National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
The Micro and Macro World Around Us
Don't let your eyes play tricks on you ... use scale to keep your eyes in check! Young scholars observe images without scale and try to identify the structure. Then, they look at the same image with a scale bar and assess whether their...
University of Southern California
Mastering Microbes
Small but mighty! Learners explore the role of microbes in a healthy ecosystem. An engaging lesson asks pupils to design an aquaponics system that demonstrates that healthy microbes are necessary to maintain the ecosystem.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
American Museum of Natural History
Make a Home for Microbes
Make a Winogradsky Column to discover how microbes live within the digestive tract. First, participants take a tour of the stomach. Then, gather supplies and start building using a variety of materials. Over eight to 10 weeks,...
University of Southern California
What Lives In The Ocean?
One of the most diverse environments on Earth is the ocean. Young scientists explore the living things found in the ocean during an exciting seven-lesson unit. Their study includes organisms from plankton to invertebrates...
Michigan State University
Gases Matter
Young scientists learn that seeing isn't necessarily believing when it comes to the states of matter. After performing a fun class demonstration that models the difference between solids, liquids, and gases, children complete a series of...
American Museum of Natural History
Living Large
Get to know all about sauropods from a paleontologist, Jonah. Following an introductory video, scholars choose from five fossils to learn more about. Each fossil begins with a video, provides information from several different...
Curated OER
Life in a Forest Stream
Students assess macro-invertebrates from a stream. In this science lesson plan, students observe, classify and identify organisms found in a stream. A lab station is constructed at the stream sight and students study the different...
Curated OER
Ecosystems Beneath the Surface
Sixth graders create a KWL chart about microorganisms. In this biology lesson, 6th graders create and label a diagram on a microbial mat. They investigate the processes involved in the carbon, oxygen and sulfur cycles.
Curated OER
Science: Bees: An Interdisciplinary Approach
Students investigate the world of bees and describe their characteristics. by identifying the bees' parts, they demonstrate how these parts function. In the lab, students dissect bees and view the various parts under microscopes. ...
Curated OER
What Are the Layers of the Rain Forest?
Students investigate the different levels of the rain forest by comparing it to an apartment. In this ecology lesson plan, students practice using forest related vocabulary words and complete a vocabulary data sheet. Students...
Curated OER
The Shape of Things
Sixth graders read and discuss information regarding the shape and attributes of an eggshell. In this shape of things lesson plan, 6th graders gather relevant information that pertains to the incubation and formation of an...
Curated OER
The Great Archeological Dig
Students explore biology by identifying a diagram. In this cell anatomy lesson, students read a story about archeology and conduct a fictitious archeology dig in class in which they search for animal cells. Students define a list of...
Curated OER
Naked to the Eye
Sixth graders conduct a variety of experiments that enable them to investigate bacteria. They use microscopes, prepared slides, video, moldy bread and pond water to observe types of bacteria and how bacteria interacts with the...
Curated OER
Endosymbiosis: A Friend Within
Students research the ecological principle of symbiosis. Using a microscope, students observe the relationship of mutualism between termites and flagellates. Students examine a live termite and protozoans. They discuss the principles...
Curated OER
Seed Detectives
Students examine seed coats. In this biology lesson, students look at pictures of magnified seed coats, then use hand-help magnifiers or microscopes to look at seed coats on their own.
Curated OER
Elegant Embryology
High schoolers observe embryogenesis in action through early stages of development of eggs. They observe cultures with dissecting and compound microscopes. They draw their egg, record any details and observe for changes. They compare...
Curated OER
Wacky Water Critters
Students visit a local creek or stream. They collect water samples from the creek and observe and sort the "water critters" they find in the sample, observing smaller organisms under a microscope if necessary. They identify each organism...
Curated OER
A Zillion Trillion Microbes
Students observe microbes under a microscope. In this biology lesson, students describe how Cargill uses them to produce methane. They research the benefits and harmful effects of microbes in society.
Curated OER
A Limnology Study of Drainage Ditches
Learners chemically test water, observe microscopic organisms in the classroom, and screen the sample for macroinvertebrates. They design a reporting sheet that list all the items to be tested and a space to record the results.
Curated OER
Cell-ebrations in Science
Young scholars recognize that all living things are made up of cell and that they cannot easily be seen by the naked eye. Students become familiar with the use of microscopes as a tool for investigation.
Curated OER
Neuron Anatomy Comparison
Students create a scale model of a motor neuron that is two hundred times larger than the actual neuron. They identify the structures of a neuron and observe neurons under the microscope then use a worksheet to convert actual sizes into...
Curated OER
Respect the Beach
Students work together to compare and contrast sand particles. They identify what sand grains are composed of as well. They complete writing activities to complete the lesson.
Curated OER
Observations and Inferences
Students observe how to distinguish observations form inferences. In this examining inferences lesson students list observations relating to the activity and discuss the importance of them.