Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Ice is nice, and its condition on the planet has a significant effect. Junior geoscientists experiment with ice melting in both water and on land to discover how each affect the rising sea level. This detailed instructional activity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changes Inside Planets

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate the concept of planetary differentiation. They complete an experiment to simulate it using gelatin and food. The lesson includes vocabulary to increase reading comprehension skills as part of the inquiry. The...
Lesson Plan
Center Science Education

Torrents, Droughts, and Twisters - Oh My!

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What is causing the extreme weather happening around the planet? Middle and high schoolers read about climate change as a possible link to such phenomena. Then they form groups to discuss and research one of the types of weather events....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

After 7 years, capsule of comet dust heads to Earth

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students examine an article on a space capsule and explore NASA.  In this space exploration lesson students brainstorm the pros and cons of space exploration, then rehearse a sketch and present it to the class. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Planet Earth

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students brainstorm and discuss cultural relevance of the moon to the Native American community. They utilize the internet to research items about the moon, use a digital camera to take pictures, and then write a report over what they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing "Green" to Save Our Green Planet

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students design an environmentally friendly home.  In this middle school math/science lesson, students watch videos on creating green design.  Students work in collaborative groups to determine what makes a house green and to...
Lesson Plan
Captain Planet Foundation

Frog Garden Party! Toads and Triangles in the Math Garden

For Teachers 4th Standards
It's frog party time! With frog banners, frog juice, and a triangle hunt, your garden party is sure to be both entertaining and educational. The activity connects geometry, earth science, and delicious snacks to teach kids about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comprehension: Compare and Contrast Topics in Two Texts

For Teachers 3rd
A scripted instructional activity can be a big help for new teachers. This fully scripted three-day learning activity provides teachers with the means to demonstrate how to compare and contrast two topics in two texts. Learners will work...
Activity
Discovery Education

The Time of Our Life

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Mammals are some of the newest organisms to appear on Earth. Young scholars complete an activity that results in a timeline showing the appearance of different types of living organisms. Provided with a list that spans from prokaryotes...
Lesson Plan
NASA

Lava Layering

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Take the old baking soda and vinegar volcano to the next level by using it to study repeated lava flows over time, examine geologic features on Earth and Mars, and speculate about some of the formations on Mars. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Questions - Appearances are Deceiving

For Students 9th - 12th
Five evolution-related questions are answered by beginning biologists on a separate sheet of paper. First, they are asked to list adaptations that allow organisms to survive under various conditions. The second question refers to...
Interactive
McGraw Hill

Escape Velocity Interactive

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
How hard do you need to throw a ball in the air so that it never returns? Scientists call this measure the escape velocity. Classes can explore this concept through an intriguing interactive lesson. Pupils adjust velocities and observe...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet Earth

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explore and analyze data from different maps in order to explain geographic diversity among the continents. Student groups research continents' physical features and examine how they contribute to quality of life for inhabitants.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Solar System Lab

For Students 8th
In this solar system instructional activity, 8th graders make a scale model of the solar system, answer 5 questions and write a conclusion.
Website
American Museum of Natural History

A Closer Look at Mars

For Students 6th - 12th
A website looks at how we know so much about Mars—telescopes, robots, and spacecraft—and the search for martian life. Following the informational text are three questions that quiz pupils about possible life on Mars. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Global Change- Earth as Home

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners create their own environment. In this environmental protection lesson, students pretend they are the owners of a tropical island. They create jobs for the citizens and develop the island as a model environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World In Motion Curriculum

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the night sky and its solar system. Using a Digitarium planetarium system, students observe four constellations. They discover the phases of the moon and eclipses. Students recognize the difference between normal and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is There Liquid Water on Mars?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students assess whether there is liquid water on Mars by analyzing images and data.  In this planetary lesson students analyze temperature and pressure graphs and hypothesize about how water could have flowed on Mars.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Two Views of the Universe

For Teachers K - 6th
Students build the two models of the universe created by Aristotle and Copernicus. They compare and contrast the two universes. They create hypothesis on how each model functions.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Orbits Worksheet #2

For Students 9th - 12th
Brief, but beneficial, this resource draws space scientists into the orbit of a moon around its planet. Assignees answer five multiple choice style questions using a diagram of the planet, the moon's orbit, its focal points, and the...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Why Earthquakes Occur

For Students 6th - 9th
In this earthquake activity, students learn about why earthquakes occur. After reading the information, they answer the 12 questions in the packet. The answers are on the last page.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Savage Planet in the News

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Young scholars research volcanoes, storms, atmospheric conditions and extreme environments. They collect information and create a simulation of a science newscast. They watch a video and write a letter as an eyewitness to an avalanche.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Eclipses

For Students 6th - 9th
For this eclipses worksheet, learners are given diagrams of a solar and lunar eclipse. They fill in each diagram with given terms and color the diagram to indicate the process for each type of eclipse.
Interactive
Curated OER

Earthquakes In Your State

For Students 5th - 12th
In this earthquake instructional activity students complete an interactive activity then answer a series of short answer questions on different earthquakes and their magnitude, and epicenter. 

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