SeaWorld
Animal Husbandry
Learners study how changes in the environment can drastically affect the survival of an animal. After a class discussion, pupils are divided up into groups and are given the task of coming up with the best environment to allow brine...
Curated OER
Plant Reproduction
Students plant seeds in order to investigate and explore the questions: "How do seed companies develop varieties of plants?" and "What is the ideal plant?" Students will study related vocabulary and sketch seeds as they emerge. Students...
Curated OER
How About a Classroom Epidemic?
Have individuals wash their hands with soap and water, give one of them a yeast-covered piece of candy, and then have him shake hands with the person next to him. Handshakes continue down the line until everyone in the class has had...
Curated OER
Cholera and the Scientific Method
Five individuals in the class are "infected" with cholera! The rest of the class serves as investigators to discover the source of the outbreak. They test drinking fountains around campus for contamination. You, of course, will secretly...
Curated OER
Heating and Cooling Curves
High schoolers experiment with a pure substance and a phase change. In this heating and cooling curves lesson plan, students study the effects of heating and cooling a pure substance to observe a phase change. They determine both the...
Curated OER
Layers of Rock
Juvenile geologists drill clear plastic straws down into a playdough sedimentary rock model, pulling out sample rock cores. As they analyze their cores, they apply the law of superposition and discover that originally horizontal layers...
National Park Service
Erosion
A set of PowerPoint slides supports a lecture or class review of weathering and erosion. Viewers learn the definition of each and examine various photos for evidence. Erosion is further depicted as caused by wind, water, and ice....
Columbus City Schools
Magnificent Mendeleev: An Elemental Tale
Discover how the periodic table tells the story of its elements. Learners begin by studying the makeup of several mixtures. Their analysis leads to a discussion of elements and the periodic table. As they dig deeper, they understand the...
Florida International University
Counting FishStix
How do we count the fish in the ocean? An engaging lesson models how to estimate fish populations with observational surveys. Class members begin by studying the behavior of fish on the coral reef in the oceans. They...
Curated OER
How to Hide in the Ocean
Students observe and discuss the advantages of camouflage, then try their hands at designing a well-camouflaged fish.
Curated OER
Where is Shirley the Elephant?
Young animal lovers engage in a lesson that's all about elephants. They access an elephant sanctuary website and read a story about Shirley the elephant. They perform a series of activities based upon that story, and also study about the...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly
A well-designed lesson on the life cycle of the butterfly is here for you. In it, young scientists spend 45 minutes a day, for one school week, engaged in their study. They take nature walks, participate in activities in centers, listen...
Curated OER
A Model of Three Faults - Part One
Young scholars construct a fault model using the Fault Model Sheet imbedded in this plan. They create a 3 dimensional model of the Earth, and use dashed lines to illustrate where the fault lies. A discussion of faults follows the...
Curated OER
Effects of Weathering
Here's a great geology lesson for 3rd graders on weathering and erosion of soil. After a class discussion on how nature can "move a mountain," learners take a look at how a modern phenoma called acid rain can also cause weathering and...
Curated OER
Cents-ible Chemistry-Analysis of the Metal in a Penny
Students determine the base metals and surface metals in a penny. In this analysis of metals lesson plan, students determine the density of five pennies minted in different years. They use different chemicals such as hydrochloric acid,...
Curated OER
Reclamation Mountain
Learners observe the effects of mining on a mountain. In this environmental awareness lesson plan, students will be challenged to extract items from a model of a mountain without disturbing the vegetation on the mountain. Learners...
Curated OER
Take a Deep Breath: Air Today, Air Tomorrow
This is the introductory lesson in a series about air quality. Why is it so important that we breathe clean air? How can we make sure we're keeping our air clean? A discussion is the central idea of the lesson, and example questions are...
Rainforest Alliance
Get in Touch with Nature
Take a trip to the Colombian rainforest through the sense of touch. Here, class members discover what's inside a mystery box: wood, cinnamon, Brazil nuts, a banana, and orange. Then, the class takes a trip outside for a tree rubbing...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Structure of the Earth
What lies beyond the ground beneath our feet? Young geologists learn the four main layers of Earth with an engaging puzzle set. The interactive illustrates each layer, and users must place them correctly before they can progress to the...
Nuffield Foundation
Monitoring the Body's Reaction to Stress
When stressed, do you prefer the fight or flight response? Scholars observe, measure, and identify the body's response to stress using a well-researched methodology. They learn about the autonomic nervous system, hormones, and more.
Desert Discoveries
What's the Buzz on Native Bees?
Young biologists describe the different types of bees that are native to the Sonoran Desert. They look at the nesting and feeding requirements of the insects, and study how they are able to pollinate many plants found in the environment....
Starry Night Education
The Stars
Three astronomy activities in one resource! Here you will find one hands-on activity, one demonstration, both with discussion questions, and one activity worksheet. During these lessons young scientists discuss how stars are...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Chemical Equilibrium
Le Chatelier's interest in thermodynamics and building materials such as cement and plaster led to the Le Chatelier Principle in 1884. Activity 13 in a series of 36 extensively explores chemical equilibrium. Learners read about...
CK-12 Foundation
Energy Conservation Simulation
Does the amount of a roller coaster's energy change as it goes along the track? Scholars investigate when a roller coaster has potential and kinetic energy. They observe the changes as it goes up the initial hill follows it throughout...