relative humidity and dew point. They discuss the different instruments used to predict weather.

First graders investigate plant growth and examine what factors contribute to plant growth. They keep a class chart of plant growth and write about and illustrate their conclusions.

Students examine how heat moves from substance to another.  In this heat absorption lesson students identify ways that heat is transferred and analyze data.

Students discover that different textured materials can absorb more heat than others. Students work with thermometers, clocks, and graphs.

Students participate in a handboiler experiment, using a sealed glass vial filled with alcohol. They record the data and do averages and see if there is a difference between a boiler and a non-boiler.

Students examine how heat passes through a pane glass window.  In this energy transfer lesson students complete a lab activity.

Students examine the evidence that scientists have used to support the existence of global warming and the greenhouse effect. How the concepts have been developed and evaluated form the focus of this lesson.

Students compare weather data and draw conclusions. In this climate change lesson plan, students determine whether data collected over a period of ninety years shows a warming trend. 

Young scholars examine the greenhouse gases affecting the atmosphere. In groups, they participate in activities in which they examine the effects of heat on the atmosphere and phytoplankton. They research how the phytoplankton differ...