Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy Transformation with a Top

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders examine both potential and kinetic energy. After discussing the difference and examples of potential and kinetic energy, they participate in a game of "Show Me Potential Energy/Show Me Kinetic Energy" using toy tops.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of Swinging

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students learn how a pendulum works in the concept of an amusement park ride. In this pendulum instructional activity, students are introduced to Newton's first law of motion and how it works in an amusement park ride. Continuous motion...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Letter Rr: Alphabet Theme

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Pupils complete several cross-curricular activities to learn the letter Rr. In this letter recognition lesson, students complete activities that include geography, music, physical education, science, seasonal, space science, and online...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dinosaurs - Physical Characteristics

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students describe the physical characteristics of dinosaurs, compare and contrast the evolution of land, and they explore the extinction of dinosaurs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering Dinosaurs

For Teachers K - 1st
Students investigate the physical characteristics of dinosaurs. They participate in a puppet show, take a field trip to a dinosaur museum, and compare/contrast dinosaur characteristics at the museum.
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Watching Crystals Grow

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physics: Force and Motion

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students use the internet to discover the basic concepts in physics. They complete interactive simulations where variables can be changed. They answer comprehension questions to end the lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"The Emperor's New Clothes and Mahler's Ninth Symphony" Writing to Explain, Confidently and Efficiently, Even Physics!

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students combine their study of physics with their study of best practices when writing to inform. They communicate with experts using e-mail before creating a brochure based on their study of universal gravitation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Magnetism in Solar Flares

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students apply concepts of magnetism to help them understand the production of solar flares. In this solar flare lesson, students complete activities and graphic organizers to help them learn about magnetic fields on the surface of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building a Permanent Human Presence in Space

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners tudy space and what it takes to be an explorer.  In this space explorer lesson students examine the characteristics of explorers and create an exploration log. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

River Research

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students use the internet to research the streams and rivers found in Illinois. Using the information, they identify and describe the rivers and streams along with the physical characteristics of a river ecosystem. They share what they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Go To The Head of the Cloud

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Young scholars pretend they are water droplets traveling through the water cycle. Using their text, they discover the steps in the cycle and the different paths water can take. They write a report about their journey through the water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy: Light -- Spinning Color Wheel

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders make spinning color wheels to determine how energy effects what colors look like. They paint or color a color wheel with the seven colors of the spectrum. Next, the spin the wheel to determine what happens. In order to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Photovoltaic Cells and Systems

For Teachers 9th - 12th
This interesting document suggests nine different activities for shedding light on photovoltaic cells. A bit of background information is furnished for you, as well as many, many resource links. Listed for each activity are a learning...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electric Field Mapping in 3D

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students create a 3D vector field map of an electric field. In this physics lesson, students measure the voltage inside an aquarium with water. They present their findings and map to class..
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using the Very, Very Simple Climate Model in the Classroom

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners study the relationship between the average global temperature and carbon dioxide emissions.  In this weather activity students develop a test scenario using a model then read and interpret graphs of data. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of Sleep and Daily Rhythms

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students observe their own daily rhythms by going to bed earlier and seeing what happens to their day afterwards. For this sleep lesson plan, students experiment with their own sleep cycles and answer questions about what happened...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of the Heart and Circulation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars mode the transport of blood through the circulatory system with a water relay. In this circulation lesson plan, students measure amounts of water and transfer them from one container to another. They use this activity to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

There's a Watershed in my Backyard!

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explain what the term watershed is by creating a model. In this science, geography instructional activity, students demonstrate how the water moves in a watershed. Additionally, students learn about point source and nonpoint...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Good Food Explorers

For Teachers Pre-K
Students use different food items in order to practice the mathematical concept of shape recognition. At the same time the teacher explains how crops are a source of physical health. They use all five senses to describe each food item...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do Cells Reproduce?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine cell division and the process of mitosis.  In this cell reproduction lesson students grow yeast and observe the results, and learn about the career of scientific illustration. 
Lesson Plan
University of Colorado

Phases of Charon

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Charon, the largest of Pluto's moons, was discovered in 1978. Lesson is a walk through of how to solve for the phases of Charon. It uses two different points on Pluto and takes into account the tilt of the pole, the rotational axis, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animal Coverings

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students compare and contrast the types of coverings found on animals. They identify a wide variety of animals in a museum room. They classify animals based on their coverings as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

UP AND ATOM

For Teachers 5th - 8th
If you are willing to sort through this outline and overlook the portions relating to inaccessible videos, you will find a wealth of support for your introductory chemistry unit. Narrative is presented to help you help learners navigate...