Students investigate personal health issues by discussing germs.  In this contagious disease lesson plan, students identify ways germs infect our bodies and how we can best protect ourselves.  Students discuss food preparation...

Can investigative journalism become too sensationalistic and accusatory, or is it vital for the survival of a democracy? Middle schoolers analyze primary source documents from early 20th-century newspapers as well as Theodore...

Fourth graders generalize that all animals, including people, depend on plants as a food source. In this science lesson plan, 4th graders describe and construct a food chain, tell how pesticides enter the food chain, and discuss possible...

Learners think about the historical development of the scientific method. They design an experiment that replicates van Helmont's, using only specified materials. Pupils then improved upon van Helmont's procedure and also consider the...

Celebrate the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss with a lesson that features the memorable tale of The Lorax. After listening to a riveting read-aloud, scholars take part in a grand conversation about the story and environment. Then...

Though it's designed to guide a field trip to the New York Botanical Garden, you could take resource like this one to a local park, wilderness area, school garden, or even a weedy empty lot. Middle schoolers identify plant parts and...

Students investigate the strength of solutions. In this scientific inquiry lesson plan, students examine various solutions of food color and water as they discover the concentration of the solutions by adding bleach to clear the color.

Students research about ways to keep food from spoiling. For this health science lesson, students design an experiment to keep the ice cubes from melting. They present their designs and results in class.

Students identify diseases that plagued the pioneers and find preventative measures to avoid them.  In this Oregon Trail lesson plan, students brainstorm possible health problems and diseases for pioneers. They then research a...

Learners discover how to inhibit food borne illnesses by practicing safe food-handling techniques. Among topics they examine are the advantages and disadvantages of using wooden or plastic cutting boards. After studying for the test,...

Students use a pH indicator to measure the pH of some fruits, common beverages, and borax. Students discover how to differentiate between an object that is an acid or a base.

Mostly discussion, this lesson explores the importance and methods of hand washing. A few true stories of community illnesses spread by the neglect of washing hands serve as an anticipatory set. The activity is most memorable if you are...

Students explore algal blooms.  In this ecosystem and health lesson, students define and describe harmful algal blooms, then discuss ways in which the impact of these algal blooms could be reduced.  Students work in groups to...

I bet the kids in your class will love to eat their vegetables after an engaging lesson about edible plants. They read information about vegetables and edible plants, sort vocabulary words, identify plant parts, measure and graph the...

Learners brainstorm hazards in the kitchen, and categorize them. They develop a checklist that could be used by an inspector to evaluate a home economics foods laboratory. They create a recipe while using proper lab and safety procedures.

Students rate foods as safe or unsafe and follow rules for food safety to make them safer.

Students view "The Danger Zone" to learn about food poisoning and the bacterial causes and prevention. Students look at slides, use a worksheet, "Microbial Bugs"and the internet to identify and learn about each bacterium.

Students examine data to investigate the impact of lead shot pellets on waterfowl populations. They graph their findings and discover how lead in ingested by birds and poisons them. As an extension, students research legislation and...

Students interpret NASS data to determine loss or gain of farm land and compare land in production and crop production over a 50 year period.

Students conduct an experiment to demonstrate how fruit fly populations are controlled by spiders. They observe a variety of environments with fruit flies and spiders and consider how vital spiders are to controlling the insect population.

Students calculate the amount of everyday food products or liquids that would need to be consumed in order to become toxic. By using unit analysis, they calculate the amount of certain common food items that would need to be consumed in...

Students explore the amount of lead in ceramic plates through an experiment. Students determine if everyday dishware is leaching lead into food. They chart their results and discuss how much lead in ceramic dishware may cause lead...

Second graders view milkweed plants (or pictures). The describe the plant and discuss ways some butterflies use it as a food source. Students view four pictures of different phases of a milkweed plant's life cycle. They discuss the...

Students demonstrate how epidemiological investigations of outbreaks are performed. They illustrate the principles of hypothesis formation and testing by epidemiologic study in the setting of an acute foodborne disease outbreak.