Curated OER
Azimuth and Altitude
Students use a compass and their hands to find positions of stars and planets in the night sky or of the sun during the day.
Curated OER
2nd Grade - Act. 23: Sprout Houses
Read the story "Sunflower House," by Eve Bunting with your 2nd graders to investigate the relationships between plants and animals. They will discover how living things change during their lives by creating their own sprout houses....
Curated OER
Harvesting Energy from Food: How do Plants Help Humans?
Beginning botanists view slides of plant vascular tissue. They watch Magic School Bus Gets Planted, which you can find online, and then write a summary of what they have learned about plants. This lesson could be used with upper...
Nuffield Foundation
Intrepreting Information about Sweating and Temperature
Why do we sweat? Scholars analyze data about body temperature, sweating, and other factors to better understand sweating. They note the changes after drinking ice water to sweating, skin temperature, and body temperature. Analysis...
Serendip
Cells as Molecular Factories
Cells are both made of molecules and make molecules all at the same time! An exploratory lesson provides a means for scholars to research the components of cells made of molecules and also investigate the molecule-producing power of...
Curated OER
Oobleck
Here is a good lesson which aptly describes how to do the classic "Oobleck" lab with your young scientists. Unfortunately, the "Oobleck Investigation Sheet" in the plan doesn't open. However, this is a very clear description about how to...
Michigan State University
Create an Animal
Think beyond the animals and habitats we've already discovered and allow scholars to dream up their very own habitat and an animal that lives there. Class members present the new habitat and animal on a poster alongside an...
Discovery Education
Perfectly Decomposed!
We all know someone who won't eat the banana with a brown spot, the grape with a dimple, and the apple with a bruise. Scholars use different fruits to explore what happens when fruits really start to decompose. They set up an experiment...
Curated OER
The Earth's Atmosphere and Temperature
Students describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere and discover what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.
Curated OER
The Great MPA Debate
Students study the 'Marine Protected Areas' process. In this ocean instructional activity students work in groups, conduct research and present it to the class.
Curated OER
Particulate Matter
Seventh graders examine the different types of pollutants. In this environmental science lesson, 7th graders observe particulate matter under a microscope. They explain how these can affect once health when breathed in large quantities...
Curated OER
Integrating Science and Literature: Life as We Knew It
Supplement your science units with science fiction novels!
Curated OER
"You may now enter the Holodeck."
Students study and make a hologram. In this holography mini-unit, students study the science behind holography and in the culminating activity they create their own holograph. This mini-unit includes six lessons and a culminating activity.
Curated OER
Summer Science Lesson Plans
You can use these lesson plans to incorporate some science into your summer.
PBS
Observation
Students study making scientific observations . They conduct a "field study" in their attic and make observations about their family artifacts based upon physical attributes. In addition, they determine what characteristics of an object...
Curated OER
Understanding Fair Trade
Fourth graders investigate the idea that anyone who works hard makes a lot of money. In this cocoa farming lesson, 4th graders understand the processes involved in cocoa farming and the profits gained by doing it.
Curated OER
Writing
Young scholars practice word processing skills while writing Haiku and diamonte poems. In this poetry computer lesson, students choose from a group of rainforest animals and write about their animal. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Biology Project: Gone Fishing
Students write a scientific article using data and prediction skills. For this scientific writing lesson, students access data about fishing off the coast of New Jersey. They look at satellite data, fluorometry and CTD data over a 3 -4...
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Playing the Float
Got a rainy day and need a few fabulous activities to foster creative thinking skills? The class works to understand the three types of human power; direct, indirect, and stored. They do this by first creating a parade float like the...
Curated OER
Plant Power
One of the most amazing processes for youngsters to witness in class is the germination of a seed, and the subsequent growth of the plant. Here is a version of this classic lesson that is actually quite good! There is meaningful...
Code.org
Sending Binary Messages
Pairs build a device that will be able to send a binary message. They then update their device to allow it to send four possible messages before upping the ante to eight. The provided self-assessment rubric comes with reflection...
Curated OER
Energy in Today's Global Society
Students explain how heat is used to generate and produce electricity. In this energy lesson students complete several activities that show them about the different fuels used for heating.
Curated OER
Positive Futures Fair - Application of Year-Long Content Skills
Students demonstrate the knowledge of proper scientific investigation and reporting skills. They decide how to make a positive difference in the world using these skills.
Curated OER
Science: Draining the Land - the Mississippi River
Students use topographic maps to identify parts of rivers. In addition, they discover gradient and predict changes in the channels caused by variations in water flow. Other activities include sketching a river model with a new channel...