Focus on inquiry-based learning in your science class with a series of activities designed for middle schoolers. A helpful packet samples four different texts, which include activities about predator-prey relationships, Earth's axis...

Students investigate how fruits and vegetables change and grow.  For this life cycle of fruits and vegetables lesson, students observe the changes in fruits and vegetables as they grow and record the colors on a worksheet.

Young scientists participate in a hands-on experiment to explore Einstein's theory of relativity in a creative manner. They investigate various waves and compare their characteristics as they discuss how each wave is created....

Discover the connection of native peoples to their natural world, including cultural and agricultural practices, by studying the Zuni people of the American Southwest. This lesson includes examining a poster's photographs, reading...

Step into the role of a zoo director with several activities about animal training and running a zoo. Kids calculate the amount of food each animal needs, design a habitat for penguins, decide how to breed bottlenose dolphins, and train...

What does the future of energy look like? Junior engineers collaborate to discover a solution to the global energy crisis during a very hands-on lesson. The unit focuses on learning through collaboration to develop a deep understanding...

Learners will work together in groups to gather information about careers in oceanography. They discover the need to have a diverse group of people on a team and then share their information with the class. Web links and materials are...

Young scientists observe deforestation from satellite photos and discuss the importance of forests to the global environment. They then simulate a plot of forest when farmers move into the area over the course of seven years. Finally,...

Students discover what compost is. In this composting lesson, students view a sample of a compost bin and define what the purpose of compost is. Students discuss what the compost bin consists of and sort the compost bin into the green...

Students create a dichotomous key. In this categorizing lesson, students create a dichotomous key for different types of cereal. Students classify the cereal into groups such as flakes and cereal with holes. Students discuss their...

Young citizens construct an understanding of urban planning in this cross-curricular unit. Covering every aspect of city development from the political, economic, and social influences to sustainable building practices, this...

Students explore multimedia components. In this science inquiry lesson plan, students read "Invitation to the Game" by Monica Hughes and they use the Alice Computer Programming System to better understand population dynamics.

Students discover how capacitors help store data.  In this computer science lesson, students investigate how capacitors can store an electronic charge, eventually helping computers store data.  Students create their own...

Eighth graders investigate the importance of an ecosystem by studying their own backyards.  In this environmental lesson, 8th graders examine a schoolyard or backyard by marking quadrants and recording any animal or plant findings...

Second graders grow a classroom garden that acts as a living laboratory for cross-curricular activities. In this classroom garden lesson, 2nd graders follow directions to build and plant a garden that is used to teach math, science, and...

Students explore the benefits of recognizing edible wild plants.  In this wild plant instructional activity, students collect, make ready and eat edible plants.  Students answer questions about the plants.

Students study archery. In this archery lesson, students develop basic archery and hunter safety skills. Students discuss the history of archery and bow hunting.

Seventh graders identify how much carbon is held by the world's forests. For this forestry lesson, 7th graders study the carbon cycle and discuss what role humans have had on climate change. Students write a one page paper on how...

Students explore energy properties by listening to a sustainability lecture in class. In this biomass instructional activity, students identify what biomass is, how it can be transformed into a usable energy and how it complements the...

Learners take a field trip to an old Christmas tree farm near their school. In groups, they gather data at the site and analyze the data in an attempt to discover what happened to the area. They identify human activities that led to the...

Students design animals and settings for the class mural they find on the visual journey to a farm through the cutting, tearing, pasting, and coloring of colored paper. Visualizing and designing constructed paper forms fosters Students'...

Students list four ways to identify trees. For this tree identification instructional activity, students use tree identification techniques such as leafs, bark, wood grain, soil type, and climate to create tables and graphs.

Pupils investigate, through their own experimentation, the important role wildlife play in nutrient cycling. Earthworms and compost are used in this experiment and different experimental setups be evaluated.

Students review their prior knowledge on biomes and ecosystems. At a local Christmas tree farm, they work together in groups to identify the changes occuring in the area. They participate in solving a mystery in which they determine the...