Young scientists investigate the scientific concepts and principles that help make common toys such as hula hoops, yo-yos, slinkies, and silly putty work. As a class, they read "Backyard Rocket Science, Served Wet" to get a look behind...

Students explore and identify the concepts of potential and kinetic energy. They define kinetic and potential energy and discuss examples of each. Students then play a game involving balance toys, demonstrating both kinetic and potential...

If you can find Tinker Toys™, then this may be a fun assignment for your physical science class. Using the construction set and a few other toys, they examine the forces involved when it they are being played with. For each, they...

Do your part to prevent forest fires with an activity about not playing with matches. A word search prompts young rangers to fill in the blanks about the consequences of playing with matches, and a set of pictures provides spaces for...

Students explore physics by experimenting with classic toys. In this physical science lesson, students utilize gliders, energy balls, bouncing balls, marbles and other toys to explore how they work. Students explore each toy at a work...

Students chill out on a hot day with this outdoor activity. In this early childhood physical education lesson, students have fun experimenting through play with ice and toy animals in water.

Young astronomers follow a step-by-step procedure for dividing a lump of dough into parts, resulting in a scaled volume set of puny planets. Along with the printable directions is a template chart of planet names on which learners can...

Second graders sped the day exploring about balance by playing with and making balancing toys. They discover how varying the amount and position of mass affects the toys' balance. Pupils explore gravity and balance while playing with the...

Climate models mathematically represent the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land, sun, surface, and ice. Part two in the series of four lessons looks at the role greenhouse gases play in keeping Earth warm and has participants...

Students explore the concept of electricity in this activity based unit.  In this physical science lesson plan, students focus on electricity and electrical engineering. The teaching unit includes 5 activities to develop students...

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.

First graders identify both potential and kinetic energy in a game they play in the classroom. They listen as the teacher explains the difference between potential and kinetic energy when observing a simple machine. Using simple...

First graders engage in a lesson that is about Newton's Laws Of Gravitation while conducting research in order to perform an information search. They sing a song about the Law of Gravitation and play a game of Ring Around The Rosie. Then...

Students participate in a lab experiment involving soap bubbles and making bubble prints. They blow bubbles into the soap and add paint to make bubble prints. With extra time, they can play with a variety of bubble toys to see what...

Students explore the concept of proper canine treatment.  In this social skills lesson, students decide if the teacher's statement about treatment of dogs is good or bad.  Students then play games to show their new knowledge of...

In this Gulf oil spill instructional activity, students examine a 4-page article regarding basic facts about the oil spill as well as photographs of clean-up efforts.

Students simulate the conditions which occur in a soil aggregate. They explain how IPM affects the environment. They identify the cast of characteristics to develop their aggregate.

A truly hands-on and inquiry based learning activity bridges all the lessons in the series together. Beginning with a discussion on average global temperatures, young meteorologists use real-world data to analyze climate trends in order...

Turn your students into flocks of migratory birds for this fun instructional activity on animal migration. Prior to the activity, the teacher creates four different migration routes in the classroom or any available open space,...

Learners study estuaries and are able to define one, and describe its features.  In this investigative lesson plan students participate in an activity that shows them the importance of estuaries. 

Students identify the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a planetary rover. In this space science lesson, students create a rover using their team members. They follow a command sequence from the driver and navigate...

Students make paper bag puppets. They use the puppets as a story teller and reader. Students use the puppets to ask questions during and after reading. They assemble their own puppet. Students use the puppets to introduce new themes,...

Students meet NASA researchers who describe the relationship between force, energy and motion. They discuss how NASA's experimental X-plane is being tested to make space travel more reliable and show how proportionality and ratios are...

Students participate in a recalling activity with three colored felt apples.  In this apple lesson, students discuss the colors of apples, sequence apples, and choice a favorite apple. Students participate in an apple tasting.