Students identify protists under a microscope, and using a stopwatch calculate the speed of a protist from a pond water sample. They use distance and time to identify the speed of a protist, and create a distance versus time graph to...

Students investigate with sea urchins. In this ocean habitat lesson, students observe sea urchins and other ocean grazers. Students work with lab equipment to examine the anatomy of these creatures.

Students 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 their...

Students observe osmosis, a cellular process that normally can't be observed without a microscope, and use scientific method to observe osmosis in a chicken egg.

Students conduct a hands-on lab activity in which they analyze a sample of water from a local stream or pond. They introduce a fertilizer solution into the sample and analyze and describe their findings.

Pupils identify the main ideas of different cell theories. Using a microscope, they compare and contrast the structures and functions of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. They also compare and contrast animal and plant cells and complete...

Students identify each phase of mitosis and the main characteristics of each. Students prepare a microscope slide with onion root tip. Students observe the cell division occurring in the cells and label the mitosis phases observed.

Fifth graders compare filaments in different light bulbs. In this science lesson, 5th graders view the filaments of light bulbs under a microscope.

Young scholars discover the ocean life of the San Francisco Bay. In this ocean lesson, students take a Discovery Voyage of the Bay ecosystem through the Marine Science Institute. Also available are inland voyages, ocean labs, and...

Students examine dust mites and other allergens.  In this dust lesson students complete a lab activity on dust mites. 

Students conduct a lab experiment using the scientific method. In this interdisciplinary lesson plan, students will test the difference in popping white and yellow corn. Students will write their lab report in their science, math,...

Students investigate the concept of bioluminescence. They use dinoflagellates in a lab situation to study photosynthesis. They conduct research into the concept using a variety of resources. Also the class is taken on a field trip to...

Students examine water quality indicators,test water quality and record their results.  In this water quality lesson students complete a water testing lab and complete a lab report. 

Students investigate the organisms of bacteria. They are given a culture of bacteria that can be observed under a microscope. The students make observations that are recorded. The lesson includes the mention of specific safety...

Seventh graders investigate the temperature change in open and closed containers. In this earth science lesson, 7th graders relate this lab activity to greenhouse effect. They create a line graph from data collected in the experiment.

Young scholars investigate the different levels of the rain forest by comparing it to an apartment.  In this ecology lesson, students practice using forest related vocabulary words and complete a vocabulary data sheet.  Young...

Students investigate the effects of urban pollution on plankton. In this plankton and pollution lesson plan, students use samples of plankton collected in urban areas to observe the effects of pollution on plankton samples. They...

Students obtain remote sensing data to compare and contrast global biomass data with global temperature data.

As a lesson on scientific observation, have your class investigate the features of a penny and a nickel. Working in pairs, they practice writing detailed descriptions using their senses and a ruler to gather information. This is an...

Expectant earth scientists examine the bottom side of a leaf and learn the role of the stomata. They consider the gas exchange that occurs through these structures and relate how the climate is changing to its impact on food crops. This...

Future chemists practice laboratory techniques by creating a monochloramine solution. The objectives are to use of dilution, 9concentration, and measurement skills and to prepare a solution that will be used in a water treatment...

Students experience a "hands-on" activity to get visual evidence of the physical nature of DNA and the process of DNA purification. They explore one method of chromosomal DNA isolation and DNA extraction.

Students describe the cell cycle. They make a connection between DNA replication and cell division. Students describe the parts of the cell that participate in cell division and the steps of cell division.

Jell-O® can help model the transmission of light through fiber optic cables. Young scientists use the jiggly dessert to make a waveguide to transmit a laser beam from one point to another. Their models help them learn the function...