Curated OER
Roosevelt's Tree Army
Students access prior knowledge of the Civilian Conservation Corp. In this trees instructional activity, students understand how each of the trees parts are helpful to society. Students participate in the planning of a tree planting...
Science Matters
Peanut Energy
How do humans get energy since they aren't mechanical and can't photosynthesize? Learners explore this question by relating potential energy in food to human energy levels. Scholars measure the change in mass and a change in...
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Fish Morphology
Life comes in all different shapes and sizes, and fish are no exception. Here, young scientists create fish prints as they learn how specific characteristics allow different species to survive in their particular habitats.
Sea World
Whales
A whale of a lesson is sure to intrigue your elementary oceanographers! Learn about the mammals of the sea with a series of activities about whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Kids complete worksheets about the anatomy of a whale, create a...
American Chemical Society
Man and Materials Through History
From the start of the Industrial Revolution, it only took 147 years for someone to invent plastic. This may seem like a long time, but in the history of inventing or discovering new materials, this is incredibly fast. An informative and...
University of Florida
Understanding Car Crashes: It's Basic Physics!
Make an impact on young physicists with this fun collection of resources. After first watching a video and taking notes on the physics of car crashes, students go on to complete a series of activities that explore the...
Baylor College
Needs of Living Things: Pre-Assessment
Determine your class's prior knowledge about the necessities of life with this pre-assessment for a unit on living things. Learners draw pictures of themselves with all the things they need to live, grow, and survive. These drawings will...
US Mint
Desert Dwellers
What can a quarter possibly teach young learners about desert ecosystems? More than you might think. After displaying and discussing the included picture of the Arizona state quarter, the class participates in a series of...
PBS
The Cat in the Hat Activity Exploring Weather
Observe different types of weather right in your classroom! Here, pupils look at clouds, rain, snow, wind, and hot and cold temperatures, and observe these weather patterns at school. They keep track of their observations in a worksheet...
Science Matters
That’s An Otter Story
Young scientists discover how sea otters' habitats have changed due to human impact. Through conversation, video observation, and story reading, scholars identify how human interactions change a specific ecosystem in both positive and...
Curated OER
Field Guide to Schoolyard Insects and Their Relatives
Sometimes all you need to complete your perfect lesson plan is an awesome hands-on learning experience. Here is an extension activity that is sure to excite your learners. They'll head outside to observe the local insect community. When...
Lincoln Public Schools
Cell Exploration Activities
Engage young biologists in exploring the mysteries of life with this collection of hands-on activities. Enlisting the help of numerous digital resources, students get an up-close look at the structure of plant and animal...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Concept Mapping Fuels
After reading an article, "Fuels for Everything," collaborative groups create a concept map poster of the transportation and non-transportation fuels. This makes a strong introduction to the different types of fuels used for transportion...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Alcohols (14-16)
Ethanol, a grain alcohol, reduces emissions and conserves petroleum when mixed into gasoline. Four puzzles challenge pupils to match alcohols to their structural formulas, types of alcohol, and full oxidation products. Each puzzle...
Curated OER
Candlemaking
There might not be a butcher or baker, but you'll have a class full of candlestick makers after a hands-on lesson about candles make from beeswax. After a brief history of where beeswax comes from, young artisans craft their own...
Academy of American Poets
On Marilyn Nelson's Poem “1905”
Marilyn Nelson's poem, "1905," asks young scholars to compare and contrast George Washington Carver and Albert Einstein. After studying images of the two scientists and listing their observations, class members listen to several readings...
Curated OER
Order Your Numbers
Students examine the order of whole numbers that range from 0 to 1,000. They compare and contrast the quantities of different numbers using the number line, objects, and symbols of comparison. Students also work as a class with cards to...
Curated OER
Plant Power
Seventh graders discuss the role of plants on Earth's biological system. In this life science instructional activity, 7th graders explain the process of transpiration and its importance in establishing Earth's climate patterns.
Curated OER
Smarty Plants
Students examine plants and pollinators. For this plant biology lesson, students read The Power of Pollinators and identify the parts of the plant and the pollinators. Students design their own imaginary plants.
Curated OER
Ready, Set, Let's Dough! It's a Matter of System
Young scholars will look at a complex system when they create their own play dough by taking several parts and creating a whole. The students will construct understanding that individual parts are used to make a whole.
Curated OER
Ready, Set, Let's Dough! It's a Matter of System
Students explore physical sciences by participating in a class experiment. In this matter lesson, students identify the three forms of matter and their physical differences. Students utilize cookie dough to create a play dough like...
Curated OER
Systems 1: Simple Machines
Students explore the parts of a system and develop schema of the interactions between those parts. They examine a variety of simple hardware devicesand observe the interactions between the elements of the devices, through both hands-on...
Curated OER
Everything Has Parts
Students investigate and explore common objects to discover and identify their parts. They also are encouraged to discuss the need for specific parts and what happens when a part is missing from the whole.
Curated OER
Got the Whole World in My Hands
Young scholars review factors that threaten survival of different species. this lesson is part of a multi-segmented unit on animal survival.