Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Phase Change

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners compare the freezing temperature of two substances by conducting an experiment to freeze liquid ice cream. They vary the amount of salt used in the ice cubes during the freezing procedure to determine the change in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Global Warming and Climate Change

For Teachers K - 9th
Students explore the environment by writing a persuasive letter. In this global warming lesson, students identify the key problems with our energy consumption in the United States. Students complete worksheets and write a letter...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Change

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore how to incorporate a new type of technology, the cash register and/or a calculator, as a motivational tool for solving real life problems. They practice estimating money and counting back change from $20.00.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The History of Climate Change

For Teachers 7th - 10th
In this science worksheet, young scholars gather in-depth information dealing with climate change over the next century. They analyze the grid to determine the average time difference between peaks in the temperature history for the last...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Community Measurements: Which Plant Part?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners identify a plant in a given community and make a variety of measurements. They determine how a plant meets its basic needs. In addition to identifying plant parts, they observe seasonal change and compare plants within a community.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geometry - Measurement

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students review the procedure for determining appropriate types of measurements for given situations and measurement conversions. They figure perimeter, area, and volume of 2 and 3 dimensional objects.
Lesson Plan
Nuffield Foundation

Measuring the Rate of Metabolism

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Plant respiration can be a difficult concept for young biologists to grasp; with a hands-on lab, learners can collect and graph data, then calculate the metabolism rate for the plants they studied. If you do not have a respirometer,...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Heat Transfer and Heat Capacity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
It's time to increase the heat! Young chemists demonstrate heat transfer and heat capacity in an activity-packed lab, showing the transitions between solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of materials. Individuals plot data as the...
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Recent Weather Patterns

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
Decide whether weather is changing! A two-part activity first challenges classes to review the differences between weather and climate. Once finished, individuals then analyze historical data to determine if climate change is happening...
Lesson Plan
US Environmental Protection Agency

Tree Rings: Living Records of Climate

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Open with a discussion on weather and climate and then explain how tree rings can provide scientists with information about the earth's past climate. Pupils analyze graphics of simulated tree rings from various US locations for the...
Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Weather Basics

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Weather — there's more to it than meets the eye of the storm. With this resource young meteorologists learn about the basics of weather, including information about the factors that influence the weather, common weather vocabulary,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Much Water is in That River?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students practice measurement using the Hudson River. They calculate the discharge measurement at a location on the Hudson River using ingenuity and a topographic map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radiation and Color

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore the relationship between color and heat absorption by measuring the temperature change of water in differently colored test tubes as they are exposed to a heat lamp. They work in small groups to collect data and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Specific Heat and Insulation

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students measure the air and soil temperatures at designated times. They graph the temperatures of each on one piece of graph paper with different colors. Students compare the information for the two line plots and analyze their results...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heating the Atmosphere

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students construct a thermograph for maximum and minimum temperatures for the 2-week period. They illustrate how the earth's atmosphere is heated by convection and conduction currents and evaporation of water.
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Oceans as a Heat Reservoir

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

What Can Tree Rings Tell Us About Climate?

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Tree rings are slightly thicker on the south side of the tree because it receives more sunlight. Part two in a series of five lessons helps learners analyze tree rings to determine the environmental conditions that caused size...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Celsius or Fahrenheit?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders create a thermometer.  In this Celsius or Fahrenheit lesson plan, 2nd graders create an individual thermometer to use for measuring the temperature.  Students convert the outside temperature. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ice Cream Blizzards

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore whether the making of homemade ice cream is a physical change or a chemical change in a lab experiment. Students identify states of matter, describe the physical properties of states, and collect temperature data...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heat And Heat Transfer

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students role play molecules in a container as the container is heated to develop a definition of heat and temperature. They also observe demonstrations of conduction, convection, radiation, and phase transfer. Using these observations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecology

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students identify and describe three states of water. They predict how water will change states.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Utah Weather

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore Earth science by researching weather patterns on the Internet. In this Utah climate lesson, 4th graders discuss why each climate on our planet is exposed to different weather settings and how they are measured....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gases

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders work with gases to determine what the effects of temperature are on volume and air pressure by working with balloons. Also, they experiment with vinegar and baking soda. They predict the outcomes of these experiments, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the physical properties of water. For this water lesson, students explore water as it changes states. They observe, measure and use communication skills to describe change.