Lesson Plan
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Lego Atoms and Molecules: Chemical Reactions

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Show young chemists what a chemical reaction looks like with two parts of a hands-on experiment. First, learners conduct a wet lab where they observe the reactants (baking soda and calcium chloride, with phenolsulfonphthalein)...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Oceans of Energy

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Are the earth's oceans really just giant batteries, waiting for their energy to be harnessed? Middle school mechanical engineers will be shocked by the amazing amount of energy that forms around them after diving into part four of a...
Lesson Plan
Indian Land Tenure Foundation

A Sense of Belonging

For Teachers K - 2nd
In order to understand how the land changes over time because of the people who live there, learners interview an elderly person about the past. Children ask an older family member to describe what the local area was like when they were...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Static Electricity

For Teachers 4th
Working with static electricity is sure to give the class a charge! Budding scientists experiment with balloons and different materials to discover how to create static electricity. They learn about the transfer of electrons and the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gauss' Law

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students derive the equation of Gauss's law. In this physics lesson plan, students investigate the factors affecting the strength of the electric field. They perform simulation on Gauss's law.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Properties and Perfectly Polymeric Sodas

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine physical and chemical properties of plastics, interfaces of plastics, and forms of plastics. In three lab activities, students discover the two characteristic responses of plastics to heating, thermoplastic or...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nutrition in Me!

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explain the basic healthy eating and physical activity concepts.  In this healthy lifestyles lesson, 3rd graders describe two main components of a healthy lifestyle, demonstrate two different types of physical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Circulatory System

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students rotate through various physical activities checking their carotid pulse after each. This activity will give knowledge to students about health behaviors and understanding the exercise aspect of growth and development.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Basic Ideas of Inheritance

For Teachers K
Students enter personal information into a database. The information is used to reinforce the ideas of inheritance that is found in 1st Grade Science. Access to technology is essential for this lesson plan. Adding the use of a mirror for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Northwest Hawaiian Islands

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students compare and contrast places around the world. Students analyze the effects of human activity on the physical environment and devise plans to address the consequences. Students also focus on geographical topics such as formation...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Survivor!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students play a game in physical education class to examine how a deer survives. Using nature as a guide, they discover how it is constantly changing due to weather, food, water, pollution and predators. They discuss the characteristics...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life on the Moon

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students study the physical properties of the Moon.  In this life on the moon lesson students describe the ways life on the Moon would be different than on Earth. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mysteries of El Nino: How Much do We Really Know?

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders investigate the causes and effects of El Nino and explore its global impact on weather related occurrences through this series of activities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carbon Cycles

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the carbon cycle and how carbon atoms travel through it.  In this energy cycles lesson students describe how human activities affect the carbon cycle. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Anatomy of an Element

For Teachers 5th
Learners discuss matter and atoms using this resource. First, they look at a website describing atoms. Then, they learn about the periodic table and discuss how it is organized. Finally, they create a comic strip to display their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simplified Vertical Rebound Testing

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students participate in a lab activity in which they examine a simple energy transformation system. Students test the rebound of elastomers, produce rebound data, and determine the kinetic energy transformed by the impact of a free...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Investigations

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the basics about soil.  In this soil lesson students describe the physical properties of soil and explain what soil profile is. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Work and Power: Waterwheel

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students investigate a waterwheel and the physical properties of energy.  In this waterwheel lesson plan students create a model waterwheel and calculate the amount of power produced. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design Challenge: Cup in the Cupboard

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students design device that will place a cup into a cupboard for a physically challenged person. They study the engineering design and how structure relates to function.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's a Penguin's Life!

For Teachers K - 1st
Students will be studying the penguin community to observe the physical characteristics of the penguin and the relation it has to its community through a distance learning project with the Detroit Zoo.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders work together in groups to introduce themselves to the six types of simple machines. They are to record what the machine does, its mechanical advantage and identify real world situations in which they are used. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Catalase: A Bioinformatics Case Study

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners investigate the physical structure of a protein by using a computer simulation tool. They record its primary amino acid structure while viewing it in three dimensions for a better visual recognition. There is also a comparison...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Digestive System

For Teachers 5th Standards
Discover how the human body's digestive system works with a brain and stomach friendly activity. Scholars taste test a variety of foods to find out how they behave once in the mouth. Class members then play a game called Move That...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mice Rule!

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explain what biodiversity is and how adaptive features are maintained in a population.  In this biodiversity lesson plan students complete a simple activity involving mouse populations.